Primary Airports and Standards Development Engineer

Do you have a passion for aviation? If you answered yes, join the Wisconsin Department of Transportation as a Primary Airports and Standards Development Engineer (Civil Engineer Transportation - Entry or Senior Level)! This position offers a hybridized work schedule. The position will be headquartered at and required to work from the Hill Farms State Office Building in Madison, WI at least 2 days per week. All employees working a hybrid work schedule are generally expected to telework from within the State of Wisconsin. This topic will be discussed more at the time of the interview.

WisDOT is a great place to work! In addition to meaningful and rewarding work, we offer a competitive benefits package featuring:

• Substantial leave time including at least 3.5 weeks of paid leave time to start, 9 paid holidays, and 130 hours of sick time that roll over each year.
• Excellent and affordable health, vision, and dental benefits (health plan options start at just $49/month for single plans and $122/month for family plans after two months of employment)
• A casual office atmosphere, flexible work schedules, and telework options depending on the position’s requirements
• An exceptional pension plan with employer match and lifetime retirement payment, plus an optional tax advantaged 457 retirement savings plan
• Well Wisconsin Wellness Program
• A free and confidential employee assistance program that offers employees and their immediate family dependents a variety of tools, resources, and professional consultation services to support their health, goals, and overall well-being
• Use this Total Rewards Calculator to see the total value of our competitive benefits package!

In addition to our generous employee benefits, we strive for inclusivity and celebrate different religious holidays and cultural observances and provide flexibility for utilizing paid time off for such celebrations. For more information on WisDOT you can visit our website by clicking here.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is an organization dedicated to creating transportation solutions through innovation and exceptional service. We are committed to fostering an environment rooted in Integrity, Diversity, Excellence, and Accountability. Click here to learn more about how we apply these values in our work.

The WisDOT Division of Transportation Investment Management (DTIM) conducts long-range, multimodal transportation planning; guides the use of state and federal transportation dollars based upon research and data analysis of the state's transportation systems; manages the project selection process for the state highway rehabilitation and the major highway programs; and administers various local transportation, transit, airport, rail, harbor and other specialized aids programs. The Division of Transportation Investment Management includes the Bureau of Aeronautics (BOA), Bureau of Planning and Economic Development (BPED), the Bureau of State Highway Programs (BSHP), and the Bureau of Transit, Local Roads, Railroads and Harbors (BTLRRH).

This position performs administrative program management work on substantial to major issues in program planning and implementation of airport development and related transportation facilities for assigned projects. This position will manage work products to support the entire scope of airport development projects, including financing, planning, design, and construction. This position will work directly with local officials, Federal Aviation Administration, and other state, local and federal agencies on complex issues to establish project parameters.

This position will also assist in creating, developing, and maintaining the department’s standards, criteria, policies, guidance, and procedures which control the aeronautics planning, design, and construction standards on projects being development by department staff and consultants.

To review the full position description, email Ben Harwell at BenjaminK.Harwell@dot.wi.gov

The entry level is in schedule-range 14-14. Starting salary is between $66,810-$76,066, depending on qualifications, plus excellent benefits.

Candidates starting at the minimum salary will receive incremental pay increases starting at 6 months and will receive increases every 6 months for the first 2 years. After 2 years of incremental increases, candidates will be at the top of the announced range (currently $76,066). Candidates with 1-3 years of experience will be hired based on their years of relevant professional work experience and may receive incremental pay increases depending on their level of experience upon hire.

The senior level is in schedule-range 14-13 with an annual salary of $83,304-$102,398 depending on qualifications, plus excellent benefits.

A 12-month probationary period is required. Pay for current state employees will be set in accordance with the Wisconsin State Compensation Plan.

WisDOT does not sponsor work visas. Any appointment made will be contingent on the applicant being able to prove valid status to work in the United States. WisDOT is not an E-verify employer.

Prior to any appointments for position(s) filled from this announcement, candidates may be subject to a comprehensive criminal background check which may include FBI fingerprinting.

Upon hire, a minimally qualified candidate must have graduated from an Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) ABET accredited college or university with a 4-year bachelor's degree (or Master's or PH.D.) in engineering OR possess a PE license (registration as a Professional Engineer in the State of Wisconsin OR a valid Professional Engineering registration and be able to obtain a Wisconsin PE registration within 3 months if PE registration is from another state).

Candidates at the senior level will meet the qualifications above, as well as have at least 4 years of professional transportation engineering project experience in the construction or design phases. Experience may include participating as a team member or leading transportation projects in design/construction, providing fieldwork guidance, providing technical consultation, tracking and reporting project progress, etc.

Apply online! To apply, click “Apply for Job” to start the application process. Then, you will access your existing account or to create a new account if you don’t have an account. Once you are logged in, click “Apply for Job.” Follow the steps outlined in the application process and submit your application.

This application requires you to submit a resume and letter of qualifications. Within your resume and letter of qualifications, you should describe your education, training, and experience as it relates to items listed in the “Qualifications” section of the job announcement. Your application materials are very important parts of your application and are used during our evaluation process to determine your eligibility for the position. For instructions on how to develop and what should be included in these materials, please view the Resume and Letter of Qualifications Tips document. Please view the ensuring a fair and equitable hiring process document to find out more information on the State of WI selection process. The vast majority of applicants are able to outline their background and experience in their resume within 1-3 pages. Any resumes or letters of qualifications submitted with more than 3 pages will not be considered after page 3.

Permanent classified state employees who are eligible for consideration (transfer or voluntary demotion) should complete the application process as described above by the stated deadline.

The State of Wisconsin offers a special program for qualified veterans with a 30% or greater service-connected disability. If you are a qualified veteran, please visit the Veterans Employment page for application instructions to be considered for the Veterans Non-Competitive Appointment program.

Submitted materials will be evaluated by a panel of job experts and the most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process. For general wisc.jobs user information and if you are experiencing issues and need technical assistance, please see the wisc.jobs Frequently Asked Questions page. Questions related to obtaining the job description and details about this specific job posting can be directed to Benjamin Harwell at 608-266-8665 or BenjaminK.Harwell@dot.wi.gov.

The deadline to apply is 11:59 PM on Tuesday, November 25th, 2025.