STEM OPT Traffic Engineer Jobs
Traffic Engineer roles in transportation planning, signal systems, and infrastructure analysis qualify for STEM OPT when your degree aligns with an approved CIP code. The 24-month STEM OPT extension gives you up to 36 months of work authorization, but your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify before your extension is approved.
Find STEM OPT Traffic Engineer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 84+ Traffic Engineer jobs
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
See all 84+ Traffic Engineer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Traffic Engineer roles.
Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Kimley-Horn's San Jose office is seeking a Traffic Engineer with 2+ years of experience to join their Transportation Planning and Traffic Operations team. This is not a remote position.
Responsibilities
- Perform traffic engineering and project management tasks to deliver a wide variety of transportation planning, transit, traffic engineering, safety, and intelligent transportation systems (ITS) projects for many, diverse clients
- Has an entrepreneurial spirit, creating a vision for growth in their personal practice while contributing to the growth of our well-established transportation practice
- Assist with managing their projects profitably
- Engage in hands-on practice and delivery of projects
- Transition work to qualified staff
- Act as a positive leader and mentor
- Contribute significantly to marketing and business development efforts and have the autonomy to pursue their own passions, leads, and clients
- As a critical member of the team, you will perform a variety of engineering tasks and will receive both on-the-job and formal training as well as mentorship and exposure to plan production, project financials, and client interactions
QUALIFICATIONS
- 2+ years of traffic engineering experience that could include:
- Preparing and/or reviewing traffic impact studies for small and large projects
- Preparing parking studies
- Preparing site access and circulation studies
- Bachelors or Masters from an ABET accredited university in the field of Civil Engineering
- "Engineer-In-Training" or "Engineering Intern" certification (or ability to obtain within 12 months)
- Experience using Synchro, VISSIM, and/or other traffic analysis software applications
- Communicating technical thoughts clearly and concisely
- Excellent technical writing skills
- Detail-oriented with an ability to contribute to a positive work environment
- Ability to work independently and as a team
SALARY RANGE
$105,000 to $125,000
WHY KIMLEY-HORN?
At Kimley-Horn, we do things differently. People, clients, and employees are at the forefront of who we are. Clients know we prioritize achieving their goals and growing their success. Employees know our culture and approach to business are built on a desire to provide an environment for everyone to flourish. Our commitment to quality is only as good as the people behind it—that’s why we welcome and develop passionate, hardworking, and proactive employees. We take pride in how our employee retention, robust benefits package, and company values have led to Kimley-Horn’s placement on the Fortune “100 Best Companies to Work” list for 19 years!
Key Benefits at Kimley-Horn
- Exceptional Retirement Plan: 2-to-1 company match on up to 4% of eligible compensation (salary + bonus) and additional profit-sharing contribution.
- Comprehensive Health Coverage: Low-cost medical, dental, and vision insurance options.
- Time Off: Personal leave, flexible scheduling, floating holidays, and half-day Fridays.
- Financial Wellness: Student loan matching in our 401(k), and performance-based bonuses.
- Professional Development: Tuition reimbursement and extensive internal training programs.
- Family-Friendly Benefits: New Parent Leave, family building benefits, and childcare resources.
INTRODUCTION
Kimley-Horn's San Jose office is seeking a Traffic Engineer with 2+ years of experience to join their Transportation Planning and Traffic Operations team. This is not a remote position.
Responsibilities
- Perform traffic engineering and project management tasks to deliver a wide variety of transportation planning, transit, traffic engineering, safety, and intelligent transportation systems (ITS) projects for many, diverse clients
- Has an entrepreneurial spirit, creating a vision for growth in their personal practice while contributing to the growth of our well-established transportation practice
- Assist with managing their projects profitably
- Engage in hands-on practice and delivery of projects
- Transition work to qualified staff
- Act as a positive leader and mentor
- Contribute significantly to marketing and business development efforts and have the autonomy to pursue their own passions, leads, and clients
- As a critical member of the team, you will perform a variety of engineering tasks and will receive both on-the-job and formal training as well as mentorship and exposure to plan production, project financials, and client interactions
QUALIFICATIONS
- 2+ years of traffic engineering experience that could include:
- Preparing and/or reviewing traffic impact studies for small and large projects
- Preparing parking studies
- Preparing site access and circulation studies
- Bachelors or Masters from an ABET accredited university in the field of Civil Engineering
- "Engineer-In-Training" or "Engineering Intern" certification (or ability to obtain within 12 months)
- Experience using Synchro, VISSIM, and/or other traffic analysis software applications
- Communicating technical thoughts clearly and concisely
- Excellent technical writing skills
- Detail-oriented with an ability to contribute to a positive work environment
- Ability to work independently and as a team
SALARY RANGE
$105,000 to $125,000
WHY KIMLEY-HORN?
