Civil Engineer - Freight Rail Design

Civil Engineer, Freight Rail Design

GFT is seeking a Civil Engineer, Freight Rail Design to join our Transportation Team in one of our Midwest offices including Kansas City, MO, Omaha, NE, Chicago, IL, and Austin, Dallas, and Houston, TX. This role follows a hybrid work model, requiring regular attendance at one of these office locations.

Working on the Transportation team at GFT offers the opportunity to engage in transformative projects that enhance transportation infrastructure and improve community connectivity. Whether working on highways and bridges or traffic engineering, our team excels in resilient, sustainable design and construction, delivering innovative solutions that address the complexities of modern, multimodal roadway systems and ensure safe, efficient, and reliable travel for all.

What you'll be challenged to do:

This role will support our Midwest Area on a variety of design and planning projects with an emphasis on Rail design. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated ability to understand the application of engineering fundamentals on transportation engineering design projects for a variety of clients, particularly states, municipalities, and railroads. This position is with our Midwest Design Team. This position has the opportunity to grow into a Team Lead role within 6 months to 1 year, providing leadership over rail design staff. Ideal for candidates looking to take on project management responsibilities while continuing to develop their technical expertise.

In this capacity, the successful candidate will be responsible for the following:

• Lead track and rail infrastructure design for freight railroads, intermodal facilities, and industrial rail projects.
• Develop plan and profile designs using MicroStation/OpenRail for new track alignments, industry track loops, yard expansions, and rehabilitation projects.
• Prepare horizontal and vertical alignment designs, turnout and crossover layouts, drainage considerations, and grading plans.
• Coordinate with Class I railroads (BNSF, UP, CN, CSX, KCS, etc.), public agencies, and private clients to meet project specifications.
• Perform site investigations, track geometry calculations, and constructability assessments.
• Work alongside civil, structural, and signal teams to integrate rail projects into broader transportation networks.
• Support permitting and compliance with AREMA standards and railroad engineering guidelines.
• Mentor junior engineers, conduct quality control (QC) reviews, and help develop best practices for rail design.

What you will bring to our firm:

• Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering from an accredited university.
• Minimum of 4 years' professional experience in rail design (freight, passenger, or intermodal projects preferred).
• Licensed Professional Engineer, or able to obtain licensure within 6 months of hire.
• Proficiency in MicroStation and/or OpenRail.
• Understanding of AREMA standards, Class I railroad design guidelines, and industry best practices.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work with public agencies, railroads, and private developers.
• Prior leadership experience or readiness to take on a lead design role.

Compensation:

The salary range for this role is $80,000 - $115,000. Salary is dependent upon experience and geographic location.

Featured Benefits:

• Hybrid (in-person and remote) work environment.
• Comprehensive benefits package including wellness programs, parental leave, and pet insurance, in addition to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance.
• Tax-deferred 401(k) savings plan.
• Competitive paid-time-off (PTO) accrual.
• Tuition reimbursement for continued education.
• Commitment to professional development, access to internal and external training programs, and support of active participation in professional organizations.
• Incentive compensation for eligible positions.

At GFT, a privately held AEC firm, we innovate where transportation, water, power, and buildings converge. We call this the Infrastructure of Life. We measure our success by the strength of our relationships – that's why we're the employer of choice for 5,000+ of the industry's brightest engineers, planners, architects, inspectors, designers, and more.

Our clients choose us for our expertise and prefer us for our nimble approach, creativity, and personal touch. Backed by over a century's experience, together we're building a lasting legacy for future generations: stronger communities, a healthier planet, and better lives. GFT: Ingenuity That Shapes Lives™ is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veterans' status or other characteristics protected by law.