Technical Director, Transit & Rail Systems Engineer

Job Description

As a Technical Director, Transit & Rail Systems Engineer , you will play a critical role in supporting the planning, design, integration, and delivery of complex rail and transit systems. You will work collaboratively across engineering disciplines to ensure technical excellence, effective system integration, and reliable system performance. This is a dynamic position that requires work within many aspects of rail systems and signaling. This position will sit within the Northwest Pacific Major Projects Team and supports active projects and on-going pursuits in the Seattle and larger regional transit and transportation market. This individual will work closely with our Transportation & Infrastructure Team and contribute to a growing organization that helps clients advance complex transit initiatives and solve their most pressing mobility challenges.

This position will require co-location working to one of the three Puget Sound WSP offices (Seattle, Tacoma or Redmond) and the client facilities in the Seattle area.

Responsibilities

Systems Specific Work
Systems Engineering & Integration

• Lead and support systems engineering activities including requirements development, traceability, system architecture, and interface management.
• Contribute to system integration planning, testing, verification, and validation activities.
• Participate in and support technical and design reviews across project phases.
• Coordinate system integration activities with project milestones and delivery stage gates.

Technical Coordination & Quality

• Collaborate with subject matter experts across engineering disciplines to ensure coordinated technical support for client programs.
• Ensure compliance with system performance requirements, applicable codes, standards, and client expectations.
• Review manufacturer proposals and technical submittals and provide recommendations.
• Support client systems programs through supplier site visits and the development and execution of inspection plans.

Stakeholder & Client Engagement

• Communicate complex technical topics clearly with clients, stakeholders, and project teams.
• Coordinate with internal WSP teams to align systems requirements for procurements and delivery.
• Participate in technical engagements with suppliers and industry partners to remain informed on emerging technologies.
• Collaborate with across WSP's Transit and Infrastructure teams to collaborate on the development of requirements for upcoming procurements
• Work closely with subject matter experts (SMEs) across engineering disciplines to ensure effective coordination of technical support for client programs.

Other Responsibilities
Leadership, Mentorship, and Project Management

• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior staff.
• Assist with project planning and delivery activities, including scope, schedule, and budget management.
• Ensure regular project reporting and updates are provided to clients, technical areas, and business unit managers, identifying any emergent issues with scope, risk, and/or budget.
• Demonstrate flexibility and leadership in fast-paced environments with tight deadlines.
• Foster effective and proactive strategies to engage project stakeholders at all levels, maintain effective relationships, and report on project progress.
• Participate in the technical aspects of contract negotiation, presentations, and meetings.
• Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company funds, resources and conduct, and adhere to WSP's Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures.

Business Development

• Advance client goals and industry innovation through leadership in transit rail systems design, and delivery.
• Collaborate with local offices and national transit experts to provide clients with forward-looking, integrated solutions.
• Provide proactive transit rail business development efforts, strategy development, client engagement, and pursuits across Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Alaska, Hawaii, and Washington.
• Provide guidance and leadership with pursuit/initiation activities for projects meeting defined criteria or risk profile; including "Go / No-Go" decisions, contract reviews, risk mitigation strategies, pricing reviews, etc.
• Serve as key staff on pursuits in roles such as project manager, deputy project manager, Systems design lead, advisor, or subject matter expert.
• Assist in procuring contracts with preferred sub-consultants and contractors for transit and multimodal transportation projects.
• Engage with clients to develop new business leads and project opportunities.
• Build strategic alliances and partnerships to secure new transit rail work.
• Represent WSP in the market through participation in client and industry forums, committees, and associations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical, Mechanical or related engineering discipline (or equivalent experience)
• 12+ years of relevant post education experience in rail systems, transit systems, or related infrastructure projects. Preference for experience managing and delivering complex rail transit expansion projects.
• Experience as a Rail Systems Lead, project manager, deputy project manager, or task lead on transportation or transit rail projects. Advanced-level understanding of the project delivery process within the A/E/C industry.
• Advanced proficiency with engineering principles, practices, process, and design/build on major infrastructure projects
• Advanced proficiency with technical computations and calculations involving the application of engineering principles, understanding plans and specifications, and making factual comparisons to the appropriate regulations
• Highly effective interpersonal and communication skills when interacting with others, expressing ideas effectively and professionally to an engineering and non-engineering audience
• Demonstrated high-level of self-leadership with attention to detail, multi-tasking, and prioritization of responsibilities in a dynamic work environment
• Works independently with minimal oversight and provides guidance and leadership to junior team or project members, with strict adherence to QA/QC
• Advanced proficiency with technical writing, office automation, discipline-specific design software, technology, math principles, predictive models, spreadsheets, and tools
• Well-developed critical thinking and problem-solving skills required to apply technical knowledge to reach conclusions from testing results, data collation, computations, statistical analysis and arriving at the most effective, economical, and logical solution
• Demonstrated effectiveness at coordinating and assertively directing subcontractors and others to consistently complete tasks safely and efficiently
• Proven track record of upholding workplace safety and ability to abide by WSP's health, safety and drug/alcohol and harassment policies
• Occasional travel may be required depending on project-specific requirements

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced Degree in Engineering or related field from an accredited program.
• Experience working with Departments of Transportation or major transit agencies.
• Professional Engineering (PE) license and/or Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.

WSP Benefits:

WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on a providing health and financial stability throughout the employee's career. These benefits include coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life; retirement savings; paid sick leave; paid vacation (or other personal time); paid parental leave; and paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings.


Compensation:
Expected Salary (all locations): $190,000 - $234,000

WSP USA is providing the compensation range that the company in good faith believes it might pay and offer for this position, based on the successful applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities in addition to internal equity and specific geographic location. WSP USA reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant's sex or other status protected by local, state, and/or federal law.

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About Us

About WSP
WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world's leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, we are engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 15,000 employees in over 300 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper.

WSP provides a flexible and agile workplace model while meeting client needs. Employees are also afforded a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and retirement savings focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee's career.


At WSP, we want to give our employees the challenges they seek to grow their careers and knowledge base. Your daily contributions to your team will be essential in meeting client objectives, goals and challenges. Are you ready to get started?


WSP USA (and all of its U.S. companies) is an Equal Opportunity Employer Race/Age/Color/Religion/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/National Origin/Disability or Protected Veteran Status.


The selected candidate must be authorized to work in the United States.


NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES:


WSP does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or other staffing services. Unsolicited resumes include any resume or hiring document sent to WSP in the absence of a signed Service Agreement where WSP has expressly requested recruitment/staffing services specific to the position at hand. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers or other business leaders, will become the property of WSP and WSP will have the right to hire that candidate without reservation - no fee or other compensation will be owed or paid to the recruiter, employment agency, or other staffing service.