TTI Senior Research Engineer

Job Title

TTI Senior Research Engineer

Agency

Texas A&M Transportation Institute

Department

Tti Travel Forecasting Program

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Austin, Texas

Job Type

Faculty

Job Description

Who are we?

The Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) is an agency of the State of Texas and member of The Texas A&M University System. For 70 years, TTI has addressed complex transportation challenges and opportunities with innovation, objectivity, and unmatched technical expertise. Our staff delivers excellence, value and thought leadership to ensure our research sponsors achieve their goals.

Our Mission and Vision

Our Vision - TTI leads in the creation of knowledge that transforms transportation for the benefit of society.

Our Mission - TTI delivers practical, innovative and sustainable solutions to improve the movement of people, data and goods through research, education and technology transfer.

Our Work Environment

Entrepreneurial culture

Affiliation with Texas A&M University students and faculty

Ability to work with nationally recognized experts

Ability to help train the next generation of transportation professionals

Premier office and research facilities and equipment

Accredited laboratories and safety proving ground

Outstanding research support services

Hybrid work environment/telecommuting

Flexible work hours

Family friendly

High staff retention rates

Leadership development and wellness programs

Data allowance and home office equipment reimbursements

Relocation assistance (if eligible)

Ph.D. reimbursement program (if eligible)

Our Employee Benefits

TTI employees can choose from several health coverage options offered by The Texas A&M University System for themselves and their families, as well as numerous other benefit programs.

https://www.tamus.edu/business/benefits-administration/

Job Summary:

This position will require the ability to accomplish several major tasks for the Travel Forecasting Program in Austin, Texas.  The first work item will be to support on-going model calibration and validation support work to our major sponsor, whether it be trip-based or activity-based models.  The candidate will be expected to independently direct and train sponsor staff in model calibration and validation by providing technical and analytical lead-level support in travel model development and application using sponsor standards and expectations.

The second work task will be identifying areas of enhancement associated with travel demand modeling.  Examples include implementing new techniques and standards or enhancing existing techniques and standards for the program’s major sponsors.  The ideal candidate will be challenged to take project and task leadership roles in the advancement of modeling procedures in an applied transportation research and application environment and to handle a variety of work tasks, with excellent technical and interpersonal skills.  Strong software programming skills are a requirement.

Another potential work item will be, when requested by major sponsors, assist the Travel Forecasting Program with developing techniques to translate sponsor-created travel demand models into traffic simulation or DTA platforms to the benefit of agency sponsors and stakeholders.  This could include corridor or region-wide conversions depending on sponsor needs.

The position will also play a significant role in advancing the strategic goals of the TTI Travel Forecasting Program. The incumbent will contribute to the identification, pursuit and successful acquisition of research funding in the areas of travel demand and behavior modeling.  This position requires an achieved recognition of technical/scientific leadership nationally or internationally as a result of original scientific research. This position requires an achieved recognition of technical/scientific leadership nationally or internationally as a result of original scientific research. The candidate will serve as Principal Investigator (PI), and be challenged to secure and maintain extramural funding, and provide supervision, guidance and coordination for such projects. The expectation will be to build teams within program, division and across TTI. 

Continued employment in this position is contingent upon availability of funding and satisfactory performance.

Essential Duties:

• Travel model preparation, calibration, and forecasting using traditional travel modeling techniques.  Maintain, apply, and calibrate three and four step travel demand models. — 20%

• Prepare and test software procedures and program scripts to advance new travel model methods and technology. – 25%.

• Lead a team or serve as the technical lead with developing new techniques, standards and approaches to but not limited to the following: travel forecasting, integrating simulation with travel forecasting, and working with passive data. – 20%

• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams and manage various tasks to perform research, technology transfer, and implementation projects. Build teams within program, division and across TTI. Plan, schedule, supervise, coordinate, and report detailed phases of research projects. Serve as primary contact with sponsors on project tasks and overall projects. Ensure the completion of project objectives and timely delivery of high-quality project deliverables. Manage time, budgets, financial records, and progress of research to meet sponsor expectations - 10%

• Mentor and guide less experienced staff to build program and TTI capabilities in advanced travel modeling and forecasting procedures – 5%

• Identify future direction of research or applied approaches and actively develop and nurture research opportunities. Proactively develop and present research needs statements to potential sponsors. Develop and lead major proposals for multidisciplinary teams. Build potential teaming relationships with other partners and write effective research proposals. Understand contracting procedures to advance successful proposals to funded research projects. - 18%

• Prepare and give presentations to existing and potential sponsors, and academic or conference settings. 1%

• Other duties as assigned – 1%

Required Education and Experience:

• Master’s degree in Engineering or Planning or related field with an emphasis in transportation.

• 10 years related work experience.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Professional work experience consulting or directly working with state DOT and MPO agencies in the field of transportation planning.

• Demonstrated experience related to trip-based model development and validation/calibration, which includes knowledge of demographics, network coding, traffic counts and other travel forecasting steps/procedures.

• Demonstrated experience in Toll and Revenue Studies.

• Demonstrated skills using TransCAD, CUBE, TransModeler, and Vissim.

• Demonstrated skills in developing scripts in TransCAD, Cube, TransModeler, and Vissim.

• Experience in programming languages such Java, HTML, Python, and SQL.

• Experience in working with large databases using open-source programing languages and data analytics.

• Working knowledge of travel survey data collection methods and structure of travel surveys to support travel demand models.  Experience in the analysis and use of travel survey data in the development of travel models.

• Demonstrated skills in statistical analysis of travel model input and outputs.

• Experience in reviewing and assessing travel model validation/calibration results.

• Experience in communicating travel model development, application processes, and results both verbally and in writing.

• Ability to train individuals in one-on-one settings or large groups in workshop environment.

• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision but have the ability to work cooperatively with others on team assignments. 

• Ability to develop and lead major proposals and multidisciplinary teams.

• Ability to manage time, budgets, and financial records for projects.

• Understands contracting procedures.

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD in Engineering or Planning or related field with an emphasis in transportation.

• 20+ years related work experience.

• Experience with development and/or application of tour-based and activity-based models.

• Eagerness to learn other programming language (i.e., Python).

• Experience in developing and delivering one-on-one and large group workshops.

• Experience in the development of project proposals and in building effective project teams to perform travel behavior/demand modeling research.

• Experience in the management of multidisciplinary project teams and effectively manage research tasks and projects.

• Experience in analysis of large travel-related data sets such as cell, GPS, LBS or other ‘big data’ sources and use of such data in travel model development and/or results evaluation.

• Working knowledge of traffic engineering.

• Working knowledge of Cloud Computing (e.g., AWS, Azure) environments for data storage, results hosting, and analysis.

Required Licenses:

• PE License in Texas

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer committed to diversity.