Medium Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict NMAC; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Human Factors; Procedure
While on the LADYJ4 departure from LAX we were issued a climb clearance to 17;000. Upon leveling off at the assigned altitude; LA Center informed us of a corporate jet VFR at 16;500 who had us in sight. After a couple moments of searching we visually identified the traffic and responded to ATC that we also had the plane in sight. As it approached; it was clear that we were on somewhat of a converging course (though vertically separated by 500 feet). As the aircraft came within a couple hundred horizontal feet of us; we got a TCAS TA first and then a few seconds later a RA to 'monitor vertical speed' and pitch slightly down. The FO (First Officer); who was the PF (Pilot Flying) promptly disengaged the autopilot and correctly avoided the red boxes on the PFD while descending about 500 feet. I notified ATC that we were responding to an RA and were at 16;500 now. Shortly after and clear of the conflict we climbed back up to 17;000 and resumed the flight without further incident.It appears that ATC somewhat foresaw this potential conflict and didn't do an adequate job of providing separation. It seemed unnecessary to allow the two aircraft to come so close to each other. As flight crew; we could have proactively asked for a vector away from the potential conflicting traffic knowing that we were only vertically separated by 500 feet.
Air carrier First Officer reported NMAC on departure from LAX.