The Position:
The City of Oakland is an equal-opportunity employer that values workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity. Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of justice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the city's historical roots and the lives of its residents to this day. As public servants in one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we strive to develop employees who understand the harm and impacts of systemic inequity to create lasting, meaningful outcomes for everyone. Oakland strives to establish an environment that embraces the richness of culture, community, and individualism of employees. The eligibility lists established from this recruitment may be used to fill other vacancies that occur within the City, including full-time and permanent part-time positions, if applicable. Why Join the City of Oakland, Department of Transportation? The Oakland Department of Transportation's (OakDOT) mission is to envision, plan, build, operate, and maintain a transportation system for the City of Oakland and assure safe, equitable, and sustainable access and mobility for residents, businesses, and visitors. OakDOT is committed to designing traffic and transportation solutions that work to meet the needs of all Oaklanders and reduce existing inequities. OakDOT staff apply strong engineering, planning, policy, and implementation expertise to advance mobility, accessibility, equity, safety, and sustainability on our transportation system. The ideal candidate is a customer service-oriented professional with the ability to develop and deliver plans, projects, and programs within the Department of Transportation. Vacancies will be located within one of OakDOT's seven sections, listed below. These positions will represent and further the City's commitment to racial equity in all transportation engineering work. We are looking for someone who is: Creative, persistent, and excited to be part of a motivated and talented team that focuses on innovative and equitable solutions to challenging and technical problems. Knowledgeable in traffic engineering principles and practices and stays up to date with the latest developments in technology and methodology. Adaptable and independent: You are self-motivated and able to exercise a high degree of independent judgment, being able to design and interpret engineering plans, resolve technical problems, and interact with the public effectively. A proven leader: You possess leadership qualities and the ability to lead, direct, and train assigned staff. You will be responsible for providing lead direction and technical training to team members, which requires strong leadership skills. Passionate about sustainable and safe transportation: You should have a genuine passion for sustainable transportation solutions and safety improvements and be motivated to contribute to the development of a transportation system that benefits the community and supports the city's sustainability goals. What you will typically be responsible for: Performing professional engineering transportation, traffic, and civil engineering work. Preparing project documents for the planning, design, construction, integration, deployment, and operations of multi-modal transportation and related projects to enhance safety, accessibility, mobility, and sustainability. Supervising, preparing, and reviewing transportation improvement plans, specifications, and cost estimates; designing traffic signal configurations and operations; developing traffic-related geometric layouts; and preparing and reviewing traffic control plans. Reviewing transportation studies, performing investigations, and submitting recommendations regarding the installation of traffic control devices. Meeting with and serving as liaison to City departments, other agencies, and business and citizen groups; providing technical information as needed; and presenting information at public meetings. Participating in capital improvement projects as they relate to traffic and transportation; administering consultant and construction contracts; and performing project inspection. Providing lead direction and technical training to assigned technical and professional staff. A few reasons you might love this job: The City of Oakland is committed to reducing existing inequities in transportation engineering work. The department strives to design traffic and transportation solutions that meet the needs of all residents while advancing safety improvements. You will be interacting with various stakeholders, including City departments, agencies, businesses, and citizens. This service-oriented aspect allows candidates to make meaningful connections with the community they serve and collaborate with different groups to improve transportation and safety. You will work on complex and transformative infrastructure projects, providing a sense of accomplishment and pride in contributing to the development of Oakland's transportation system. The transportation sector is constantly evolving, and this job offers opportunities to work with new technologies, software, and innovative approaches in transportation planning and design. This environment encourages candidates to stay updated with industry advancements. A few challenges you might face in this job: You will be assessing and understanding the needs of stakeholders, including citizens, businesses, partner agencies, and the community to collaborate towards a shared outcome. While the City of Oakland is committed to reducing existing inequities, achieving equity goals in transportation engineering work can be challenging due to various factors, including budget constraints, competing priorities, and community expectations. Oakland is a major city with diverse neighborhoods and traffic challenges. Working in an urban environment may present unique engineering and logistical challenges that candidates must navigate effectively. Competencies Required: Analyzing & Interpreting Data: Drawing meaning and conclusions from