Traffic Engineer Jobs in California
Traffic Engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in transportation planning agencies, large public works departments, and established civil engineering consultancies, with openings from entry-level analyst positions through senior project leads and principal engineers. The largest hiring activity is in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego, where firms like AECOM, WSP, and Caltrans maintain long-term staffing needs across major infrastructure programs. Demand is strongest in signal systems design, traffic impact analysis, and transportation demand management. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find Traffic Engineer JobsOverview
Open roles32
Top employerGoogle
Top cityLos Angeles, CA
Cities hiring20
Work type55% Hybrid
Top industryConsulting
Showing 5 of 32+ Traffic Engineer jobs
Assistant Engineer - Traffic
We won't show you this job again
Added 2d ago
City of San Diego, CA
Assistant Engineer - Traffic
San Diego, California
Added 2d ago
Principal Traffic Engineer
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Added 3d ago
Mott MacDonald
Principal Traffic Engineer
Los Angeles, California
Added 3d ago
Senior Traffic Engineer
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Added 3d ago
Mott MacDonald
Senior Traffic Engineer
Los Angeles, California
Added 3d ago
Software Engineer III, Infrastructure, Internet Egress Traffic Engineering
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Added 5d ago
Google
Software Engineer III, Infrastructure, Internet Egress Traffic Engineering
Sunnyvale, California
Added 5d ago
Staff Software Engineer, Internet Egress Traffic Engineering
We won't show you this job again
Added 6d ago
Google
Staff Software Engineer, Internet Egress Traffic Engineering
Sunnyvale, California
Added 6d ago
Added 2d ago
Assistant Engineer - Traffic
City of San Diego, CA·San Diego, California
Job functions:
$102k.2 - $123k.2/yr
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering
10,000+ employees
Job Description
JOB INFORMATION
See NOTES below for future wage increases and/or additional compensation opportunities.
APPLICANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE FOLLOWING RELATED RECRUITMENT:
APPLICANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE FOLLOWING RELATED RECRUITMENT:
- Junior Engineer - Civil
Assistant Engineer - Traffic positions produce travel forecasts; perform traffic crash analyses, field surveys, and studies of statistical data; recommend changes to striping, pavement markings, signage, and parking to facilitate safe and efficient traffic flow; evaluate and recommend locations for traffic signals, street lights, stop signs, and other traffic control devices; prepare and review signal timing plans and coordinate signal timing and traffic signal timing sheets using SYNCHRO; design traffic signals, street lights, and interconnect systems; review traffic signal and traffic control plans; review transportation studies; review traffic control plans and permits and field inspect; and perform other duties as assigned.
NOTES:
- Employees in job classifications represented by Municipal Employees Association (MEA) are scheduled to receive the following general wage increases:
- 3.5% effective 7/1/27
- 2% effective 7/1/28
- 2% effective 1/1/29
- Eligible benefited employees originally hired on or after July 10, 2021, will be automatically enrolled in the San Diego City Employees Retirement System (SDCERS).
- Assistant Engineer – Traffic employees with valid State of California registration as a Professional Traffic, Civil, or Electrical Engineer are eligible for 31% additional pay.
- Assistant Engineer – Traffic employees who do not have a valid State of California Professional Engineer registration but have a valid Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification that meets the requirements established by California’s Department of Consumer Affairs, Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists are eligible for 8% additional pay. The employee’s eligibility for EIT certification pay will end when he or she achieves state registration.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
You must meet the following requirements on the date you apply, unless otherwise indicated.
EDUCATION: You must meet ONE of the following options:
- Bachelor's Degree in Traffic, Civil, or Electrical Engineering, or a closely related engineering field.
- Engineer-in-Training (EIT) Certificate issued from a state licensing board.
- Registration as a Professional Traffic, Civil, or Electrical Engineer with a state licensing board.
NOTE:
- Additional qualifying professional traffic, civil, or electrical engineering experience may be substituted for education lacked on a year-for-year basis. One year of full-time experience = 30 semester/45 quarter college-level units.
EXPERIENCE: Two years of full-time professional traffic engineer or transportation planning experience. Qualifying professional experience MUST include at least one of the following options:
- Conducting traffic engineering analyses, inspections, preparing reports, or reviewing plans on striping, pavement marking, street and intersection capacity, parking, signing, traffic surveys, traffic safety, or traffic control work zones.
- Transportation plan review of subdivision maps, state highway plans, environmental impact reports, community plans, public improvement plans, or other plans or documents.
- Travel forecasting and transportation and mobility planning analyses which include network analysis and the use of transportation planning software (e.g., TRANPLAN/TRANSCAD, SANDAG’s Activity Based Model or equivalent travel demand modeling software, HCS, SYNCHRO/SIMTRAFFIC) to analyze future transportation system and mobility needs.
- Traffic signal or street light planning, design, operations, and inspections, including signal timing diagrams and schedules.
NOTES:
- Completion of 30 semester/45 quarter college-level units of graduate study in transportation-related course work may be substituted for a MAXIMUM of one year of full-time professional traffic engineering or transportation planning experience.
