Massive list of ODOT job openings is opportunity to change agency culture

Get into the trenches to change the agency from the inside!
(Photo: J. Maus/BikePortland)

One way to change the culture at an out-of-touch government agency is to fill its ranks with people who “get it”. In the case of the Oregon Department of Transportation, they need more staff with fresh perspectives on our state’s mobility problems and potential solutions.

If you’re a transportation professional — or have always dreamed of being one — now is a good time to take a look at ODOT jobs. With a statewide hiring freeze just lifted, the agency has a massive backlog of positions to fill.

Last week I received several emails from ODOT sources encouraging people who are “multimodal savvy” (a.k.a. those who think biking, walking and transit deserve respect and priority over single-occupancy motorized vehicles) to consider applying for a long list of job openings (see them below).

In addition to the backlog, ODOT must fill another 51 positions — 36 of them full-time equivalents — to keep up with new funding and programs passed in the new transportation bill. They have openings throughout the state (but mostly at the Salem mothership). The graphic below is a chart taken from the Fiscal Impact Statement (FIS) of House Bill 2017.

ODOT gets to hire 36 FTEs to handle the influx of hundreds of millions of dollars in new infrastructure and program funding.
(Graphic: Oregon Legislative Information Service. HB 2017 FIS)

The official State of Oregon jobs board currently lists about 100 positions at ODOT. I’ve posted a list of active transportation-oriented positions below:

— Rail & Public Transit Division – Public Transit Section
— Regional Transit Coordinator – Program Analyst 3
— Project Coordinator – Associate in Engineering 2
— Mobility and Construction Liaison – Civil Engineering Specialist 3
— Traffic Investigation & Projects Engineer – Professional Engineer 1
— Assistant District Manager – Principal Executive/Manager C
— Roadway Design Lead – Professional Engineer 2
— Senior Roadway Designer – Professional Engineer 1
— Survey/Right-of-Way Unit Manger – Principal Executive/Manager E
— Project Manager – Professional Engineer 2
— Transportation Maintenance Specialist 2 – Government Camp
— Metro Area East Manager – Principal Executive/ Manager F
— Assistant Project Manager – Professional Engineer 1
— Region 1 ITS/Traffic Engineer – Professional Engineer 2
— Project Coordinator – Associate in Engineering 2
— Office Coordinator – Administrative Specialist 1

Hopefully we’ll get some new blood at ODOT which will lead to a new way of thinking about transportation. I love all my friends at ODOT, but the agency is still struggling to adapt to the modern needs of Oregonians and to wean itself off of the automobile-focused paradigm that has dominated its projects and policies for far too long.

Please consider applying for these jobs and tell your friends to do the same. You can also follow @OregonDOTJobs on Twitter for the latest openings.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

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