Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.
01
Evaluation factor
Ratings and technical competence
30% weight
Check hands-on command of ATMS/ITS platforms, adaptive signal timing (SCATS, SCOOT, InSync), IMSA or TMC operator certification, and AV remote assistance consoles for driverless fleets.
Evidence to listen for
Holds the current ratings, licences, or endorsements the position requires
Knows the rules, minima, and standards cold, not approximately
Familiar with the equipment and airspace, network, or plant in question
Clear on the boundary of their own authority
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Lacks required ratings, or shaky on the standards that keep people alive.
2
Needs Improvement
Holds the ticket but hesitant on rules and minima.
3
Satisfactory
Competent and current; slower on unfamiliar configurations.
4
Very Good
Rules and minima are second nature; strong on the specific environment.
5
Excellent
Names specific platforms operated, holds IMSA or equivalent certification, and explains signal plan changes plus AV fallback request handling in detail.
02
Evaluation factor
Situational awareness under load
30% weight
Test how they monitor dozens of concurrent autonomous vehicles, camera feeds, and detector faults at once, including how they triage simultaneous minimal risk condition stops.
Evidence to listen for
Keeps the whole picture while handling one problem
Describes how they shed or reprioritise tasks when volume spikes
Notices the thing that has gone quiet, not just the thing that is loud
Knows their own saturation point and says so before reaching it
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Tunnel vision under load; loses the wider picture entirely.
2
Needs Improvement
Copes at normal volume; degrades badly when it spikes.
3
Satisfactory
Holds the picture in most conditions; occasional fixation.
4
Very Good
Maintains awareness under high load and reprioritises deliberately.
5
Excellent
Describes concrete triage order across multiple stalled vehicles and corridors, citing queue length, blocked lanes, and emergency vehicle preemption signals.
03
Evaluation factor
Decisions under pressure
25% weight
Probe decisions made when an AV halts in a live intersection: latency loss, degraded perception, or conflicting instructions from field responders and dispatch.
Evidence to listen for
Decides on incomplete information rather than freezing
Chooses the safe option when uncertain, and can say why
Recovers from their own error without concealing it
Can describe a real event where they made the call
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Freezes, or gambles when the safe option was available.
2
Needs Improvement
Slow to commit; defers decisions that were theirs to make.
3
Satisfactory
Decides adequately in familiar situations.
4
Very Good
Decides quickly and safely, and owns errors openly.
5
Excellent
Recounts an actual intervention with timing, the alternative options weighed, and why they chose recovery, tow, or manual signal override.
04
Evaluation factor
Communication discipline
15% weight
Assess radio and phone discipline with police, fire, transit dispatch, and field technicians, plus incident log quality and post-event reporting to safety teams.
Evidence to listen for
Uses standard phraseology and readback discipline without shortcuts
Hands over completely, including what is unresolved
Speaks up to someone senior when safety requires it
Stays measured on the loop when the situation is not
Precise phraseology and complete handovers, and will challenge seniority on safety.
5
Excellent
Uses clear readback and confirmation habits, writes timestamped incident logs, and gives responders precise vehicle location and status without jargon.
Put this rubric to work
Score every candidate against the same standard
Add these weighted factors to Hirevire and let AI evaluate recorded answers against your rubric.
