1

Graduate Engineer Jobs in Ames, IA (NOW HIRING)

Senior Traffic Engineer

Ankeny, IA ยท On-site

$97K - $134K/yr

Description: Senior Traffic Engineer (Senior PE) McClure is currently searching for a skilled Senior Traffic Engineer to help live our mission of Making Lives Better through our growing ...

Project Engineer 2

Ames, IA ยท On-site

$70 - $95/hr

Summary Project Engineer 2 is an intermediate level working in a developing capacity with increased responsibilities performing a range of duties with core members of the engineering team and a key ...

Senior Engineer - Water Resource Engineer

Boone, IA ยท On-site +1

$102K - $141K/yr

They are an engineering and environmental consulting firm that specializes in water, ecology, and community. The ideal person loves the outdoors and wants to work at a firm focused on creating a ...

Senior Engineer - Water Resource Engineer

Boone, IA ยท On-site

$102K - $141K/yr

They are an engineering and environmental consulting firm that specializes in water, ecology, and community. The ideal person loves the outdoors and wants to work at a firm focused on creating a ...

Transportation Engineer Senior

Ames, IA ยท On-site

$95K - $135K/yr

In this role, you will assist the Bureau Director in managing engineering and administrative staff responsible for administering construction contracts to accomplish the Statewide Transportation ...

MLOps Engineer

Ames, IA ยท On-site

MLOps Engineer Job Group:Professional & Scientific Required Minimum Qualifications:Bachelor's degree Summary of Duties and Responsibilities: Looking for an opportunity to apply AI and machine ...

Senior Mine Engineer

Nevada, IA ยท On-site

$120 - $180/hr

Reporting to the Engineering Superintendent the Senior Mine Engineer will be a key member of the Technical Services team and will be involved in all aspects of mine engineering, including mine design ...

Senior Traffic Engineer

Nevada, IA ยท On-site

$130 - $180/hr

Senior Traffic Engineer Department: Transportation Employment Type: Full Time Location: Reno, NV Reporting To: Devin Cartwright Compensation: $130,000 - $180,000 / year Description Unmatched Comp ...

Senior Drainage Engineer

Nevada, IA ยท On-site

$130 - $180/hr

Senior Drainage Engineer Department: Transportation Employment Type: Full Time Location: Reno, NV Reporting To: Devin Cartwright Compensation: $130,000 - $180,000 / year Description At Horrocks, we ...

New

Leveraging your engineering prowess, you'll tackle challenges related to availability and scaling, ensuring the long-term stability of our systems. If you're passionate about pioneering the ...

Leveraging your engineering prowess, you'll tackle challenges related to availability and scaling, ensuring the long-term stability of our systems. If you're passionate about pioneering the ...

Leveraging your engineering prowess, you'll tackle challenges related to availability and scaling, ensuring the long-term stability of our systems. If you're passionate about pioneering the ...

Showing results 21-40

Graduate Engineer information

See Ames, IA salary details

$10.8K

$71K

$122.8K

How much do graduate engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 19, 2026, the average yearly pay for graduate engineer in Ames, IA is $71,008.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $44,000.00 and $81,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a graduate engineer?

Graduate Engineers are individuals who have recently completed an engineering degree and are beginning their professional careers in the engineering field. They typically work under the supervision of experienced engineers to gain practical experience, develop technical skills, and apply their academic knowledge to real-world projects. Graduate Engineers may work in various domains, such as civil, mechanical, electrical, or software engineering, depending on their specialization. Their roles often include assisting with project design, analysis, testing, and documentation while learning industry standards and best practices.

What does a graduate engineer do?

A graduate engineer may find employment in a variety of industries depending on their background, engineering specialty, and training. As a graduate engineer in the field of civil engineering, for instance, you work on scientific projects as part of a team, design civil grading, and prepare reports. In a graduate mechanical engineering role, you are involved in preparing building models, coordinating technical project components, and participating in team meetings. Regardless of your specialty, as a graduate engineer, you get to build work experience in lower level roles while working with veterans in your chosen field.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a graduate engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Graduate Engineer, you need a relevant engineering degree, strong analytical skills, and a solid understanding of engineering principles. Familiarity with CAD software, project management tools, and, in some fields, foundational certifications like EIT or FE are typically expected. Standout soft skills include teamwork, effective communication, adaptability, and a willingness to learn. These competencies are crucial for contributing to technical projects, collaborating across multidisciplinary teams, and progressing in a dynamic engineering environment.

What types of projects and responsibilities can a graduate engineer expect during their first year on the job?

As a Graduate Engineer, you can expect to work on a variety of entry-level projects that help you build practical skills and industry knowledge. Responsibilities often include assisting senior engineers with design work, preparing documentation, conducting research, and participating in site visits or quality checks. You'll likely rotate through different departments or project teams to gain a broad understanding of the company's operations. Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams is common, providing valuable exposure to project management and communication within engineering contexts. These experiences are designed to support your professional development and prepare you for more specialized roles as you progress.

