Requisition No: 877131
Agency: Department of Transportation
Working Title: ENGINEER TRAINEE - 55006682
Pay Plan: Career Service
Position Number: 55006682
Salary: $59,273.75 - $76,707.20
Posting Closing Date: 06/19/2026
Total Compensation Estimator Tool
Professional Engineer Training Program
Do you have the desire to be a leader in an innovative organization?
Do you have a passion for improving your community and protecting the environment?
The four-year Professional Engineer Training Program offers exciting career path opportunities to professional registration and advancement to leadership in the Florida Department of Transportation. The first 18 months provides practical hands-on exposure to major disciplines such as Planning, Traffic Operations, Structures, Design, Construction, and Maintenance. Depending on your performance and availability, you could be placed in the technical area of your choice where your passion and the Department’s needs come together to prepare you to successfully attain your license. Opportunities for the program exist in all the Department’s seven districts, the Turnpike Enterprise, or Central Office.
The anticipated bi-weekly salary is $2,682.07 ($71,709.82 annually including competitive area differential) with increases at 12, 24, 36, and 48 months, contingent upon satisfactory performance and available funding. An additional increase may be granted upon attaining a Florida Professional Engineer License. We offer an excellent benefits package including paid holidays, vacation and sick leave, low premium healthcare options, retirement plan options, deferred compensation plans, tuition waivers, and many training opportunities for professional growth and development.
STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
JOB POSTING DESCRIPTION
456/ PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER TRAINEE PROGRAM
OPEN COMPETITIVE/CAREER SERVICE
CONTACT PERSON & EMAIL ADDRESS: Nicole Von Behren [email protected]
ANTICIPATED ANNUAL HIRING SALARY: $71,709.82 (includes Competitive Area Differential)
To ensure honesty and transparency, all applicants must provide their own work. Unless explicitly requested, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to assist with qualifying questions, work samples, or interviews is strictly prohibited, and any breach of this requirement will lead to the applicant being removed from consideration.
Candidates must be United States (U.S.) citizens or lawfully authorized alien workers. Visa sponsorship is not available.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: You may be required to provide your Social Security Number to conduct required verifications. Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion in the Career Service, or appointment in the Selected Exempt Service (SES) or Senior Management Service (SMS) unless they are registered with the Selective Services System (SSS) before their 26th birthday, or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS.
THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION VALUES AND SUPPORTS EMPLOYMENT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. In accordance with Section 110.112, Florida Statutes, and the Florida Department of Transportation’s Individuals with Disabilities Affirmative Action Plan, the agency is committed to ensuring affirmative action and equal employment opportunity for qualified individuals with disabilities. Upon request and as appropriate, reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities may be provided. Please contact the Florida Department of Transportation’s Human Resources Office located at 605 Suwannee Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399 or call (850) 414-5300 for assistance.
POSITION DESCRIPTION: Engineer trainees rotate through major disciplines shadowing and assisting professional and technical staff, completing assigned technical engineering tasks, observing and participating in project, leadership and management activities and meetings.
Maintenance Phase: Performs technical engineering tasks of gradually increasing complexity in Field Operations, Warehouse, Repair Shops and Maintenance Systems.
Construction Phase: Performs technical engineering and construction contract administration tasks of gradually increasing complexity in Roadway, Drainage, Traffic Control Devices and Structures.
Design Phase: Performs technical engineering tasks, including sample projects of gradually increasingly complexity in Roadway Design, Drainage Design, and Traffic Design.
Traffic Operations Phase: Performs technical engineering tasks of gradually increasing complexity in Signing Pavement Marking, Operations Analysis, Signalization and Signal Systems and Highway Safety.
Survey & Mapping Phase: Performs technical surveying tasks of gradually increasing complexity in Base Line Control, Design Survey and Right of Way Survey.
Planning and Environmental Management (PLEMO) Phase: Receives instruction and performs technical planning tasks in Transportation Statistics, Multi-Modal Transportation Planning, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Five Year Plan, Project Evaluation and System Planning. Receives instruction and performs technical engineering tasks in Impact Research, Contamination Assessment & Mitigation, Permitting and Compliance.
Materials Phase: Receives instruction and performs technical engineering tasks in Structural Materials & Research, Field Operations & Certification, Bituminous Materials & Research, Pavement Evaluation, Soil Materials & Research, Aggregate Control and Chemical Materials & Corrosion Research.
Right of Way Phase: Receives instruction and performs engineering tasks in Drafting, Legal Description and Right of Way Computations.
Structures: Receives instruction and performs engineering tasks in Bridge Design, Retaining Walls, Sign Structures, Box Culverts, Traffic Signal Structures, Plan Reviews and Shop Drawing Reviews.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of transportation engineering concepts, terminology, principles and analytical techniques. Skilled and proficient in the use of computers. Ability to solve problems relating to engineering. Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments and projects. Ability to communicate effectively. Ability to establish effective working relationships with others.
OTHER JOB-RELATED REQUIREMENTS: For continuing eligibility, all trainees must obtain the Fundamentals of Engineering certificate within twelve (12) months of appointment. Failure to do so will result in the trainee being removed from the program. This program is not open to registered professional engineers or candidates with more than two years of post-graduation engineering experience. Successfully complete the Professional Engineering Training Program Maintenance, Construction, Design, and Traffic Operations Phase Exams. May be required to respond to emergencies.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: A Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Science in Engineering Degree from a university accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology (ABET), or through an equivalent accreditation as described in Chapter 471, Florida Statures, and Chapter 61G15, Florida Administrative Code, or receive degree within four months of entering the program. Proof individual has taken, or is registered to take, the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination, as administered by the Florida Board of Professional Engineers, or the equivalent examination administered by another state, prior to appointment.
AS A CANDIDATE, YOU MAY BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION (I.E. HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR EQUIVALENCY, COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS, ETC.) TO VERIFY MEETING THESE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS.
A Competitive Area Differential (CAD) additive in the amount of $1,976.00 will be added to the annual salary.
THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION VALUES THE SERVICE VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE GIVEN TO OUR COUNTRY AND SUPPORTS THE HIRING OF RETURNING SERVICE MEMBERS AND MILITARY SPOUSES. If you are a preference-eligible applicant who receives notice of a hiring decision and believe that you were not afforded employment preference in accordance with applicable Florida law and regulation, you may file a written complaint within 60 calendar days from the date you receive the notice, requesting an investigation to the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Division of Benefits and Assistance, 9500 Bay Pines Boulevard, Room 214, St. Petersburg, Florida 33708.
Apply for the
Professional Engineer Training Program
TODAY!
Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.
The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.
VETERANS’ PREFERENCE. Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply. Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements. Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code. Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available. All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.
Location:
FT LAUDERDALE, FL, US, 33309
Nearest Major Market: Fort Lauderdale
Nearest Secondary Market: Miami
