John Harding is the Director of the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) Office of Safety and Operations Research and Development. In this role, he provides executive leadership and direction to multidisciplinary staff of transportation professionals involved in highway safety and operations research and development. He leads national and international communications and outreach regarding the vision and accomplishments of safety and operations research and development programs and associated laboratories. John also plans and directs investigations into identifying and integrating new emerging technologies to improve safety and the movement of people and goods across the national highway system. He directs the development, adaptation, and use of research methods, analytical techniques, mathematical models, and simulation techniques to provide safety and operation professionals the tools that facilitate the design, development, and implementation of advanced safety and operations improvements.

From February 2018 to October 2024, John served as the Connected/Automated Vehicles and Emerging Technology Team Leader in the FHWA Office of Operations. In this role, he was responsible for the development of Agency policies, objectives, priorities, and technical guidance supporting the integration of Automated Driving Systems, Roadway Digital Infrastructure, cybersecurity, and deployment of vehicle-to-everything technology.

Before his Team Leader position, John was a research engineer at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). During his tenure at the NHTSA, John led the development of the vehicle-to-vehicle communications Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and translation of Federal Motor Vehicle Standards for Automated Driving Systems.

Prior to NHTSA, John began his Department of Transportation career with FHWA in 1995 as a Research Engineer in the Office of Operations Research and Development at the Tuner-Fairbanks Highway Research Center. He later joined the Office of Operations and worked on reauthorization, intelligent transportation systems, asset management, and transportation operational strategies.

Before joining FHWA in 1995, John worked for the MITRE Corporation, Virginia Department of Transportation, and New Jersey Department of Transportation.

John holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a Masters of Public Administration from George Mason University.