- City of San Diego employees using Out-of-Class Assignment (OCA) experience to qualify must submit written documentation signed by their appointing authority or payroll specialist, detailing the work performed, dates, and total number of qualifying OCA hours. OCA experience without the required documentation will NOT be considered.
LICENSE: A valid California Class C Driver License may be required at the time of hire.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (MUST SUBMIT WITH APPLICATION):
- Proof of degree/transcripts, certificate, or registration, if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.
- For City of San Diego employees, proof of Out-of-Class Assignment (OCA), if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.
SCREENING PROCESS
Please ensure all information is complete and accurate as the responses you provide on the supplemental questions will be reviewed using an automated evaluation system. If you are successful in this initial screening process, your application will be reviewed for applicable education, experience, and/or training to ensure all minimum requirements have been met. Successful candidates will be placed on a list which will be used to fill position vacancies during the next six months (180 days). For each vacancy, only those candidates with the most appropriate qualifications will be contacted by the hiring department for an interview.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS: Employment offers are conditional pending the results of all screening processes applicable to this position, which may include the following: confirmation of citizenship or legal right to work in the United States; completion of a pre-employment medical review and exam (which may include drug and alcohol testing); reference checks; and fingerprinting. Fingerprints will be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice for a conviction record report. Certain positions may require additional screening processes, including a polygraph examination and/or background investigation. All screening processes must be successfully completed before employment begins. A positive test result for alcohol, cannabis/marijuana, illegal drugs, or inadequately explained prescription drugs, or misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of pertinent facts in any step of the screening or selection process, may be cause for disqualification or termination of employment. Nothing in this job posting constitutes an express or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego. Candidates must notify the Personnel Department of any change to their name, mailing address, email address, or phone number, otherwise they may miss employment opportunities.
Rev. 9 – September 25, 2026 (New Recruitment Date)
City of San Diego, CA
Assistant Engineer - Traffic
San Diego, California
Added 2d ago10,000+ employees
Job functions:
$102k.2 - $123k.2/yr
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering
Job Description
JOB INFORMATION
See NOTES below for future wage increases and/or additional compensation opportunities.
APPLICANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE FOLLOWING RELATED RECRUITMENT:
APPLICANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE FOLLOWING RELATED RECRUITMENT:
- Junior Engineer - Civil
Assistant Engineer - Traffic positions produce travel forecasts; perform traffic crash analyses, field surveys, and studies of statistical data; recommend changes to striping, pavement markings, signage, and parking to facilitate safe and efficient traffic flow; evaluate and recommend locations for traffic signals, street lights, stop signs, and other traffic control devices; prepare and review signal timing plans and coordinate signal timing and traffic signal timing sheets using SYNCHRO; design traffic signals, street lights, and interconnect systems; review traffic signal and traffic control plans; review transportation studies; review traffic control plans and permits and field inspect; and perform other duties as assigned.
NOTES:
- Employees in job classifications represented by Municipal Employees Association (MEA) are scheduled to receive the following general wage increases:
- 3.5% effective 7/1/27
- 2% effective 7/1/28
- 2% effective 1/1/29
- Eligible benefited employees originally hired on or after July 10, 2021, will be automatically enrolled in the San Diego City Employees Retirement System (SDCERS).
- Assistant Engineer – Traffic employees with valid State of California registration as a Professional Traffic, Civil, or Electrical Engineer are eligible for 31% additional pay.
- Assistant Engineer – Traffic employees who do not have a valid State of California Professional Engineer registration but have a valid Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification that meets the requirements established by California’s Department of Consumer Affairs, Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists are eligible for 8% additional pay. The employee’s eligibility for EIT certification pay will end when he or she achieves state registration.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
You must meet the following requirements on the date you apply, unless otherwise indicated.
EDUCATION: You must meet ONE of the following options:
- Bachelor's Degree in Traffic, Civil, or Electrical Engineering, or a closely related engineering field.
- Engineer-in-Training (EIT) Certificate issued from a state licensing board.
- Registration as a Professional Traffic, Civil, or Electrical Engineer with a state licensing board.
NOTE:
- Additional qualifying professional traffic, civil, or electrical engineering experience may be substituted for education lacked on a year-for-year basis. One year of full-time experience = 30 semester/45 quarter college-level units.
EXPERIENCE: Two years of full-time professional traffic engineer or transportation planning experience. Qualifying professional experience MUST include at least one of the following options:
- Conducting traffic engineering analyses, inspections, preparing reports, or reviewing plans on striping, pavement marking, street and intersection capacity, parking, signing, traffic surveys, traffic safety, or traffic control work zones.
- Transportation plan review of subdivision maps, state highway plans, environmental impact reports, community plans, public improvement plans, or other plans or documents.
- Travel forecasting and transportation and mobility planning analyses which include network analysis and the use of transportation planning software (e.g., TRANPLAN/TRANSCAD, SANDAG’s Activity Based Model or equivalent travel demand modeling software, HCS, SYNCHRO/SIMTRAFFIC) to analyze future transportation system and mobility needs.
- Traffic signal or street light planning, design, operations, and inspections, including signal timing diagrams and schedules.
