Your engineering skills and specialized knowledge of highway design and contract standards will make you a valuable team member of the Highway Design Office.
You will provide expert technical advice and undertake projects and investigations related to highway planning, design and engineering on a wide variety of provincial highways ranging from some of the busiest and most complex highways in the world to rural and remote low volume roads.
About Us
The Highway Design Office (HDO) is part of the Standards and Contracts Branch within the Ministry of Transportation. HDO is the ministry's technical authority for highway design standards, specifications, policies, and guidelines, and manages key provincial systems and services including the Ontario Provincial Standards Specifications (OPSS), Technical Consultation Portal (TCP), and Technical Publications (Tech Pubs).
As a member of HDO, you will have the opportunity to influence transportation infrastructure across the entire province, working at the intersection of engineering, policy, innovation, and public service. The office provides technical leadership in areas such as highway geometric design, drainage and hydrology, roadside safety, climate change adaptation, active transportation, landscape architecture, value engineering, standards development, and digital modernization. Staff collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, municipalities, consultants, industry experts, and other government agencies to develop and implement solutions that shape how Ontario's highways are planned, designed, and delivered.
This position offers exposure to high-impact provincial initiatives, opportunities to provide technical leadership and expert advice, and the chance to contribute to standards, policies, guidelines, research, innovation, and continuous improvement initiatives that support a safe, sustainable, and resilient transportation system for Ontarians.
About the job
In this position, you will:
- provide expert advice on geometric design and roadside safety design and products
- develop new highway design, geometric and roadside safety standards and the improvement of existing standards
- develop design aids such as templates, tables and software systems and coordinate the documentation and implementation of new highway design and roadside safety standards
- manage project teams and lead the evaluation and selection of technical consultants and administer consultant assignments
- investigate, review and analyse geometric features and roadside safety devices at accident locations
What you bring to the team
Mandatory requirements
- You are licensed with Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) or You currently have accreditation as a Professional Engineer in a Canadian Province or Territory, and you will obtain a Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO) license as a condition of accepting this position.
- You possess a valid driver's license or equivalent, as recognized by the province of Ontario.
Technical knowledge
You have:
- advanced knowledge of theories and practices of highway design and engineering, with a specialization in geometric design and/or roadside safety design
- good knowledge of MTO design practices and processes including CDED, design criteria and engineering memorandum
- knowledge of technologies and innovations in the highway design and roadside safety field to analyze, evaluate and substantiate data and reports
- knowledge of evaluation principles to plan and conduct evaluation studies in the development, improvement and implementation of highway design, drainage and roadside safety standards, policies and procedures
- good knowledge of specification and policy development and documentation
- good knowledge of project management, consultant management, and the ministry's organization, programs, policies and administrative procedures
Communication and interpersonal skills
You have:
- strong written communication skills required to prepare reports, directives, manuals, policies, specifications, engineering memorandum and training
- strong oral communication skills to plan objectives solicit input, deliver recommendations, provide expert advice and deliver training
- strong interpersonal skills to establish and maintain effective working relationships at all levels within and outside the provincial government
Analytical and research skills:
- You possess analytical skills to assess changes to external factors, such as vehicle designs to determine their compatibility with geometric design and roadside safety standards
- You have the ability to evaluate geometric, drainage and safety features of highways to create data and reports
- You have strong analytical skills to evaluate problems, engineering data, recommendations, and determine related implications to suggest alternatives and identify cost effective and practical solutions
Organizational skills:
- You have demonstrated the ability to identify priorities, develop delivery plans and deliver on a variety of concurrent activities
- You have experience conducting evaluation studies in the development, improvement and implementation of highway design and roadside safety standards, policies and procedures, in interpreting and assessing results, and in devising solutions
- You utilize strong organization skills to coordinate studies for the development of optimum geometric and safety standards, policies and procedures for highway design
Don't meet every qualification?
If you are excited about this position and meet most, but not all, of the listed qualifications, please still consider applying. We recognize that no one person might have every qualification in this job ad, and you just might be the right candidate!
How we support diversity, inclusion and accessibility
We are building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage everyone interested in working with us to apply, including people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black and racialized individuals, as well as people from all ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.
Our hiring process is accessible, consistent with Ontario's Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. We are working to prevent and remove barriers in our hiring processes and can offer accommodation to address specific needs related to Code-protected grounds such as disability, family status and religion. For more information about accommodation during the hiring process please contact us.
Learn more about the work the OPS is doing to create an inclusive, anti-racist, accessible and diverse workplace:
- diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
- accessibility
- Anti-Racism Policy
Additional information
Address:
- 1 English Permanent, 301 St Paul St, St Catharines, West Region or 1355 John Counter Blvd, Kingston, East Region or 659 Exeter Rd, London, West Region or 447 McKeown Ave, North Bay, North Region or 159 Sir William Hearst Ave, Toronto, Toronto Region or 615 James St S, Thunder Bay, North Region
Compensation Group:
Professional Engineers, Government of Ontario
Understanding the job ad - definitions
Schedule:
6
Category:
Science and Engineering
Posted on:
Monday, August 31, 2026
Note:
How to apply:
- You must apply online.
- Your cover letter and resume combined should not exceed five (5) pages. For tips and tools on how to write a concise cover letter and resume, review the Writing a Cover Letter and Resume: Tips, Tools and Resources.
- Customize your cover letter and resume to the qualifications listed on the job ad. Using concrete examples, you must show how you demonstrated the requirements for this job. We rely on the information you provide to us.
- Read the job description to make sure you understand this job.
- OPS employees are required to quote their WIN EMPLOYEE ID number when applying.
- If you require a disability related accommodation in order to participate in the recruitment process, please Contact Us to provide your contact information. Recruitment services team will contact you within 48 hours.
All external applicants (including former employees of the Ontario Public Service) applying to a competition in a ministry or Commission public body must disclose (either in the cover letter or resume) previous employment with the Ontario Public Service. Disclosure must include positions held, dates of employment and any active restrictions as applicable from being rehired by the Ontario Public Service. Active restrictions can include time and/or ministry-specific restrictions currently in force, and may preclude a former employee from being offered a position with the Ontario Public Service for a specific time period (e.g. one year), or from being offered a position with a specific ministry (either for a pre-determined time period or indefinitely). The circumstances around an employee's exit will be considered prior to an offer of employment.
Remember:
The deadline to apply is Friday, September 11, 2026 11:59 pm EDT. Late applications will not be accepted.
We thank you for your interest. Only those selected for further screening or an interview will be contacted.
The Ontario Public Service is an inclusive employer.
Accommodation is available under the Ontario's Human Rights Code .
