Surface Transportation Strategy and Innovation, Principal

Overview

MITRE's Integrated Surface Transportation Division works at the intersection of federal policy, emerging technology, and national infrastructure—partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation, state and local agencies, and industry to advance the safety, efficiency, and resilience of the nation's surface transportation system. Our portfolio spans transportation data infrastructure, automated and connected vehicles, data trust and safety, and connected infrastructure.

Roles & Responsibilities

The Principal is a senior transportation technologist and strategist and a key member of MITRE's Integrated Surface Transportation Division. This is a rare combination of strategic, technical, and analytical strength paired with the polish to advise federal sponsors directly—a multi-domain expert who can shape and innovate across the division's entire work program.

• Serve as a senior technical and strategic advisor to federal and state transportation sponsors, shaping research agendas, framing policy-relevant findings, and translating complex technical work into clear, actionable guidance.
• Drive innovation and technical strategy across the division's four portfolio areas, identifying emerging opportunities and helping sponsors anticipate the implications of new technologies and data-driven approaches.
• Identify and articulate where AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics can deliver meaningful value in transportation operations, safety, and planning—and partner with MITRE's AI and data science capabilities to execute.
• Lead or contribute to high-visibility deliverables, including research reports, sponsor briefings, white papers, and congressional or executive-level communications.
• Mentor and support division staff, contribute to business development and proposal efforts, and help build the division's reputation as a go-to resource for independent, rigorous transportation expertise.
• Represent MITRE in external forums, working groups, and stakeholder engagements with federal agencies, state DOTs, industry, and standards bodies.
• Support cross-MITRE collaboration by serving as a connector between the division's transportation programs and MITRE's internal technical, AI, and research communities.
• Contribute to the division's strategic planning, workforce development, and overhead program activities as a senior member of the team.

Basic Qualifications

• Typically requires a minimum of 10 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree; or 8 years and a Master's degree; or 5 years and a PhD
• 8+ years of progressive experience in surface transportation, including substantial work with federal or state transportation agencies, in roles requiring both technical depth and strategic advisory responsibility.
• Proven ability to advise senior government clients—shaping research direction, translating technical findings, and communicating complex material to executive, policy, and technical audiences.
• Working knowledge of data-driven approaches, modeling, and analytics applied to transportation problems, with the ability to identify where AI/ML or advanced analytics can add genuine value.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce polished, high-impact deliverables under deadline.
• Bachelor's degree in transportation engineering, systems engineering, computer science, public policy, or a related discipline.
• This position requires a minimum of 3 days a week on-site.

Preferred Qualifications

• Graduate degree in a relevant field (transportation, systems engineering, data science, public policy, or related).
• Direct experience with U.S. DOT programs, FHWA, NHTSA, or OST-R, including familiarity with federal research program structures, funding mechanisms, and policy development processes.
• Hands-on experience with transportation data standards (e.g., WZDx, GTFS, CV pilot data, connected infrastructure data) or national data-sharing platforms and governance frameworks.
• Applied fluency in AI/ML, data science, or advanced analytics—including the ability to evaluate technical approaches, interpret results, and communicate findings to non-technical audiences.
• Experience leading or contributing to business development efforts, including sponsor cultivation, proposal development, and strategic positioning of research capabilities.
• Familiarity with MITRE's FFRDC model and experience working in a public-interest, sponsor-facing research environment.
• Active engagement in relevant professional communities (TRB, ITS America, AASHTO, SAE, or equivalent).