At Kimley-Horn, we do things differently. People, clients, and employees are at the forefront of who we are. Clients know we prioritize achieving their goals and growing their success. Employees know our culture and approach to business are built on a desire to provide an environment for everyone to flourish. Our commitment to quality is only as good as the people behind it—that’s why we welcome and develop passionate, hardworking, and proactive employees. We take pride in how our employee retention, robust benefits package, and company values have led to Kimley-Horn’s placement on the Fortune “100 Best Companies to Work” list for 19 years!
Key Benefits at Kimley-Horn
- Exceptional Retirement Plan: 2-to-1 company match on up to 4% of eligible compensation (salary + bonus) and additional profit-sharing contribution.
- Comprehensive Health Coverage: Low-cost medical, dental, and vision insurance options.
- Time Off: Personal leave, flexible scheduling, floating holidays, and half-day Fridays.
- Financial Wellness: Student loan matching in our 401(k), and performance-based bonuses.
- Professional Development: Tuition reimbursement and extensive internal training programs.
- Family-Friendly Benefits: New Parent Leave, family building benefits, and childcare resources.
See all 84+ STEM OPT Traffic Engineer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new STEM OPT Traffic Engineer Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Traffic Engineer
Verify your degree's CIP code eligibility
Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering, and Systems Engineering degrees typically carry CIP codes that qualify for STEM OPT. Confirm your specific code on your I-20 with your DSO before applying, since some interdisciplinary programs use non-qualifying codes.
Target municipal and state DOT employers
State Departments of Transportation and metropolitan planning organizations regularly hire Traffic Engineers and are legally required to use E-Verify as government contractors. This makes them reliable STEM OPT employers without the extra verification step many private firms require.
Check E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
An employer's E-Verify enrollment is mandatory for your STEM OPT extension to be approved by USCIS. Search the official E-Verify employer search tool to confirm enrollment status before signing an offer, not after, to avoid delays.
Build your I-983 training plan around project deliverables
Your I-983 must describe how the Traffic Engineer role advances your STEM degree's learning objectives. Map specific tasks like signal timing analysis, traffic impact studies, or microsimulation modeling directly to your degree's core competencies to satisfy USCIS review standards.
Use Migrate Mate to filter for E-Verify employers
Search Traffic Engineer roles on Migrate Mate to see which employers have active STEM OPT hiring history. Filtering for verified E-Verify enrollment upfront saves weeks of back-and-forth with HR departments that can't support your extension.
Request LCA wage data before negotiating compensation
DOL requires employers to pay at least the prevailing wage listed on the Labor Condition Application for your role and location. Pull the OFLC Wage Search for Traffic Engineer positions in your target metro before your offer conversation so you enter negotiation with published wage-level data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Traffic Engineer role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Traffic Engineer positions typically qualify if your degree is in Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering, or a related STEM field with an approved CIP code on your I-20. The role itself must involve applying STEM knowledge directly, which signal design, traffic modeling, and infrastructure analysis clearly satisfy. Confirm your CIP code with your DSO before filing.
What does the E-Verify requirement mean for Traffic Engineer job seekers?
Your employer must be actively enrolled in E-Verify before USCIS will approve your STEM OPT extension. Many large engineering firms and all government contractors already meet this requirement, but smaller private consultancies may not. Verify enrollment using the E-Verify employer search tool before accepting any offer, since switching employers after approval requires restarting the extension process.
How do I structure my I-983 training plan for a Traffic Engineer role?
Your I-983 should connect each major job function to a learning objective tied to your STEM degree. For Traffic Engineers, this means mapping tasks like traffic impact assessments, microsimulation software operation, or signal optimization to specific coursework or degree competencies. Generic descriptions of job duties without that connection are the most common reason USCIS scrutinizes I-983 submissions.
What happens to my STEM OPT authorization if my employer loses E-Verify enrollment?
If your employer's E-Verify enrollment lapses or is terminated after your extension is approved, you're required to report the change to your DSO and may need to find a new qualifying employer. USCIS treats active E-Verify enrollment as an ongoing condition, not just a one-time approval requirement. Your DSO can help you determine next steps before your authorization is affected.
Where can I find Traffic Engineer jobs at employers who support STEM OPT?
Migrate Mate lists Traffic Engineer openings filtered for employers with verified E-Verify enrollment and STEM OPT hiring history, so you're not spending time on roles where your work authorization won't be supported. Government contractors and state DOT-affiliated firms appear frequently and tend to have established processes for I-983 training plan approvals and the 90-day reporting requirements.