NOTES:
- Completion of 30 semester/45 quarter college-level units of graduate study in transportation-related course work may be substituted for a MAXIMUM of one year of full-time professional traffic engineering or transportation planning experience.
- City of San Diego employees using Out-of-Class Assignment (OCA) experience to qualify must submit written documentation signed by their appointing authority or payroll specialist, detailing the work performed, dates, and total number of qualifying OCA hours. OCA experience without the required documentation will NOT be considered.
LICENSE: A valid California Class C Driver License may be required at the time of hire.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (MUST SUBMIT WITH APPLICATION):
- Proof of degree/transcripts, certificate, or registration, if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.
- For City of San Diego employees, proof of Out-of-Class Assignment (OCA), if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.
SCREENING PROCESS
Please ensure all information is complete and accurate as the responses you provide on the supplemental questions will be reviewed using an automated evaluation system. If you are successful in this initial screening process, your application will be reviewed for applicable education, experience, and/or training to ensure all minimum requirements have been met. Successful candidates will be placed on a list which will be used to fill position vacancies during the next six months (180 days). For each vacancy, only those candidates with the most appropriate qualifications will be contacted by the hiring department for an interview.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS: Employment offers are conditional pending the results of all screening processes applicable to this position, which may include the following: confirmation of citizenship or legal right to work in the United States; completion of a pre-employment medical review and exam (which may include drug and alcohol testing); reference checks; and fingerprinting. Fingerprints will be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice for a conviction record report. Certain positions may require additional screening processes, including a polygraph examination and/or background investigation. All screening processes must be successfully completed before employment begins. A positive test result for alcohol, cannabis/marijuana, illegal drugs, or inadequately explained prescription drugs, or misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of pertinent facts in any step of the screening or selection process, may be cause for disqualification or termination of employment. Nothing in this job posting constitutes an express or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego. Candidates must notify the Personnel Department of any change to their name, mailing address, email address, or phone number, otherwise they may miss employment opportunities.
Rev. 9 – September 25, 2026 (New Recruitment Date)
See All 32 Traffic Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Traffic Engineer JobsTraffic Engineer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Los Angeles
4 jobsSan Diego
3 jobsSunnyvale
3 jobsAnaheim
2 jobsOakland
2 jobsEl Cajon
2 jobsSan Jose
2 jobsSan Francisco
2 jobsGilroy
1 jobIrvine
1 jobSantee
1 jobRiverside
1 jobSan Mateo
1 jobSacramento
1 jobBakersfield
1 jobSanta Clara
1 jobMonterey Park
1 jobMountain View
1 jobCity of Industry
1 jobHuntington Beach
1 jobTraffic Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Technology & Software
- Energy
- Law & Legal Services
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in traffic engineer jobs across California.
- Active California Professional Engineer license in Civil Engineering preferred or required
- Bachelor's degree in civil engineering or transportation engineering from an accredited program
- Experience with Synchro, HCS, or other traffic simulation and analysis software
- Familiarity with Caltrans standards, California MUTCD, and local agency design guidelines
- Ability to prepare traffic impact studies and environmental traffic assessments
- Strong written communication skills for technical reports and agency coordination
Traffic Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a traffic engineer in California?
The standard path in California starts with a bachelor's degree in civil or transportation engineering, followed by passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam to become an Engineer in Training. After gaining qualifying experience under a licensed engineer, candidates apply to the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists for a Professional Engineer license in the Civil branch, which most California agencies and firms require for independent practice or project authority.
How much do traffic engineers make in California?
Traffic engineers in California earn a median of about $122,500 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $77,980 for the lowest 10% to over $175,940 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire traffic engineers in California?
Employers hiring traffic engineers in California right now include Google, Intuit, and Willdan, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. California's scale of public infrastructure investment and the volume of development projects across the state keeps demand from both public agencies and private consultancies steady year-round.
Which California cities have the most traffic engineer jobs?
Los Angeles, San Diego, and Sunnyvale have the most traffic engineer openings in California right now. Los Angeles dominates due to the sheer volume of regional transportation agency programs and development-driven traffic studies, while San Francisco and San Diego draw consistent demand from transit expansion projects, Caltrans district offices, and large infrastructure-focused engineering firms anchored in those metros.
Are there remote traffic engineer jobs in California?
Yes, but they're limited. About 64% of traffic engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting a role that still requires field observation, agency meetings, and site-specific data collection in many cases. The tasks most commonly done remotely are traffic modeling, report writing, and signal timing analysis, which lend themselves well to flexible arrangements even when the position is otherwise office-based.
How can I get hired as a traffic engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry point is a junior traffic engineer or transportation analyst role at a California-based civil engineering consultancy or a Caltrans district office, both of which regularly bring on candidates straight from accredited engineering programs. Completing your Engineer in Training certification before applying gives you a concrete edge, and internship experience with a county public works department or regional transportation planning agency strengthens your application further. Roles titled transportation planner or traffic counts technician are common lateral starting points that build directly toward a full traffic engineer career in California.
Where can I find and apply to traffic engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to traffic engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across California agencies, consultancies, and public works departments. Search the listings, find roles that match your experience and location, and apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 32 Traffic Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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