St. Louis Transportation Planning Lead

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?
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Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.
We believe transportation is more than movement, it’s the foundation of connected, thriving communities. As part of HDR’s Transportation Business Group, you’ll help shape the systems that move people and goods safely, efficiently, and sustainably. From designing resilient highways and iconic bridges to advancing transit, passenger and freight rail, aviation, federal transportation ports and marine infrastructure, your work will directly support economic vitality, public safety, sustainable and resilient communities and quality of life. We bring together planners, engineers, architects, construction management staff, environmental, strategic communications, economists, management consultants and specialists across disciplines to solve complex mobility challenges with innovation, technical excellence, and a deep understanding of community needs. Whether you're modernizing aging infrastructure or pioneering next-generation transportation solutions, your contributions will help define the future of mobility. This isn’t just a job, it’s a chance to lead progress, drive meaningful impact, and leave a legacy of smarter, more connected transportation networks. We are all employee-owners at HDR, which is the foundation of our collaborative culture that connects employees around the world.
HDR is looking for a St. Louis Transportation Planning Lead to join our transportation team in St. Louis. The ideal candidate would be currently located in the St. Louis region. We are seeking a new team member with passion for professional services in the transportation planning market, who can be an immediate leader for HDR or quickly grow into the leadership role in Missouri and Kansas. The primary duties will include guiding and highly engaged in the planning process of projects involving specific corridors or programs, department initiatives for safety, innovation, multi-modal, transit, community planning, and strategic communication of technical and planning subject matter. The ideal candidate will possess a high degree of technical competency and also be skilled at managing and collaborating with multi-discipline project teams. This responsibility would include projects that involve project sub-consultant partners. The ideal person for this position would also be passionate about involvement with industry events/professional societies, community support and involvement, and building relationships within the HDR matrix. The following are additional descriptions of responsibilities for this role:

Will be highly involved with pursuit and delivery of transportation planning projects in the Missouri and St. Louis area markets.
Will collaborate with HDR’s St. Louis office and area leadership on pursuits and delivery of planning projects in Missouri and Kansas. May also collaborate on planning pursuits and delivery of projects located regionally including Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Colorado, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
Will be responsible for collaborating on staffing and workload through of planning project schedules, quality, and budget.
Will likely be involved with the delivery of multiple projects concurrently. Will establish and maintain client relations and be a part of the HDR area leadership team driving the marketing, contracting and negotiations, and project teaming opportunities and decisions.
Will work with HDR Missouri and Kansas business/accounting managers, and project controllers for project reviews.
Will be responsible for implementing QA/QC procedures, and for the identification and performance of training for personnel.
Will supervise project staff and act as a mentor for less experienced team members.
The position would report to the Mobility and Funding Group within the Missouri-Kansas area for HDR. The individual in this position plans, directs and monitors all aspects of large multi-disciplinary transportation and community planning projects that may include:

Community, regional and statewide multimodal transportation plans
Corridor, Area, and Comprehensive Plans
Urban planning and design
Transportation sustainability analyses
Alternative fuels and electrification
Emissions reduction programs
Geospatial analysis and mapping
Equity analyses
Grant development
Public and stakeholder engagement
Complete Streets planning
Community economic development / growth planning / visioning
Policy development
Housing policy / planning
Transportation safety planning
Transit-oriented development planning and analysis
Multi-modal transportation demand modeling / forecasting
Transit planning (rail and bus)
Micromobility Planning
Freight Planning
Land-use planning
Report writing and production
Environmental documentation
Use of large datasets (location-based data, HERE, INRIX, etc.) to support complex planning analysis
Preferred Qualifications

Advanced degree a plus.
Data analytics skills a plus.
Preference given to candidates in the St. Louis area or willing to relocate.
Knowledge of MoDOT and municipal/local market in Missouri and the St. Louis area including client relationships and past project experience preferred but not required for a candidate that meets all other key requirements.
Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Planning, Engineering or a related field
A minimum of 10 years' experience with transportation planning
Possess excellent analytical and communication skills
Understanding of transit planning principles
Positive attitude and ability to work independently or as part of a team
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and personnel
Solid business development skills; demonstrated ability to relate well to clients; and demonstrated presentation skills
An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must
What We Believe
HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.
Our Commitment
As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.
Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.
Primary Location:
United States-Missouri-St Louis
Other Locations:
United States-Missouri-Kansas City, United States-Missouri-Columbia, United States-Missouri-Forsyth, United States-Missouri-Springfield
Industry:
Highway + Road
Schedule:
Full-time
Employee Status:
Regular
BusinessClass:
Transportation Planning
Job Posting:
Mar 9, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity. We are an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer (https://www.hdrinc.com/equal-employment-opportunity-employer). We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.