Traffic Operations Engineer

The Traffic Operations Engineer, under the direction of the Traffic Operations Manager, provides professional traffic engineering and technical support for road use permitting, traffic management, traffic operations, and related technical services.

This role reviews and supports complex Traffic Management Plans, road use activities, signage and pavement marking changes, traffic signal operations, and other operational traffic matters to help ensure safe, efficient, and reliable movement throughout the transportation network. Through technical analysis, risk identification, cross-department coordination, and consistent application of standards and best practices, the position contributes to public safety, regulatory (WorkSafeBC) compliance, service continuity, and effective management of impacts to road users, construction activities, and City operations.

This position exercises professional engineering judgement within delegated authority under direct supervision under applicable legislation, City bylaws, EGBC standards, and approved programs.

Road Use Permitting and Plan Review
• Review and approve Road Use Permit applications, including lane closures, detours, and temporary traffic control, with a focus on minimizing impacts and improving safety for all road users.
• Provide technical review of work zone traffic management and Traffic Management Plans (TMPs) to ensure compliance with City standards, safety requirements, operational best practices, and WorkSafeBC order-of-control expectations.
• Review Special Event Traffic Management Plans and coordinate with relevant parties to avoid conflicts and maintain safe, efficient operations.
• Provide day-to-day technical oversight of permit review processes to support consistent, timely, and well-documented decisions, including process improvement and standardization.

Coordination, Risk Management, and Operational Response
• Coordinate with internal City departments to resolve conflicts, manage cumulative impacts of permitted works, and support continuity of City operations.
• Act as the primary technical lead in coordination with the Traffic Programmers for on traffic operations requirements, permit conditions, and implementation issues.
• Identify, mitigate, and escalate operational risks associated with road use activities to maintain safe and efficient roadway operations.
• Respond to operational issues arising from permitted works, including field adjustments, complaints, and safety concerns.

Technical Review and Operational Support
• Respond to technical inquiries from staff, consultants, contractors, and the public, including general traffic operations inquiries related to signage, pavement markings, roadway operations, and traffic control concerns.
• Provide technical input on operational signage and pavement marking matters, including review of proposed changes, support for field implementation, and recommendations to improve safety, clarity, and network performance.
• Support traffic modelling and operational analysis to assess roadway, intersection, signage, and pavement marking changes and to inform recommendations related to network operations.
• Review technical submissions (plans, drawings, and reports) for compliance with City standards, guidelines, and best practices.

Traffic Signal Operations and Analysis
• Provide technical engineering support for traffic signal timing changes, including modelling, conducting warrants, review, and coordination with Traffic Systems team.
• Support data collection and analysis (e.g., turning movement counts, performance measures) to inform signal timing decisions.
• Coordinate with Traffic Systems staff and external partners to review traffic signal operation requests from the public or other departments by conducting modelling, warrants, and documentation/reporting of the findings.

• Engineering Degree , Bachelor of Applied Science (or equivalent) with experience in consultation or municipal environment. Experience with traffic engineering, traffic management, safety, and capacity analysis.
• Experience in transportation modeling is an asset .
• P.Eng. designation from EGBC or another Canadian jurisdiction is required for this position.
• A.P.L Eng with significant and relevant experience may be considered.
• An E.I.T. with intent on registering for Professional Engineer and at least 4 years of experience may also be considered.

• Demonstrated ability to apply traffic engineering principles, standards, and best practices to real-world operational scenarios, including Road Use Permits, Traffic Management Plans, special events, and traffic signal operations.
• Capable of reviewing complex technical submissions, including traffic control plans, drawings, modelling outputs, and reports, to identify risks, constraints, and appropriate mitigation measures.
• Ability to conduct and interpret traffic analysis, modelling, warrants, and operational performance data to support sound engineering decisions and defensible recommendations.
• Working knowledge of applicable legislation, bylaws, policies, and technical standards related to traffic operations, work zone safety, and roadway user safety, with the ability to translate policy into practical, operational requirements.
• Experience with traffic modelling software (such as Synchro) will be considered an asset. Experience with traffic data analysis and interpretation is also considered an asset.
• Strong risk-assessment skills, including the ability to identify safety, operational, and network impacts associated with temporary traffic controls, construction staging, and signal timing changes.
• Ability to make consistent, well-reasoned decisions, document technical rationale, and support approvals or conditions that withstand audit, review, or public scrutiny.
• Clear and effective written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts, requirements, and decisions to a range of audiences, including non-technical staff, contractors, consultants, and the public.
• Ability to provide constructive technical guidance and feedback to staff, consultants, and contractors to improve compliance, plan quality, and operational outcomes.
• Strong collaboration and consultation skills to work productively with internal departments and external stakeholders to resolve conflicts and coordinate impacts across City operations.
• High level of professional integrity, accountability, and commitment to public safety, equity, and service excellence.
• Ability to work independently within assigned authority while recognizing when escalation or management involvement is required.

The annual salary for this position ranges from $106,000 to $123,000, depending on qualifications and experience. Most candidates can expect to start in the lower to mid-range of this scale, with opportunities for salary growth based on performance and tenure. We offer progressive employment practices and a great work environment. This is an exempt position that offers a competitive salary, employer-paid comprehensive benefits package, an earned day off program, paid vacation and one of Canada’s top pension plans.

The City of Kelowna is committed to being an organization that values and reflects its community’s diverse population, and to fostering an equitable, inclusive and progressive work environment where everyone can be their authentic self and feels a sense of belonging.

7 AM – 4 PM