What is the difference between Graduate Engineer vs Junior Engineer?

AspectGraduate EngineerJunior Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in engineering or related field; some internships or co-op experienceBachelor's degree; typically less work experience
Work EnvironmentEntry-level, training-focused, often in design, testing, or project supportEntry-level to early career, performing basic engineering tasks under supervision
Employer & Industry UsageCommon in engineering firms, construction, manufacturing, and consultingUsed interchangeably with Graduate Engineer in many companies, often indicating similar roles

Both roles are entry-level engineering positions requiring a bachelor's degree. The term 'Graduate Engineer' often emphasizes recent graduation and training, while 'Junior Engineer' may imply a slightly broader range of early career roles. In many organizations, these titles are used interchangeably, focusing on entry-level responsibilities in engineering environments.

What do graduate engineers get paid?

Graduate engineers typically earn an annual salary ranging from $55,000 to $70,000, depending on the industry, location, and level of education. Entry-level positions often include benefits such as training, mentorship, and opportunities to develop technical skills with tools like CAD or MATLAB.

What jobs do graduate engineers get?

Graduate engineers typically find entry-level positions such as design engineer, project engineer, manufacturing engineer, or quality engineer. These roles often involve applying technical skills, using engineering software, and working under supervision to gain practical experience in their field.
Infographic showing various Graduate Engineer job openings in Ames, IA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 3% As Needed, 70% Full Time, 24% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $71,008 per year, or $34.1 per hour.

Senior Traffic Engineer

McClure Engineering Co

Ankeny, IA โ€ข On-site

$97K - $134K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 6 days ago


Job description

Description:

Senior Traffic Engineer (Senior PE)


McClure is currently searching for a skilled Senior Traffic Engineer to help live our mission of Making Lives Better through our growing Transportation team. The Senior Traffic Engineer will be the primary point on a variety of highly visible and critical projects for the organization. A successful Senior Traffic Engineer will demonstrate past success in team technical/design leadership and the ability to mentor/develop less experienced team members.


The Senior Traffic Engineer will be an organized project partner who will lead team members in the development and production of deliverables which meet McClure’s high-quality standards. The Senior Traffic Engineer will also help develop the technical/design abilities of team members. This role will be seen as a technical thought leader amongst their peers internally and externally. The Senior Traffic Engineer will pursue innovation, challenge existing processes, and be an encouraging resource.


General Responsibilities:

60% Team Support

Support the Vice President or Team Leader with tasks such as:

  • Participation in monthly meetings with leadership to review team progress, discuss concerns, and identify successes.
  • Frequent communication to leadership as necessary based on project/team needs.

Support Team Leaders and Project Managers with tasks such as:

  • Frequent communication and coordination with Project Managers and Engineers.
  • Participating in project specific design review and milestone meetings.
  • Lead the project delivery team by delegating technical/design tasks and coaching those involved.
  • Lead QA/QC processes for projects and advise on necessary team-wide changes.
  • Conduct quality assurance and quality control on reports, plans and specifications, ensuring compliance with industry standards, regulations, and guidelines.
  • Work with Project Managers to identify project milestones and dependencies.
  • Independently lead design team schedules, budgets and staffing while coordinating/communicating with the Project Manager.
  • Implement team specific project delivery processes such as work breakdown structures.
  • Coordinate with outside disciplines.
  • Work with Project Managers to document, review and implement lessons learned.
  • Assess skills of technical team members, assist to address weaknesses.
  • Provide technical guidance, mentorship, and experience through knowledge transfer to members of the Team.

10% Industry Innovation and Thought Leadership

  • Research and review feasibility of industry developments and advancements.
  • Help lead the industry by speaking publicly on behalf of McClure about projects, initiatives or innovations.
  • Organize internal and external training opportunities for the team.
  • Collaborate with other engineers and professionals on multi-disciplinary projects.

20% Client Support

  • Participate in client meetings such as project kick off, design review, construction progress or project specific technical meetings as required.
  • Proactively communicate complex issues and solutions.
  • Build a relationship of trust with all clients.

10% Other Duties as Assigned


Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

To perform the role successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential responsibility satisfactorily. These requirements are representative, but not all-inclusive of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of this position.

  • Ability to maintain a positive attitude and professional demeanor with all team members.
  • Strong understanding of transportation engineering, construction techniques, and industry standards/best practices.
  • Ability to manage a fair workload by managing priorities.
  • Strong knowledge of professional liability, quality procedures, and other Engineering/Technical skills.
  • Detail-oriented with excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
  • Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from various groups of people.
  • Effective oral and written communication skills.
  • Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills.
  • Ability to communicate complex technical information to non-technical stakeholders.

Preferred Education and Experience:

  • Bachelor’s or master’s degree in civil engineering or related field.
  • 5+ years of experience in engineering.
  • Proven track record of mentoring and developing junior team members.
  • Professional Engineering (PE) license is required.
  • Professional Traffic Operations Engineer (PTOE) certification is a plus.
  • General computer knowledge (Excel, Word, PDF).

McClure provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Requirements: