Careers at HPTech

Help evaluate and advance federal transportation research.

Join a multidisciplinary team working at the intersection of infrastructure, research, economics, data, policy, and technology transfer.

Current Opportunities

Technical careers with public-service impact.

High Performance Technologies, Inc. (HPTech) is an infrastructure-centered firm focusing on practice, research, policy, and technology transfer. Established in 2003, HPTech's primary purpose is serving the U.S. federal government at its facilities and project sites.

Our work integrates physical sciences, social sciences, engineering, planning, and policy to develop and deliver infrastructure solutions. We are currently recruiting for two positions supporting the evaluation of federal transportation research programs and laboratories.

For timely consideration, please apply online by October 9, 2026.

Open Positions

Join our government services team.

Both positions are based in McLean, Virginia. Candidates must be authorized to legally work in the United States.

Transportation Economist

McLean, VA · Economic Evaluation · Transportation Research

Apply Online

HPTech has an immediate opening for a Transportation Economist. This position will support the economic evaluation of long-standing federal transportation research programs and laboratories. The Transportation Economist will develop and apply benefit-cost analysis (BCA), life-cycle economic analysis, return-on-investment (ROI) analysis, and related methods to quantify the economic value and impacts of laboratory research, technical assistance, technology development, deployment, and adoption. The position will work closely with engineers, laboratory managers, researchers, program managers, and other stakeholders to identify defensible cost and benefit inputs, develop transparent assumptions and analytical models, conduct sensitivity and uncertainty analyses, and communicate findings to support research investment and program evaluation decisions.

Responsibilities

Develop and conduct benefit-cost analyses for transportation research laboratories, research programs, and individual research products and technologies.
Develop economic evaluation frameworks that identify and quantify research and deployment costs and benefits, including improvements in pavement, bridge, and infrastructure service life, maintenance and rehabilitation schedules, agency costs, user costs, safety, productivity, and other measurable impacts, as applicable.
Develop transparent analytical models and structured datasets to estimate present values, net benefits, BCRs, ROI, and other economic performance measures over appropriate analysis periods.
Apply discounting, life-cycle economic analysis, sensitivity analysis, scenario analysis, and uncertainty analysis to evaluate the robustness of economic findings and key assumptions.
Identify, compile, validate, and document economic inputs from laboratory records, technical literature, agency data, published unit-cost sources, stakeholder interviews, and other defensible sources.
Collaborate with engineers, laboratory managers, researchers, and program staff to translate technical research outcomes and technology adoption pathways into measurable economic benefits while avoiding unsupported attribution.
Prepare technical reports, memoranda, presentations, tables, and visualizations that clearly communicate economic methods, assumptions, limitations, and findings to technical and management audiences.

Qualifications

An advanced degree (Master's or Ph.D.) in economics, transportation economics, applied economics, engineering economics, public policy, operations research, civil/transportation engineering with substantial economics coursework, or a closely related field.
At least 5 years of related work experience after receiving the Ph.D. degree or 8 years of experience after receiving the master's degree.
Demonstrated experience conducting benefit-cost analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, ROI analysis, life-cycle economic analysis, or related economic evaluations of transportation, infrastructure, research, technology, or public-sector programs.
Strong quantitative and analytical skills, including demonstrated ability to develop transparent economic models and proficiency in programming and coding using Python, R, or comparable analytical programming languages.
Demonstrated knowledge of discounting, present-value analysis, sensitivity and scenario analysis, uncertainty analysis, and methods for monetizing transportation and infrastructure benefits and costs.
Ability to conduct benefit-cost analyses when available data are limited or obtained from multiple sources, including the ability to identify data gaps and develop transparent, technically defensible assumptions and sensitivity scenarios.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain economic concepts, methodologies, assumptions, and results to engineers, researchers, program managers, and other non-economist stakeholders.
Experience evaluating transportation research programs, infrastructure technologies, pavement or materials research, or federally funded research and development programs preferred.
Experience conducting economic evaluations for federal agencies, research laboratories, or engineering and scientific research programs, particularly FHWA or other U.S. Department of Transportation Operating Administrations, preferred.

