Transportation Engineer II/III, Air Quality - Washington, United States - METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS

Description

Job Description

SUMMARY

Performs professional-level transportation planning activities in the surface transportation

sector, focused on both air quality and climate change planning. This is a technical position

requiring strong quantitative skills and an ability to analyze and interpret technical data.

Should be familiar with transportation and air quality planning principles, and travel demand forecasting. Work is performed under the general supervision of a higher-level transportation engineer/program manager, but the candidate should exhibit a certain degree of independence and self-direction.

EXAMPLES OF WORK

• Providing support for activities related to the federal air quality conformity process.

• Assisting with other air quality planning activities, including state implementation

plans (SIPs) for addressing federal air quality standards.

• Participating in climate change planning activities for the on-road transportation

sector, including tasks related to vehicle electrification.

• Keeping up to date with federal regulations and guidance pertaining to air quality and

climate change planning.

• Providing support for scenario planning activities.

• Conducting reasonableness reviews of various technical data related to air quality

and climate planning and writing technical memoranda and reports.

• Collaboration with staff from other Department of Transportation Planning (DTP)

teams and other departments, such as by COG's Department of Environmental

Programs (DEP), to develop project schedules and scopes of work for the air quality

conformity analysis of the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), SIPs, and other air

quality planning projects.

• Collaboration with staff from other DTP teams and other departments to provide

transportation data and conduct review of reports and memoranda related to climate

change planning, such as the periodic greenhouse gas inventories prepared by DEP

staff (e.g., attend meetings, provide meeting summaries, respond to information and

data requests).

• Collaboration with staff from other DTP teams and other departments to provide

support for activities related to vehicle electrification (e.g., attend meetings, provide

meeting summaries, respond to information and data requests).

• Drafting comment letters to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and

other similar agencies, in response to proposed changes in emissions standards.

• Assist with analysis and reasonableness checking of inputs and outputs from the

regional travel demand model and the EPA's MOVES mobile emissions model in

support of the air quality conformity analysis, LRTP performance assessment,

greenhouse gas (GHG) analyses, and scenario/project planning.

• Writing technical memoranda and reports, including documenting the air quality

conformity analysis of the LRTP.

• Analysis of transportation emission reduction measures (TERMs).

• Making presentations to the TPB Technical Committee, Travel Forecasting

Subcommittee (TFS) and other related committees.

• Supporting data requests from outside parties related to air quality conformity and

mobile emissions planning.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This job generally has no supervisory responsibilities, though this person may train and/or

supervise temporary staff.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Good knowledge of principles and practices of transportation engineering or planning, or

related field; including quantitative methods and techniques applied to transportation

planning; good knowledge of air quality and climate change planning; ability to express ideas clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, and to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees, officials, and the public; good judgment.

Education and Experience

Minimum qualifications (Transportation Engineer 3):

• Master's degree in transportation engineering, civil engineering, transportation

planning, urban planning, computer science, or a related field and two years of

applicable work experience. OR

• Bachelor's degree in a related or non-related field and three years of applicable work

experience. OR

• Any combination of education, experience, and training that is equivalent to one of

the two above qualifications, as demonstrated by college-level courses in areas such

as Mathematics, Operations Research, Quantitative Analysis, Statistics, and

Computer Modeling.

Minimum qualifications (Transportation Engineer 4):

• Master's degree in transportation engineering, civil engineering, transportation

planning, urban planning, computer science, or a related field and three years of

applicable work experience. OR

• Bachelor's degree in a related or non-related field and four years of applicable work

experience. OR

• Any combination of education, experience, and training that is equivalent to one of

the two above qualifications, as demonstrated by college-level courses in areas such

as Mathematics, Operations Research, Quantitative Analysis, Statistics, and

Computer Modeling.

Computer Knowledge and Skills

Strong analytical and computer skills; software skills in Microsoft Office programs (Word,

Excel, PowerPoint), Microsoft Access, or other database software.

Communication Skills

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret governmental regulations, general business periodicals,

professional journals, and/or technical procedures. Ability to write reports, business

correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to communicate in writing and speak about

complex technical topics to non-technical audiences.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers,

common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute percentages, rates, and ratios and to

draw and interpret numeric charts and graphs.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form and deal with a variety of abstract and concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization may exist.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

No requirements

Ideal candidate (one or more of these):

• Passionate about learning, improving technical skills, public service, and making

significant contributions that will improve the agency and the region.

• Experience with interpreting federal regulations pertaining to air quality conformity,

SIPs, and greenhouse gases.

• Experience with project/task management.

• Experience with climate change planning in the surface transportation sector.

• Experience with scenario planning and greenhouse gas estimation tools.

• Ability to communicate in writing and speaking about complex technical topics to

non-technical audiences;

• Experience with geographic information system (GIS) software, such as ArcGIS or

QGIS.

• Familiarity with travel demand forecasting models.

• Familiarity with EPA's MOVES model.

• Familiarity with database management systems (DBMSs).

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an

employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable

accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the

essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an

employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable

accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the

essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate

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