quantitative or qualitative data Critical Thinking: Analytically and logically evaluating information, propositions, and claims Mathematical Facility: Performing computations and solving mathematical problems Legal & Regulatory Navigation: Understanding, interpreting, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations Professional & Technical Expertise: Applying technical subject matter to the job Using Technology: Working with electronic hardware and software applications Attention to Detail: Focusing on the details of work content, work steps, and final work products Innovative Problem Solving: Identifying and analyzing problems in order to propose new and better ways of doing things Writing: Communicating effectively in writing Building & Maintaining Relationships: Establishing rapport and maintaining mutually productive relationships Leadership: Guiding and encouraging others to accomplish a common goal Teamwork: Collaborating with others to achieve shared goals Project Management: Ensuring that projects are on-time, on-budget, and achieve their objectives The following section describes the various OakDOT sections and their functions at the City. Candidates may be referred to interview with one or more teams that have a vacancy as part of the continuous eligibility list. Traffic Capital Projects The Traffic Capital Projects (TCP) section prepares complete design documents which include the preparation of plans, specifications and cost estimates for project bids and award for construction. Our main tools for production are comprised of design manual compliance and standards (City & Caltrans); software that includes AutoCAD Civil3D, AGI32 for lighting analysis, and Synchro for traffic timing. TCP also provides design services for other sections that include the Planning section and the Neighborhood Traffic Safety section for roadway safety projects. Projects are typically roadway safety, access, and circulation improvements that are mostly federally and locally funded. In our team, we do Civil/Transportation design comprising of Roadway Geometry, Traffic Signal, Pedestrian and Bicycle safety devices, and the City's Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) design. Complete Streets Paving & Sidewalks Complete Streets Paving & Sidewalks produces PS&E for pavement rehabilitation and pavement maintenance projects, including design of curb ramps, signage and striping, and pavement treatment. The team's workplan follows the adopted 2022 5-Year Paving Plan which promotes an equitable prioritization of paving in underserved neighborhoods, along with curb ramps and sidewalks prioritization plans. Additional goals of the program are to advance safety improvements on high injury corridors; incorporate new design standards for transit, pedestrian, and bicycle facilities; and implement neighborhood safety and Safe Routes to School improvements. Traffic Engineering The Traffic Engineering section operates programs that improve roadway safety for schools and residential/commercial neighborhoods and supports inter-departmental and jurisdictional projects. Typical work involves helping residents slow down traffic in their neighborhood, working with principals to improve pedestrian safety around schools, setting speed limits for the police to enforce, restricting parking on narrow streets for the fire department to access, and reviewing neighboring jurisdictions' projects that impact Oakland streets. The team also delivers small-scale capital improvement projects funded by in-house budget and outside grants for which the team applies and competes. The selected candidate will be the lead Engineer in either inter-departmental or small capital projects, both of which are supported by Assistant Engineers. Bicycle & Pedestrian Program The Bicycle & Pedestrian Program facilitates, coordinates, and oversees the implementation of the City's Bicycle and Pedestrian Plans and supports OakDOT in creating, managing, and analyzing transportation data. The Program designs and delivers low-cost/high-impact projects and provides staff support to the City's Bicyclist and Pedestrian Advisory Commission. Multimodal Corridor Operations The Multimodal Corridor Operations section maintains, operates, and improves Oakland's Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS). The section operates more than 700 traffic signals, High-intensity Activated cross WalK (HAWK) signals, and Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) and works closely with the City's Maintenance Section to maintain and upgrade these existing devices. The section collaborates with AC Transit, Caltrans, Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), and Port of Oakland to improve regional traffic safety. The section also works systematically to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety through traffic signal timing and traffic signal upgrades. Right of Way (ROW) Management and Engineering Services The Right-of-Way Management Engineering Services section administers Oakland's public space regulations. Our Engineers and Permit Technicians facilitate third-party improvements in the right-of-way, including privately constructed public infrastructure, parklet, curb gutter sidewalk, sewer lateral, excavation, obstruction, and encroachment permits. Engineering Services also reviews and approves parcel maps, final maps, right-of-way vacations, street renaming, easements and dedications. Working closely with Right-of-Way Management Construction Inspections, Engineering Services coordinates private infrastructure improvements with City-led capital projects and utility corridor projects. Engineering Services has expert level command of the Oakland Municipal Code and speaks for the agency in meetings with key stakeholders, including Oakland residents, developers, regional agencies, and public utilities. Major Projects Engineering Major Projects Engineering is responsible for the delivery of complex transportation engineering projects in Oakland. Working alongside Major Projects Planning
