Programmer Trainee Jobs in Buffalo, NY (NOW HIRING)

Duties Description Design
Typical duties will include, but are not limited to: The design of capital roadway or bridge projects including site investigations, the preparation of engineering drawings utilizing 2D/3D CADD applications, the preparation of estimates; draft project reports; supervise and review the work of engineering technicians; or may fill the role of an assistant team leader for a bridge/culvert inspection crew; or, may fill the role of survey crew chief performing a variety of duties such as working as a team to gather and process field data using various survey equipment and software to generate survey control and base mapping.
Construction
At the time of appointment, and continuously thereafter, possession of a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State is required or the ability to meet the travel requirements of the position must otherwise be demonstrated. As an Engineer Trainee/Assistant Engineer in the Regional Construction Group, your duties may include the following: • Function as the Chief Inspector or Engineer-in-Charge on Department construction projects. • Ensure work performed by contractors meets contract specifications and engineering standards and is performed safely. • Supervise project construction inspection forces. • Review in-house design, consultant and contractor plans, shop drawings, estimates, etc. • Initiate design changes and change orders. Complete daily work reports. Prepare final documents and Record Plans. • Act as an office engineer. Check computations on DWRs, keep job records in accordance with Department policies and prepare monthly or biweekly payments to the contractor. • Night and weekend work may be required for project field assignments.
Planning
Duties may include but are not limited to: traffic modeling using Synchro and other modeling software, project scoping tasks (including but not limited to; researching record plans, researching Local Municipality Comprehensive Plans, conducting initial field investigations, and facilitating scoping meetings in coordination with other functional groups), preliminary engineering estimates, IPP preparation, scoping document preparation, and providing support for other Planning and Program Management functions, under the supervision of a unit supervisor.
Traffic
Under the direction and supervision of a licensed, professional engineer, the incumbent will perform a variety of duties, including, but not limited to, the following: • Investigate, assess, and monitor traffic signal system operations along priority corridors, • Develop optimized solutions using most current field data and applicable analytical tools, • Collect and maintain performance measurement data, • Collect and maintain asset management information, • Perform milestone reviews on capital projects and commercial development projects, • Complete traffic engineering and operational studies, • Supervise and review the work of engineering technicians, • Complete collision analyses for Priority Investigation Locations and/or capital projects including field work and recommendation of appropriate countermeasures, prepare collision diagrams, organize and conduct safety screenings as necessary, attend meetings with other functional groups and external stakeholders, and • Review, process and monitor highway work and special hauling permits.
Responsibilities may include serving a role within the Incident Command System to support the Department's response to regional and statewide emergency situations.
Minimum Qualifications This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).*
To be considered for appointment through NY HELPS, or 55 b/c, candidates must meet the open competitive minimum qualifications for this position. The qualifications are:
Engineer Trainee:
Either 1. a bachelor's degree or higher in engineering or engineering technology as listed below;
Or 2. proof of passing the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering Examination (FE) AND one year of full-time engineering experience as listed below.
As an Engineer Trainee, you will serve a 24-month traineeship that leads to Assistant Engineer, Grade 20. To advance to Assistant Engineer, you must have obtained proof of passing the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) Fundamentals of Engineering Examination (FE) and successfully completed the requirements of the traineeship to the satisfaction of the appointing authority. At the discretion of the appointing authority, early advancement to the Assistant Engineer is possible if you have obtained your FE and have successfully completed twelve months of the traineeship. It is your responsibility to notify the appointing authority's personnel office upon obtaining proof of passing the FE. You may receive an increase in salary upon obtaining your FE. Information about this increase will be provided by the appointing authority.
Assistant Engineer:
Either 1. proof of passing the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) Fundamentals of Engineering Examination (FE) AND a qualifying bachelor's degree or higher as listed below;
Or 2. proof of passing the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) Fundamentals of Engineering Examination (FE) AND one year of full-time qualifying engineering experience as listed below.
Qualifying degrees: Civil Engineering, Civil Engineering Technology, Construction Engineering, Construction Engineering Technology, Construction Engineering Management, Construction Engineering Management Technology, Geological Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Hydraulics Engineering, Materials Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Structural Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Transportation Planning and Engineering, or Engineering Science with a recognized concentration in any of the above listed engineering degrees.
Qualifying experience: One year of full-time engineering experience with transportation projects related to highways/roadways, railroads, bridges, airports, waterways, building structures, or traffic management and safety systems.
Candidates may also be qualified for permanent appointment if reachable from the appropriate Civil Service eligible list or eligible for reassignment or transfer in accordance with Civil Service Law.
Additional Comments Workday hours, mandatory overtime, and travel percentage will vary depending on the department you work in.
* For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.
At a future date, it is expected that employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.
Your required educational credentials must have been awarded by an educational institution accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the United States (U.S.) Department of Education/Secretary of Education. If awarded by an institution outside of the U.S. and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of companies that provide these services (fees must be paid to the company you choose) can be found at:
http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfmt
The starting salary for an Engineer Trainee position is $66,951. The starting salary for an Assistant Engineer is $81,193. This amount is comprised of the base salary of $74,193 with an additional geographic pay differential of $7,000, specific to this title and location. The maximum compensation for this position is $101,121. This amount is comprised of the standard job rate of $94,121 with an additional geographic pay differential of $7,000, specific to this title and location. In addition, a Mid-Hudson Adjustment of $2,000 or a Downstate Adjustment of $4,000 may also apply depending on the location of the position.
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.
DOT is an equal opportunity employer. Disabled persons are encouraged to apply.
In compliance with Public Law 99-603, candidates selected for appointment must provide an original document to prove their citizenship and/or legal right to work in the United States. Candidates for employment must have proper authorization to work in the United States at the time an offer of employment is made. The Department will not sponsor a nonimmigrant for a temporary employment visa (H-1B or similar), OPT STEM, or for permanent residence. Offers of permanent employment may not be made to nonimmigrants whose employment authorization is limited to a period of practical training (F-1 or similar).
Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.
Name Nicki Kramer, Administrative Assistant
Telephone
Fax
Email Address nicki.kramer@dot.ny.gov
Address
Street New York State Department of Transportation, Region 5
100 Seneca St
City Buffalo
State NY
Zip Code 14203
Notes on Applying Qualified candidates should submit a letter of interest, a current resume, and a copy of required transcripts (if applicable), titled by last name, with the Notice Number R5-26-40 and last name in the subject line and referenced in the letter of interest, no later than November 19, 2026 to:
New York State Department of Transportation
ATTN: Nicki Kramer, Administrative Assistant
100 Seneca Street, Buffalo, NY 14203
Email: nicki.kramer@dot.ny.gov