Application deadline: October 9, 2026

Employment Application

Research Program Evaluation Specialist

McLean, VA · Program Evaluation · Data & Dashboards

Apply Online

HPTech has an immediate opening for a Research Program Evaluation Specialist. This position will support the evaluation of longstanding federal transportation research programs and laboratories, with particular emphasis on assessing research outputs, outcomes, impacts, technology deployment and adoption, and return on research investment. The specialist will develop and apply evaluation frameworks and logic models; collect, organize, analyze, and visualize quantitative and qualitative data; develop and maintain structured databases and interactive dashboards; and support benefit-cost analysis (BCA) and other economic evaluations of research programs, laboratories, and selected research products and technologies. The position will work closely with engineers, laboratory managers, researchers, program managers, economists, and other stakeholders to develop transparent, technically defensible analyses that support research management and investment decisions.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement research program and laboratory evaluation strategies, including evaluation questions, logic models, performance indicators, data collection strategies, and methods for assessing outputs, outcomes, impacts, and research effectiveness.
Design and conduct quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method evaluations using surveys, interviews, administrative and laboratory records, technical literature, research product data, stakeholder input, and other appropriate sources.
Develop and maintain structured databases and data repositories for research outputs, outcomes, performance indicators, and supporting documentation.
Develop and maintain interactive dashboards and data visualizations using Airtable or comparable database and visualization platforms to support analysis, performance monitoring, and management reporting.
Analyze relationships among research activities, outputs, deployment and adoption pathways, and short-, intermediate-, and long-term outcomes while recognizing limitations in attribution and available evidence.
Support and, where appropriate, conduct benefit-cost analysis (BCA), return-on-investment (ROI) analysis, cost effectiveness analysis, and related economic evaluations of research laboratories, programs, and selected technologies in collaboration with technical and economic subject matter experts.
Apply quantitative analytical methods, sensitivity and scenario analysis, and transparent assumptions when available data are limited or obtained from multiple sources.
Prepare technical reports, memoranda, presentations, tables, dashboards, and other materials that clearly communicate evaluation methods, assumptions, limitations, findings, and recommendations to technical and management audiences.
Collaborate with program staff and stakeholders to validate data and findings and support continuous improvement of research planning, performance measurement, and impact evaluation processes.

Qualifications

An advanced degree (master's or Ph.D.) in public policy, program evaluation, economics, operations research, industrial engineering, statistics, data analytics, civil/transportation engineering, or a closely related field.
At least 5 years of related work experience after receiving the Ph.D. degree or 8 years of experience after receiving the master's degree.
Demonstrated experience designing and conducting evaluations of research programs, laboratories, technology programs, or other complex public-sector or technical programs, including data collection, analysis, validation, and reporting.
Demonstrated experience developing logic models, performance indicators, output-outcome frameworks, or comparable research/program evaluation frameworks.
Strong quantitative and analytical skills, including the ability to integrate and analyze data from multiple sources and develop transparent, technically defensible analytical methods and assumptions.
Experience developing and managing structured databases, interactive dashboards, and data visualizations using Airtable or comparable relational database, business intelligence, or visualization platforms.
Proficiency with analytical or programming tools such as Python, R, SPSS, or comparable software preferred; demonstrated coding or data-automation capability is highly desirable.
Knowledge of benefit-cost analysis, ROI analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, life-cycle economic analysis, or related economic evaluation methods; demonstrated experience applying these methods to transportation, infrastructure, research, or public-sector programs preferred.
Ability to conduct analyses when available data are limited or obtained from multiple sources, including identifying data gaps and developing transparent assumptions, sensitivity analyses, and appropriate documentation.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain evaluation methods, data limitations, assumptions, and results to engineers, researchers, program managers, economists, and other stakeholders.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively, manage multiple analytical tasks, and maintain strong attention to data quality, documentation, and detail.
Experience evaluating federally funded engineering or scientific research programs and laboratories, particularly transportation research programs or U.S. Department of Transportation activities, preferred.

Application deadline: October 9, 2026

Employment Application

HPTech is seeking qualified professionals for the opportunities listed above. Position requirements and application information are reproduced from the current HPTech employment announcements.