Traffic Operations Team Leader

Ardurra is seeking a Traffic Operations Team Leader to join our Central Region Traffic Engineering Team in Houston, TX!

This role provides technical leadership, practice growth, and strategic direction for Ardurra’s traffic engineering and transportation safety services across the region.

Ardurra is a multidisciplinary civil engineering services firm delivering practical, innovative solutions to public- and private-sector clients. Our traffic engineering practice supports a wide range of complex programs, including HSIP and systemic safety projects, TSMO and ITS initiatives, traffic signalization and timing, MOT/POT, and signing and pavement marking design. Recent work includes statewide safety programs, City of Houston HSIP projects, and Safe Routes to School programs for Harris County, TX, among other high-visibility traffic operations efforts.

Primary Responsibilities

Practice & Market Leadership

• Lead and coordinate traffic engineering and traffic operations growth initiatives across the Central Region
• Partner with Ardurra leadership to define and execute strategic expansion plans for the traffic practice, including staffing, technical capabilities, and geographic growth
• Help identify, pursue, win, and support successful delivery of traffic engineering projects by understanding client needs and positioning Ardurra’s capabilities accordingly
• Collaborate with Ardurra leadership and the marketing team to identify key pursuits and growth markets, including safety, traffic operations, TSMO, and ITS programs
• Support pursuit efforts through pre-positioning, technical strategy development, and quality assurance of proposals and interviews
• Lead the development of strategies and tactics that enhance Ardurra’s visibility and reputation as a trusted traffic engineering and safety partner
• May serve as Client Service Manager for designated key clients, maintaining long-term relationships and identifying follow-on opportunities

Technical & Operational Leadership

• Provide senior technical oversight and subject-matter leadership for traffic engineering projects, including:
• Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) and systemic safety initiatives
• Traffic Safety Studies and Action Plans
• Traffic Signal Design, Timing, and Optimization
• Traffic Systems Management and Operations (TSMO)
• Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) planning and design
• Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) and Protection of Traffic (POT)
• Signing, pavement marking, and traffic control design
• Serve as a technical resource for complex, high-visibility, or multi-agency projects, ensuring consistency with MUTCD, state, and local standards
• Provide technical guidance on traffic operations, safety analysis, work zone traffic control, and systems integration
• Support project managers and technical staff with scope definition, staffing strategies, and technical risk management

Team Development & Mentorship

• Guide and mentor engineers, planners, project managers, and technical staff to support career development and technical excellence
• Foster a collaborative team environment that encourages innovation, accountability, and quality delivery
• Support succession planning and development of future technical and practice leaders

Essential Skills and Abilities

• Strategic thinker with the ability to balance technical excellence, market needs, and organizational goals
• Ability to maintain awareness of federal funding programs, state transportation priorities, and evolving traffic operations practices
• Strong ability to represent the organization and maintain effective relationships with DOTs, cities, counties, MPOs, and public stakeholders
• Proven ability to mentor and develop project managers, assistant project managers, planners, and technical staff
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present effectively to clients, agency leadership, and internal executives
• Demonstrated creativity, foresight, and mature judgment in planning, organizing, and guiding practice growth

Qualifications and Education Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering or related field from an ABET-accredited program
• 15+ years of experience in traffic and transportation engineering, with demonstrated expertise in traffic operations, safety, and systems
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required; Professional Traffic Operations Engineer (PTOE) strongly preferred
• Experience with HSIP, traffic safety, TSMO, ITS, traffic signal systems, MOT/POT, and signing/marking design
• Successful track record in winning and delivering major transportation and traffic engineering projects
• TxDOT precertification or experience working under TxDOT and major municipal standards preferred
• Specialty certifications such as PMP or similar are desirable

Why Ardurra?

While Ardurra offers competitive compensation and rich benefits programs, it is our culture that truly sets us apart from our peers. We nurture a family-like culture, striving to create a work environment that is enjoyable, challenging and rewarding but also fun. We are acutely focused on developing our staff, whether through our internal Ardurra Academy or through our industry-leading Leadership program. We have made a deliberate and focused commitment to nurture a people-centric culture where people are: valued as individuals; supported in their professional and career development with multiple, varied career paths; provided the tools and resources to be successful, engaged, and satisfied in their work; and positive benefits, time-off programs, and flexibility to help maintain a healthy balance between work and home.