Data Collection Field Technician (TPT3)
State of WashingtonAbout the role
Posting number: 26DOT-HQ-03361
Department: Dept. of Transportation
Division: Headquarters
Job classification: TRANSPORTATION PLANNING TECHNICIAN 3
Posting type: Open & Promotional
Categories: Clerical & Data Entry, Planning and Development, Trades, Transportation, Office and Administrative Support
Summary
About WSDOT
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is a multimodal agency with a global reputation for excellence. Our dedicated workforce plans, designs, builds, and operates an integrated transportation system that safely and efficiently moves people and goods throughout the state. In addition to maintaining over 20,000 lane miles of state highway and 4,100 bridges, WSDOT leads an award-winning Active Transportation Plan, manages the world's longest floating bridge, and operates the largest ferry system in the nation!
The Opportunity
WSDOT ’s Multimodal Planning & Data Division is seeking a Transportation Planning Technician 3 to serve as a Data Collection Field Technician. Under the direction of the workgroup's Field Supervisor, this journey-level technician support state and federal data-driven decision-making relative to the public road network by collecting traffic data and performing associated tasks. The primary duties are to travel throughout Washington State, either independently or as part of a team, install and maintain temporary traffic counting equipment in and adjacent to the roadway, and routinely perform three- and four-hour manual traffic counts from a state vehicle parked near the traveled way. In addition, this position will also perform alternative forms of data collection to support Departmental engineering and policy decisions. If you’re interested or excited about an opportunity that requires extensive overnight travel, we strongly encourage you to apply for these opportunities!
What to Expect
This position performs fieldwork in adverse weather conditions and in varying temperatures and humidity levels and requires consecutive weeks of statewide travel for up to a week at a time. This work is often repetitive physical movements including bending, squatting, kneeling, and hammering motions. Repetitive motions while performing traffic data collection in the form of manual counting, setting, checking, and picking up mechanical traffic counting equipment.
Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Data Collection Field Technician will:
- Perform the technical and physically demanding duties involved with performing short-duration traffic counts, both through use of pneumatic tubes and visual observation, and other forms of traffic data collection such as vehicle occupancy counts or Bluetooth studies.
- Review assigned schedule and pre-activity safety plan to ensure all requisite information has been provided.
- Identify necessary equipment and materials and load them in a state vehicle; safely operate a state vehicle and navigate throughout Washington State.
- Make decisions involving safety to properly install a temporary traffic data collection device at a designated location and, if not, identify an alternate method for collecting data at that site.
- Install short duration data collection equipment while adhering to WSDOT policy and procedures.
- Perform associated four-hour visual counts of traffic to document the percentage of each vehicle type in the traffic stream or the percentage of each type of vehicle movement through an intersection with the use of a manual count board.
- Document detailed information regarding the assigned traffic count that may be pertinent to data processing staff.
- Uninstall the data collection equipment, place it in the state vehicle, then download data from the equipment to a laptop; transfer files to the department’s server, then provide copies of associated paperwork to office staff.
- Discuss and communicate at the appropriate level of information with peers and managers; this includes writing clean, concise documentation.
- Interpret assignments and collect quality data.
- Use and understand personal computers and department assigned suite of software tools (e.g. Windows OS. Microsoft Suite and File maker Pro) and vendor supplied traffic counting software.
- Train new employees; assist in testing new traffic counting technologies.
- Participate in meetings that promote a lean organizational culture.
Qualifications
To be considered for this op
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