Forecasting Technical Specialist

Job Title: Technical Specialist (TDOT)

Location: Davidson County, Tennessee (Nashville, TN)

Job Type: Full‑time

Salary: Monthly: $5,100.00 – $6,373.00;
Annually: $61,200.00 – $76,476.00

Work Schedule: Hybrid – three days in‑office, two days remote.

Commitment Period: Core hours from 6 AM to 6 PM (weekdays), with potential overtime, weekend and night shift work as needed. Employees may be required to work outdoors, in construction zones or traffic environments, carry equipment, drive long distances and wear personal protective equipment.

The Forecasting Technical Specialist supports development, application and maintenance of travel demand models and forecasting tools that inform project planning, environmental documentation and transportation system investment decisions across the state. The role collaborates with internal TDOT teams and external stakeholders such as Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), Rural Planning Organizations (RPOs) and other local, state and federal partners to deliver timely, accurate forecasting data for multimodal planning efforts.

• Assist in the application and maintenance of the Tennessee Statewide Travel Demand Model (TSM); compile and organize socioeconomic and travel behavior data for modeling use.
• Support development of regional and MPO travel demand models, including TN‑Town models, ensuring consistency with statewide modeling efforts.
• Provide project‑level travel forecasting: current and future traffic volumes, levels of service, capacity analysis and travel‑time data to support environmental documentation and preliminary design phases.
• Assist with preparation of air‑quality modeling inputs, ensuring compliance with federal and state air‑quality requirements.
• Perform data analysis using modeling outputs, GIS tools and analytics software such as Power BI to support corridor studies, long‑range plans and statewide strategic initiatives.
• Support efforts to maintain and update modeling standards, procedures and documentation; coordinate with consultants, respond to data requests and perform quality assurance for modeling and forecasting deliverables.
• Participate in ongoing training and technical development activities; provide technical support and collaborate with TDOT regions, MPOs and other stakeholders on travel forecasting‑related questions and processes.
• Develop data visualizations and maps that communicate travel demand patterns and analysis results to technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Provide exceptional customer service to both internal and external customers by exercising effective listening skills and delivering prompt responses.
• Assist with maintaining performance records for use in quarterly and annual consultant service evaluations (Technical Specialist II and III).
• Assist with RFP development, consultant scoring criteria, and the consultant acquisition process; attend project‑specific meetings and provide information sessions (Technical Specialist II and III).
• Assist with facilitating recruitment of future staff and develop/implement a workforce development plan, including training for new hires and employee retention strategies (Technical Specialist III).
• Collaborate with the Procurement Division to review consultant services quarterly and annually, develop overall evaluations and rankings for continuous contracts, and determine qualifications for consultant applications (Technical Specialist III).

Education and Experience Levels:

• Technical Specialist I: Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• Technical Specialist II: Bachelor’s degree plus 1 year of demonstrated competency in a related field.
• Technical Specialist III: Bachelor’s degree plus 2 years of demonstrated competency in a related field.

Within 6 months of hire, employees must demonstrate successful mastery of corresponding work competencies and skill blocks. If competencies are not achieved, demotion may occur.

Necessary special qualifications may include:

• Professional licenses and/or certifications.
• Possession and maintenance of a Class D driver’s license valid for use in Tennessee.

• Knowledge of transportation…