Senior Engineer - Traffic

Salary : $116,688.00 - $181,022.40 Annually
Location : City Hall, 505 S. Vulcan Avenue, Encinitas, CA
Job Type: Full-Time Regular
Job Number: 26-37
Department: Engineering
Opening Date: 07/10/2026
Closing Date: Continuous

The Position
The City of Encinitas is seeking a skilled Senior Engineer - Traffic to lead complex traffic and transportation projects, perform traffic studies, evaluate traffic-related infrastructure needs, and develop improvements that enhance mobility and safety citywide. This role prepares and reviews traffic plans, including Signing & Striping Plans, Traffic Control Plans, Lighting Plans, and Signal Plans, supervises and mentors engineering staff, supports the City Traffic Engineer, and represents the City in public, stakeholder, and interagency meetings. The ideal candidate excels in collaboration, technical analysis, and delivering high-quality, efficient transportation solutions. Looking for more than just a job? Join a team where your work makes a difference.

Examples of Important & Essential Duties (included but not limited to)
Essential Duties: (These duties are a representative sample; position assignments may vary.)

• Manage and deliver complex traffic engineering and transportation projects from planning through design and construction.
• Perform traffic engineering studies, prepare engineering reports, and develop recommendations to improve traffic operations and safety.
• Prepare and review traffic signal, signing, striping, pavement marking, and traffic control plans.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineering staff and assist with project coordination and workload management.
• Assist the City Traffic Engineer in supporting division operations and implementing departmental priorities.
• Prepare staff reports, technical presentations, and correspondence for City Council, the Mobility & Traffic Safety Commission, Planning Commission, and other public meetings.
• Assist with the preparation and conduct of monthly Mobility & Traffic Safety Commission meetings.
• Review development proposals, traffic impact studies, and transportation improvement plans for compliance with City standards.
• Support the administration of consultant and contractor contracts, including coordinating project activities, reviewing deliverables, monitoring schedules and budgets, and ensuring successful project implementation.
• Coordinate with consultants, contractors, developers, regional agencies, and other City departments.
• Respond to public inquiries and represent the City at community meetings, stakeholder meetings, and interagency coordination meetings.
• Stay current with applicable engineering standards, regulations, and best practices, and perform other related duties as assigned.
• Conduct reviews and apply conditions of development for private development projects.

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Minimum Qualifications
Training and Experience (position requirements at entry):
Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, plus five years experience as a Professional Engineer in Civil or Traffic, and two years of supervisory experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above.

Licensing Requirements (position requirements at entry):

• Professional Engineering (P.E.) License with the State of California in Civil Engineering
• California Traffic Engineer Registration

Application Process and Deadline
This job posting will be open until the position is filled. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and qualified applicants will be invited for an interview. If you're ready to contribute your talents and grow your career while serving an exceptional coastal community, we encourage you to apply today.
First review of applications will be on July 29, 2026.

2026 Benefits Summary

Unrepresented General, Management and Professional Employees

Cafeteria Health Plan
The employer's "Flexible Benefit Plan" contribution will make available for each employee a monthly amount equal to the high median of the monthly premiums of all CalPERS health plans available in San Diego County. Under the City's Section 125 Cafeteria Benefits Plan qualified benefits include: health, dental, vision, dependent care flexible spending account (FSA) and healthcare FSA. The remaining balance is available as additional taxable income capped at one-half of the monthly cafeteria contribution

Retirement

The City contracts with the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS):
Retirement Tier Retirement Formula
Classic2.0% @ 60
New Member2.0% @ 62

457 and 401a Deferred Compensation
The City offers a 457 and/or 401(a) deferred compensation. These accounts are voluntary and employee funded.

Basic Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance
The City provides Basic Group Term Life Insurance equal to 1x your basic annual earnings up to a maximum of $150,000. AD&D is up to the amount of your Group Term Life Insurance.
Employees may choose to purchase additional life insurance through the City's Voluntary Optional Life Insurance program.

Short-Term Disability Insurance (STD)
STD benefits are 70% of your weekly earnings up to a maximum of $3,500 per week.

Long-Term Disability Insurance (LTD)
LTD benefits are 66% of monthly earnings up to a maximum of $8,000 per month. San Dieguito Water District employees pay for their LTD premium.

Sick Leave
Unrepresented full-time employees accrue nine (9) hours of sick leave for each calendar month of paid status (4.153 hours per pay period). New employees are granted a beginning balance of (9) hours. Less than full time employees accrue sick leave in an amount prorated by FTE status. Accrued sick leave carries over from year to year.

Parental Leave (Baby Bonding)
Employees who qualify for California Family Rights Act (CFRA) baby bonding will be eligible for twelve (12) weeks of employer paid leave. Available leave is prorated based on FTE status.

Vacation Leave
Employees earn vacation hours based on the following years of service:

Years of Service Annual Accrual
Hire - 5 Years 104 hours
6 - 10 Years 128 hours
11 - 15 Years 152 hours
16+ Years 184 hours

Credit is given to new employees for related continuous prior public service employment at the rate of one year for every two years worked.

In addition to Vacation Leave, all Management employees shall be provided fifty-five (55) annual hours of Administrative Leave.

General Election Leave
Employees shall be provided a half day of paid leave to vote at the employee's polling location or a full day of paid leave to volunteer for the County Registrar of Voters for a General Election.

Holiday Closure
Each year, City Hall is closed from Christmas Eve through New Year's Day.

Holidays
Employees receive thirteen (13) fixed holidays and five (5) floating holidays (45 hours) per fiscal year.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Confidential services are available to employees and household members to assist with personal and professional issues. Five sessions per issue are available each calendar year.

Computer Purchase Program
The City will loan employees who successfully complete the probationary period of employment an interest free loan of up to $3,000.

Tuition Assistance
Eligible employees may receive up to $1,200 in reimbursement per fiscal year for approved coursework tuition, required textbooks and registration.

Social Security and Medicare
The City does not participate in the Social Security program. The City and employees each pay 1.45% to Medicare Insurance.