Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Human Factors; Procedure; Environment - Non Weather Related; Aircraft
While climbing to FL360 ZZZ Center told us we had traffic at our 1 o'clock heading toward us at FL370. We called the aircraft in sight and continued our climb to FL360. Passing FL352 we received a TA and my FO went to engage Vertical Speed; but was unable since the autopilot already engaged altitude hold. Vertical speed indicator was decreasing nicely for level off at FL360. However; we then received a RA which directed us to level off. My FO disengaged the autopilot and leveled off at FL357. Once we received clear of conflict we finished our climb to FL360 and notified ATC of RA. We never lost sight of aircraft nor exceeded FL360.Light airplane; higher than normal vertical speed in climb; autopilot engaged altitude hold preventing FO from going to vertical speed.Even though aircraft was in sight and aircraft was leveling at assigned altitude we should have decreased the vertical speed to 1;000 FPM or less once inside 5 miles and 2;000 feet of conflict to prevent from getting a TA followed by a RA.
Air carrier Captain reported an airborne conflict while climbing to assigned altitude.