Transportation Operations and Safety Engineer

Company: Leidos
Location: Mc Lean
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

Leidos is seeking an experienced Transportation Engineer to lead multi-disciplinary transportation research programs and projects across federal, state, and local government contracts. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in transportation safety, operations, and data, with proven experience managing complex projects, maintaining client relationships, and delivering high-quality project deliverables. The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of State DOT safety and operations programs as demonstrated by participation in and completion of related projects and publications. Learn more about: • The Leidos Surface Transportation group: https://www.leidos.com/markets/energy/transportation • The Saxton Transportation Operations Laboratory (STOL): https://highways.dot.gov/turner-fairbank-highway-research-center/labs/STOL Location: McLean VA office hybrid remote up to 50% Candidates MUST: All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States with proof of legal status and be eligible for a Public Trust Clearance which includes three consecutive years in the United States within the last five years. Key Responsibilities: Program and Project Management o Serve as Program Manager for a Federal safety research contract. o Serve as the primary point of contact for clients, subcontractors, and internal teams. o Manage and oversee transportation safety, operations, and data research projects for federal, state, and local clients. o Develop, implement, and maintain project plans, schedules, budgets, and deliverables. o Assign tasks to team members, monitoring progress and quality of work. o Foster strong client relationships and manage project budgets and timelines. o Possess leadership skills with a collaborative management style that will facilitate interaction with supervisors, colleagues, customers and corporate partners. o Maintain strong client relationships, providing technical insight and strategic guidance. Technical Leadership o Serve as the technical lead for project teams, guiding project vision and desired outcomes. o Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of transportation system safety and operations or TSMO (transportation systems management and operations) strategies and the role of data. o Define opportunities for research around safety countermeasures, their implementation, and their utility throughout the transportation project life cycle. o Ability to lead and conduct safety reviews of existing infrastructure and designs, propose improvements, and work with a road safety audit team to resolve issues. o Ability to implement, monitor, and manage intelligent transportation systems, such as real-time traffic monitoring and traffic signal networks. o Ability to coordinate maintenance activities and oversee asset management for traffic control devices and other transportation assets. o Ability to ensure that transportation plans and operations conform to established safety guidelines and best practices. Proposal Development o Lead proposals and bid strategy for new projects in transportation research. o Contribute to writing compelling proposals and lead labor estimates for work. Required Qualifications: • Master’s degree or higher in Transportation Engineering, Civil Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field. • 12 years of relevant experience including managing Federal, state, and local transportation projects, preferably in safety, operations, or data research. • Prior experience with State and local DOTs, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and/or USDOT ITS Joint Program Office. • Strong knowledge of transportation research methodologies, data analysis, and program management best practices. • Demonstrated experience with project financial management, invoicing, and contract compliance. • Proven ability to manage multiple stakeholders, including government agencies, subcontractors, and internal teams. • Proven experience in business development, including identifying new market opportunities, building strategic partnerships, and driving portfolio/revenue growth. • Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance (which includes three years of immediate residency in the US). • All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without company sponsorship. Preferred Qualifications: • Familiarity with IRB, Safety research and development projects, and Vulnerable Road User research. • Possess an active Project Manager’s Professional certification. • Possess an understanding of the principles, theory, and practice of multi-modal transportation planning. • Experience in the following areas in the ground transportation areas that may include Operations, Safety, Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAV), Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO), shared mobility, and active transportation. • Experience with business development activities through written proposals and client relationship development, including compelling approaches and content, executing communications projects, and developing project budgets. Key Competencies: • Strong leadership, organizational, and project management skills. • Ability to navigate complex projects with competing priorities. • Strong technical knowledge of transportation safety, operations, and data. • Collaborative mindset with the ability to mentor and guide junior staff. Why Join Us? • Opportunity to lead impactful projects that help improve our Nation’s transportation ecosystem. • Collaborative and innovative work environment. • Competitive salary and benefits package, including professional development opportunities. Anticipated salary range for this role: $120,000-$165,000 If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares. Original Posting: October 3, 2025 For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above. Pay Range: Pay Range $92,300.00 - $166,850.00 The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

Keywords: Leidos, Sterling , Transportation Operations and Safety Engineer, Engineering , Mc Lean, Virginia