Iowa Department of Transportation’s Mission is Making Lives Better Through Transportation. To accomplish our Mission, the person selected for this position will demonstrate actions and behaviors guided by the Iowa Department of Transportation’s five CORE values: Safety First, People Matter, Customer Focused, Servant Leadership, and Integrity Without Exception.
Location: Ames, Iowa
Shift Requirements: Day Shift, Monday – Friday, Flex Scheduling Possible
The Design Bureau is looking to hire a full time Transportation Planner 3. Do you find fulfillment in challenging yet rewarding tasks? Do you desire working in an environment that desires a good work/life balance that is focused on your success?
As a Transportation Planner 3, you will work alongside subject matter experts and the Project Management Bureau staff to develop and review proposed budgets for each contract. You will work with Assistant Bureau Directors prepare, manage and monitor projects.
Effective Project Management is essential in order for the department to successfully deliver infrastructure investment projects outlined. This position will work directly with the Bureau Director, and the Assistant Bureau Directors to help manage our consultant administration program. Our goal is to ensure that projects are developed on time and in budget, and this position will be key to ensuring we have resources to accomplish our goal.
Your duties will include but are not limited to:
- The position involves working with the Districts and other Bureaus involved in project development to determine outside services needs associated with highway design. This will include developing a scope, budget, and information delivery requirements.
- Work with a team that includes the Bureau leadership to develop the annual outside services budget request.
- Update status, projected expenditures, and other information about the outside services program on budget reports.
- Works with the subject matter experts to make recommendations on the change to scope, fees, etc. associated with consultant proposals.
- Assists with the management and review of consultant projects, including their development status to ensure on time delivery.
- Reviews data on consultant invoicing to ensure timely payments and determine the status of the projects.
What we offer YOU:
- Competitive pay and benefits package including health, dental, flexible spending, and life insurance
- Insurance benefits start first of the month following 30 days of employment. 2024 health and dental insurance premiums can be found here.
- Opportunities for professional growth and development.
- Paid time off effective immediately - biweekly vacation, separate sick leave, accruals rollover on a yearly basis, and 9 paid holidays per year.
- Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) Retirement Package with employer match
- Optional 401A plan with employer contributions.
- Employee Discount Programs from variety of vendors (vision, cellular, fitness, recreation, season passes, travel, counseling; legal, financial).
We encourage you to view more about the State of Iowa Employee benefits and costs at the State of Iowa Employee Benefits Website!
You have the freedom to flourish in Iowa – Apply today!
If you require a reasonable accommodation in completing any screening, interviewing, pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the selection process, please direct your request to the Affirmative Action & Equal Employment Opportunity (AA/EEO) Officer at: aa-eeo@iowadot.us
Reasonable accommodation such as: interpreter, translator, written materials, modified equipment / devices, ADA access, etc. This does not include scheduling needs.

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:
1) Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in any field, and experience equal to six years of full-time work in professional transportation planning*/engineering.
2) All of the following (a and b):
a. Six years of full-time work experience in transportation planning; and
b. A total of four years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in part a),where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in any field equals one year of full-time experience.
3) Licensure as a professional engineer by the Iowa Engineering & Land Surveying Examining Board, and experience equal to two years of full-time work in transportation planning*.
4) Ten years of current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes six years of full-time work in transportation planning*.
“Transportation planning” includes preparing planning contracts and grants; managing planning grant application submittals and project development; preparing functional classification appeals, developing travel demand models and traffic forecasts; creating cartographic representations and data collection applications; analyzing transportation data, project plans, and reports to identify problems; developing portions of statewide transportation plans; or conducting/coordinating transportation research projects.
For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description. (Download PDF reader)