CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER

About the Community

The City of Long Beach is located south of Los Angeles and adjacent to Orange County, offering oceanside activities, diverse culture, and a unique economy. With approximately 470,000 residents across 51 square miles, Long Beach features 169 parks, 26 community centers, and many public spaces. Known for its diversity, the city enjoys a Southern California climate year-round, supporting outdoor activities like surfing, hiking, golfing, and biking. Long Beach is rated the 10th “Most Walkable City” globally and includes six miles of beaches, the Long Beach Convention Center, Aquarium of the Pacific, Queen Mary, and the annual IndyCar Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

About City Government

Long Beach is a full-service Charter City governed by nine City Council members elected by district and a mayor elected at-large. The City Council appoints a City Manager, City Clerk, and Director of Police Oversight. The City Manager oversees the administration of all City departments, excluding those under separately elected officials, boards, or commissions. Long Beach operates its own Health Department, Utilities (Water and Gas), and Energy Resources Departments, with a FY 2025 total budget of $3.6 billion and a General Fund budget of $752 million. The city employs over 6,000 full- and part-time staff, primarily represented by eleven employee associations.

About the Department of Public Works

The Department of Public Works maintains and enhances the City’s infrastructure and environment. Core services include safe and efficient infrastructure, sustainable environmental protection, waste collection and diversion, and the design, construction, and maintenance of public facilities and rights-of-way. The department comprises six bureaus: Business Operations, Engineering, Environmental Services, Project Management, Public Service, and Transportation Project Management. It has over 690 budgeted positions, an annual operating budget of $250 million, and a capital improvement program budget of $190 million.

About the Role

The City Traffic Engineer provides strategic leadership for the Traffic Engineering Division, ensuring the safe and efficient movement of people and goods throughout Long Beach. This role advances citywide mobility, safety, and operational objectives through engineering solutions, transportation technologies, and policies. The position oversees traffic control systems, major investments, and compliance with regulatory requirements. Responsibilities include directing complex citywide systems, monitoring transportation performance, leading public engagement, and providing technical guidance to City leadership.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the City's designated Traffic Engineer under the Municipal Code and California Vehicle Code, overseeing traffic control devices, regulations, signing, striping, speed limits, parking restrictions, and other traffic engineering determinations.
• Direct the planning, design, implementation, operation, and maintenance of the City's Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), including traffic signals, communications infrastructure, advanced traffic management technologies, and emerging transportation technologies.
• Provide executive oversight of the Traffic Management Center (TMC), including traffic signal operations, system monitoring, incident response coordination, special event traffic management, and regional transportation system coordination.
• Lead the development and implementation of citywide traffic engineering policies, standards, procedures, and design guidelines to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local requirements.
• Establish division priorities, performance metrics, and operational standards to ensure timely delivery of traffic engineering services and continuous improvement.
• Lead the development of the Division's operating and capital budgets, prioritizing investments, forecasting resource needs, and ensuring stewardship of public funds.
• Review proposed legislation, engineering standards, and regulatory changes affecting transportation systems, recommending policy and operational improvements.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with neighboring jurisdictions, regional agencies, utilities, developers, and stakeholders to coordinate transportation improvements and regional mobility initiatives.
• Serve as the principal technical authority on traffic engineering, providing recommendations to leadership, elected officials, and community stakeholders on policy, operational issues, and capital investments.
• Oversee the Traffic Engineering Division's efforts in bicyclist and pedestrian safety, traffic engineering design, traffic control, ITS, pavement striping, parking restrictions, and healthy living initiatives.
• Staff advisory committees, including the Pedestrian Safety Advisory Committee, Metro Technical Advisory Committee, Long Beach Transit Board, and Gateway Cities Council of Governments (COG).
• Coordinate activities with the Port of Long Beach, Caltrans, Long Beach Transit, Metro, OCTA, SCAG, and other external agencies to represent the City's interests.
• Serve as the City's subject matter expert in legal depositions and court appearances related to traffic engineering and safety matters.
• Present traffic engineering and safety matters before the City Council, boards, commissions, and public meetings.
• Review and approve signing and striping plans, traffic control plans, and traffic impact analyses prepared by City staff, capital improvement projects, and private development applicants.
• Coordinate with other Public Works bureaus, City departments, consultants, and vendors to deliver traffic engineering services.
• Serve as the contract manager for on-call traffic engineering consultant contracts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering or Transportation Engineering from an accredited college or university.

Skills

• Technical Expertise: Strong knowledge of traffic engineering practices and regulatory requirements, including traffic control, signing, striping, ITS operations, and the City’s Traffic Management Center.
• Communication and Data Reporting: Ability to communicate clearly in high-pressure situations, present technical information accessibly, interpret operational data, and prepare reports for leadership and the public.
• Strategic and Analytical Skills: Evaluate data, interpret regulations, and propose policies that support compliance and advance City goals, including planning for future mobility needs.
• Leadership: Direct staff, manage division performance, and ensure oversight of critical mobility and safety functions.
• Project Management: Assess and organize work, set priorities, and manage multiple projects with competing deadlines.
• Interpersonal and Customer Service: Establish effective working relationships with stakeholders at all levels, including management, public officials, contractors, and the public. Demonstrate exceptional customer service and dedication to continuous improvement.
• Problem-Solving: Creative and independent judgment in handling sensitive, confidential, and political situations.

Pay

Appointment to this position is expected to be at or below the midpoint of the salary range, $165,766.107. The final salary will be determined based on the candidate's knowledge, skills, qualifications, and internal equity evaluation.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate embodies principled leadership, including trusteeship, values, ethics, commitment, honesty, involvement, and vision. They demonstrate a track record of leadership in a changing government environment and possess strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills. The candidate should excel in managing multiple projects, handling interruptions, and meeting competing deadlines while maintaining a focus on customer service and continuous improvement.