Assistant Division Chief

Salary: $93,138.00 - $146,883.00 annually
Opening date: 08/10/26 • Closing date: 08/24/26 11:59 PM

About the role

This position serves two primary responsibilities within the State Highway Administration’s (SHA) Office of Planning and Preliminary Engineering (Baltimore City).

• Manage permanent professional staff (and, when necessary, temporary, consultant, and/or intern staff) responsible for MDOT SHA’s long-range transportation planning activities for Maryland’s counties, municipalities, and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs). This involves:
  • Developing, interpreting, and communicating transportation policies and positions regarding MDOT SHA’s capital program and specific projects to local elected officials, county and municipal planning officials and staff, and county and municipal public works staff.
  • Coordinating capital program development and recommending potential projects and/or phases of projects to add (or remove) from MDOT SHA’s capital program.
  • Briefing MDOT SHA management about potential and current projects and local priorities ahead of and during the annual consultation meeting “Tour” and during the General Assembly session.
  • Overseeing feasibility study development.
  • Leading interdisciplinary teams of MDOT SHA and partner agencies staff to fulfill MDOT and MDOT SHA planning objectives.
  • Supervising program coordination activities with MPOs and other government agencies.
  • Coordinating Interstate highway access modification with the Federal Highway Administration.
  • Supervising the identification of highway needs with local governments.
• Manage various statewide planning activities, which may include but are not limited to:
  • Access Management Program development.
  • Bicycle/Pedestrian Priority Area plan development.
  • Federal-Aid Highway Program functional classification coordination.
  • Highway Needs Inventory (HNI) development (required by State law, serving as MDOT SHA’s long-range planning document).
  • Managed Lane Program coordination.
  • Park-and-Ride Program development.
  • Road transfer candidate segment identification.

Additionally, this position reviews and analyzes proposed state and federal legislation affecting MDOT SHA with respect to policy, operations, and/or budget.

Requirements

• Education: Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.
• Experience: Six years of experience in administrative staff or professional work.
• Selective Qualification: Three years of experience in transportation planning and one year managing a program or project with supervision of employees.
• Licenses & Certifications: Must possess a motor vehicle operator's license valid in the state of Maryland.

Notes:

• Candidates may substitute 30 credit hours from an accredited college or university for each year up to four years of the required experience.
• Candidates may substitute the possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and two years of experience in administrative staff or professional work for the required experience.
• Candidates may substitute the possession of a master's degree from an accredited college or university and one year of experience in administrative staff or professional work for the required experience.
• Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience involving staff work related to the administration of rules, regulations, policies, procedures and processes, or overseeing or coordinating unit operations or functioning as a staff assistant to a higher-ranking commissioned officer on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with MDOT’s Consolidated Transportation Program, the annual consultation meeting “Tour,” and MDOT SHA’s capital program development processes.
• Familiarity with applicable federal and State metropolitan and statewide planning laws, regulations, processes, and procedures.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Special Requirements

• Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle and must possess a valid Maryland motor vehicle operator’s license.
• Employees in this position can expect to periodically represent MDOT SHA at meetings and other functions outside core business hours.

Benefits

MDOT offers a generous and competitive benefits package, including:

• Excellent health and leave benefits.
• 401k benefits and a pension plan.
• Free transit program.
• Advanced education and training opportunities.