Lead Systems Engineer

About the Role:  We are seeking a highly skilled and innovative Systems Engineer/ Lead Systems Integrator to join our Systems and Design organization, responsible for end-to-end engineering functions across all major disciplines, including systems engineering, hardware design, mechanical engineering, electronics, and cross-functional integration. This role is pivotal in driving the development and customization of our KinetiX Wayside Inspection products to meet specific customer needs and enhance overall product performance. The System Engineer will join a group of talented engineers from multiple disciplines and collaborate closely with product managers, architects, and third-party experts to deliver high-impact solutions. 

Key Responsibilities

1. Product Design & Standardization

• Own and evolve the base product architecture , ensuring standardization across mechanical, electronic, and system components to drive scalability, performance, and cost efficiency. 

• Own system-level design and integration , ensuring cohesive architecture, clear interfaces, and alignment across all engineering disciplines for on-time delivery. 

• Define, document, and govern system requirements and verification processes across the product lifecycle. 

2. Customization & Customer Solutions

• Conduct gap analysis between base product designs and customer requirements to identify required customizations. 

• Lead cross-functional solution definition and validate feasibility through architecture alignment, prototyping, and technical trade-off analysis. 

• Translate customer needs into detailed system and subsystem requirements , ensuring cross-functional ownership and alignment for execution. 

3. Design Changes for Performance and Reliability

• Identify, implement, and validate design improvements to address performance and reliability issues through root cause analysis, cross-functional alignment, and prototyping. 

4. Collaboration and Governance

• Collaborate with engineering, architecture, and product teams to ensure alignment with system design, platform strategy, and delivery timelines. 

• Explore opportunities to combine products from multiple product lines to offer differentiated solutions. 

• Establish and drive design governance, engineering processes, and best practices to ensure consistency, compliance, and quality. 

• Serve as the technical delivery lead , driving cross-functional alignment, managing dependencies, and resolving integration risks and trade-offs. 

• Partner with Scrum teams to balance delivery of features, defect resolution, and technical debt. 

5. Leadership and Management

• Drive a culture of technical ownership, accountability, and structured problem-solving across cross-functional teams. 

• Mentor and guide teams on system thinking, integration of best practices, and end-to-end delivery mindset. 

• Ensure system readiness, validation, and final performance to meet defined requirements. 

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in mechanical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering. 

• 10+ years of experience leading engineering teams across systems, hardware, and at least one additional discipline. 

• Demonstrated leadership in systems engineering and cross-disciplinary integration. 

• Expertise in systems integration, mechanical and electronic design. 

• Experience in modular product design and customization. 

• Strong leadership, collaboration, and communication skills. 

• Experience with prototyping, PoC, and gap analysis. 

• Ability to manage teams and external partners effectively. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Wabtec KinetiX product lines. 

• Experience with vision-based and acoustic inspection technologies. 

• Knowledge of rail safety standards and wayside monitoring systems. 

Why Join Us:

• Opportunity to lead a dynamic and innovative team. 

• Work on cutting-edge technologies and products. 

• Collaborate with industry experts and thought leaders. 

• Competitive salary and benefits package 

#LI-AM1

Our job titles may span more than one career level. The salary rate for this role is currently $104800-149300 The actual salary offered to a candidate may be influenced by a variety of factors, such as: training, transferable skills, work experience, education, business needs, market demands and work location. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. More information on offered benefits, which include health, welfare, and retirement, are available at mywabtecbenefits.com. Other benefit offerings for this role may include annual bonus, if eligible.

What could you accomplish in a place that puts People First?

At Wabtec, it’s not just about a job - it’s about the impact you make. When our people come together, we’re Expanding the Possible by continuously improving what we do and how we do it - for our clients and each other.

If you’re ready to revolutionize how the world moves for future generations, Wabtec is the place for you.

Who are we?

Wabtec is a leading global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions, and value-added services for the freight and transit rail sectors. Drawing on more than 150 years of experience, we are leading the way in safety, efficiency, reliability, innovation, and productivity. Whether it’s freight, transit, ports, logistics, mining, industrial, or marine, our expertise, technologies, and people together – are accelerating the future of transportation. With roots that date back to George Westinghouse, Thomas Edison, and Louis Faiveley, Wabtec has always built technologies and implemented solutions for a variety of sectors that are critical to meeting the needs of customers and governments alike.

Our global team of about 30,000 employees worldwide delivers performance that moves the world forward. We’re lifelong learners, obsessed with better. Learn more at

Culture powers us and the possibilities.

We believe the best ideas come from a mix of experiences and backgrounds. At Wabtec, we strive every day to create a place where everyone belongs. We’re building a culture where leadership, inclusion and your unique perspective fuel progress.

We’re proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome talent of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities, including race, gender, age, disability, veteran status and more.

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