PRINCIPAL ENGINEER, TRAFFIC

Code: 11284 State Competitive Range: R26 (FY 2027) Work week 4E: FLSA exemptOvertime table (4A:3, Appx. A)

Salary: $83,582.01 - $122,831.91/year FY 2027 schedule (last updated 2026-07-27)

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.

Definition

Under the direction of a Project Engineer, Traffic or other supervisory officer in the Department of Transportation, organizes and assists in the supervision of the activities of a unit; performs related work as required.

Examples of work

• Within the scope of an established work program, assigns, organizes, and supervises the work of a group of professional and nonprofessional employees engaged in the work of a unit.
• Participates in the planning of traffic operations for large traffic generators such as shopping centers and industrial complexes with particular emphasis on the safe and expeditious handling of traffic along bordering roadways.
• Supervises the conduct and data analysis of traffic engineering surveys, and prepares recommendationss for the design of traffic control installations or traffic flow systems.
• Supervises the design of new and improved traffic control installations including signs, signaling devices, channelization systems, and the determination of the most effective location for such new installations.
• Supervises the design of more effective traffic flow systems.
• Confers with local officials regarding traffic problems ensuring the coordination of state and local efforts for the solution of traffic problems.
• Establishes the priority of work and makes proper assignments; represents the unit at interdepartmental conferences and at formal meetings as directed.
• Makes recommendations for the design and location of proposed traffic signal installations.
• Supervises field investigations and recommends traffic control regulations pertaining to speed zones, no passing zones, no parking zones, etc.
• Prepares and interprets computer data related to individual traffic engineering projects.
• Assists in the development or independently develops inhouse engineering oriented programming.
• Utilitizes computer applications in engineering problem solving.
• Prepares and/or supervises the preparation of clear, sound, accurate, and informative statistical, engineering, and other related reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Supervises the maintenance of the essential records and files.
• Supervises the work operations and/or functional programs and has responsibility for employee evaluations and for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting, disciplining, and/or training of employees.
• May be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

Education

Graduation from an accredited college with a Bachelor's degree in engineering.

Experience

Three (3) years of professional experience in traffic engineering work involving the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data in connection with highway design and/or traffic operations.

License

Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of social, economic, environmental, and safety engineering considerations.
• Knowledge of the principles of traffic engineering and the methods of investigating and resolving varied traffic problems.
• Knowledge of the capabilities and applications of computers in engineering situations and projects.
• Ability to acquire knowledge of the laws, rules, and regulations of New Jersey pertaining to traffic regulation and control and of the problems of traffic regulation in New Jersey.
• Ability to acquire knowledge of Chapter 4 of Title 39 of the motor vehicle statutes of New Jersey.
• Ability to organize assigned technical traffic engineering and other supervisory work, analyze traffic problems, and develop effective work methods.
• Ability to investigate requests for the installation of traffic signals and prepare recommendations.
• Ability to assign and instruct employees, effectively preparing and/or overseing their performance appraisal.
• Ability to design new and improved traffic control installations including signs, signal devices, and channelization systems.
• Ability to review extensive accident research data, to determine the most effective location to be used for traffic control installations, and to analyze and evaluate designs prepared by subordinates.
• Ability to confer with representatives of local governments and others regarding their traffic problems ensuring the coordination of state and local efforts for the solution of traffic problems.
• Ability to plan and undertake the collection and analysis of engineering data for computer processing, and to read and interpret the results.
• Ability to prepare and/or supervise the preparation of clear, sound, accurate, informative, statistical, engineering, and other related reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations regarding the solution of specific traffic safety, traffic control, and traffic congestion problems.
• Ability to supervise the maintenance of the essential records, and files.
• Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
• Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
• <b>NOTE: FOR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES ONLY</b>
• Employees hired by the Department of Transportation on or before July 1, 1999, who do not possess the Bachelor's degree listed above, may substitute education and experience as indicated below to meet the education requirements.
• EDUCATION:
• An Associate's degree in Engineering or Engineering Technology.
• OR
• Completion of forty-five (45) semester hour credits of specialized college level/non-remedial engineering education from an accredited college in an engineering or engineering technology program. Acceptable specialized education must include a minimum of 24 credits in Engineering/Engineering Science and a minimum of 21 credits in general science and higher-level math course. Information regarding acceptable courses may be obtained from DOT/Human Resources.
• You must attach a copy of your transcript(s) to your application. Foreign degrees/transcripts must be evaluated by a recognized evaluation service. Failure to do so will result in rejection from the examination process.
• AND
• Three and one-half (3 ') years of full time experience in engineering related work.
• Applicants who have more than the required forty-five (45) engineering related credits may substitute additional credits for the required experience on a pro-rated basis, thirty (30) credits equaling one (1) year of experience, up to a maximum of two and one-half (2 ') years.
• Code:

Note

Possession of a valid license as a Professional Engineer issued by the New Jersey State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors may be substituted for the Bachelor's degree in engineering.

Possession of a Master's Degree in any engineering field relating to highway engineering may be substituted for one (1) year of the indicated experience.