Technical Director - Metro Rail

Parsons; Dubai; On-site; AED 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Parsons Corporation, a global infrastructure leader, seeks a Technical Director – Metro Rail in Dubai to steer civil works, rail systems, rolling stock, integration, and safety assurance on a major metro project. The role demands 25+ years in rail engineering and strong leadership across multidisciplinary teams.

The successful candidate will chair design reviews, manage interfaces, and ensure design compliance with standards, schedules, and client requirements, reporting to executive leadership.

Qualifications

• 25 years in rail engineering, metro projects, technical leadership, or Design and Build delivery.
• Minimum 25 years of rail engineering experience.
• At least 10 years in senior technical leadership roles on complex rail, metro, infrastructure, or transportation programs.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior technical leadership across civil works, rail systems, rolling stock, integration, and safety assurance disciplines.
• Act as Deputy Project Director and support overall leadership of the metro project from a technical and delivery perspective.
• Lead multidisciplinary design reviews and approvals for Design and Build contractor submissions.
• Review civil works designs covering stations, tunnels, viaducts, depots, architecture, MEP, BIM, and interfaces.
• Oversee technical review of rail systems design and the full suite of systems required for metro project delivery.
• Provide leadership on rolling stock interfaces, systems integration, and safety assurance requirements.
• Monitor technical performance and engineering services progress against project objectives.

Skills

Metro rail delivery

Technical leadership

Deputy project direction

Rail engineering

Systems integration

Safety assurance

Executive presentations

Project scheduling

Stakeholder management

Middle East rail

Education

Bachelor's in Civil / Electrical / Mechanical

Master's degree preferred

Professional Engineering registration preferred

Job description

Technical Director – Metro Rail in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is a Civil Engineering opportunity for a senior rail professional who can provide technical leadership across civil works, rail systems, rolling stock, integration, and safety assurance on a major metro project.

Job Snapshot:
Role: Technical Director – Metro Rail
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Industry: Civil Engineering
Function: Project‑Program Management
Experience: 25 years in rail engineering, metro projects, technical leadership, or Design and Build delivery
Job Type: Full‑time
Salary: 55,000‑75,000 (estimated)

Key Responsibilities

• Provide senior technical leadership across civil works, rail systems, rolling stock, integration, and safety assurance disciplines.
• Act as Deputy Project Director and support overall leadership of the metro project from a technical and delivery perspective.
• Lead multidisciplinary design reviews and approvals for Design and Build contractor submissions.
• Review civil works designs covering stations, tunnels, viaducts, depots, architecture, MEP, BIM, and associated infrastructure interfaces.
• Oversee technical review of rail systems design, including the full suite of systems required for metro project delivery.
• Provide leadership on rolling stock interfaces, systems integration, and safety assurance requirements.
• Monitor technical performance and engineering services progress against project objectives.
• Ensure design progress remains aligned with the approved project schedule.
• Drive coordinated design development between civil, systems, rolling stock, integration, and assurance teams.
• Verify design compliance with employer requirements, contract requirements, technical standards, and recognized best practices.
• Chair high‑level design review meetings with contractor, client, consultant, and technical stakeholders.
• Lead Design Control Point gate reviews and support formal technical decision points.
• Undertake senior technical reviews and provide clear recommendations on complex design and engineering matters.
• Make or support technical decisions that affect design quality, project progress, interfaces, safety, and deliverability.
• Review and accept engineering change requests where technically justified and contractually aligned.
• Review value engineering proposals to confirm safety, performance, lifecycle, cost, and integration impacts.
• Interface with client leadership, Design and Build contractor teams, key stakeholders, and regulatory authorities.
• Represent The Engineer's team at the highest technical level during executive, technical, regulatory, and stakeholder meetings.
• Support integration of civil works, rail systems, rolling stock, testing, commissioning, safety assurance, and operational readiness requirements.
• Identify design risks, interface gaps, technical conflicts, and approval constraints early and drive resolution.
• Provide direction to discipline leads and technical teams to maintain quality, consistency, and schedule discipline.
• Support project reporting, executive briefings, design governance updates, and technical risk communication.
• Promote a collaborative technical environment focused on safe, integrated, and high‑quality metro project delivery.

Ideal Profile

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Master's degree is preferred.
• Professional Engineering registration is preferred.
• Minimum 25 years of rail engineering experience.
• At least 10 years in senior technical leadership roles on complex rail, metro, infrastructure, or transportation programs.
• Demonstrated experience across civil infrastructure and rail systems with technical depth in multidisciplinary rail delivery.
• Proven experience in design or design review of metro rail civil works and rail systems.
• Significant involvement in large‑scale new‑build metro rail projects.
• Proven delivery experience in a PMC or Engineer role on Design and Build metro rail projects.
• Strong understanding of stations, tunnels, viaducts, depots, architecture, MEP, BIM, rail systems, rolling stock, systems integration, and safety assurance.
• Experience with integration, testing, and commissioning of civil works, rail systems, and rolling stock is preferred.
• Experience presenting to client executive leadership, government stakeholders, and senior project decision‑makers.
• Middle East project experience is an advantage.
• Strong technical judgment with the ability to lead complex design reviews and resolve multidisciplinary interface issues.
• Excellent communication, leadership, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to guide senior discipline leads, influence contractor performance, and represent project technical interests at executive level.
• Strong awareness of safety, design assurance, constructability, program control, and contract compliance in major rail delivery.

Skills Set

• Metro rail project delivery
• Technical leadership
• Deputy project direction
• Rail engineering
• Civil infrastructure
• Rail systems
• Rolling stock
• Systems integration
• Safety assurance
• Design and Build projects
• PMC delivery
• Engineer role
• Design review
• Design approvals
• Design Control Point reviews
• Civil works design
• Station design review
• Tunnel design review
• Viaduct design review
• Depot design review
• Architecture coordination
• MEP coordination
• BIM coordination
• Interface management
• Engineering change review
• Value engineering review
• Technical recommendations
• Contractor design submittals
• Client leadership interface
• Regulatory authority coordination
• Stakeholder management
• Testing and commissioning
• Project schedule control
• Technical risk management
• Multidisciplinary coordination
• Executive presentations
• Middle East rail projects
• Large‑scale metro projects

Why Join Us

This opportunity gives a senior rail leader the platform to shape the technical delivery of a major metro project in Dubai, where civil works, rail systems, rolling stock, integration, and safety assurance must be managed with precision. The role offers executive‑level visibility, major Design and Build project exposure, stakeholder leadership, and the chance to influence high‑impact urban transportation infrastructure.

About the Company

Parsons Corporation is a global infrastructure, engineering, and project delivery company supporting major transportation, rail, urban development, and civil engineering programs. In Dubai, Parsons Corporation contributes to complex infrastructure and mobility projects where technical leadership, safety, design quality, integration, and delivery performance are critical. The company offers opportunities for senior professionals who want to help deliver advanced infrastructure while working in a collaborative, innovation‑focused project environment.