Technical Director - Metro Rail Delivery

Parsons; Dubai; On-site; AED 257,069 - 348,879; Full time

Job summary

Parsons, a leader in transport infrastructure, seeks a Technical Director - Metro Rail Delivery in Dubai. The role combines senior technical authority with Deputy Project Director responsibilities across civil works, rail systems, and rolling stock, delivering an integrated metro programme.

The ideal candidate has 25+ years in rail engineering, 10+ years in senior leadership, and strong governance and interfaces management across major metro projects. Excellent English communication is essential.

Qualifications

• Minimum 25 years of rail engineering experience.
• 10+ years in senior technical leadership or project director roles.
• Extensive multi-discipline rail systems knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic technical leadership across civil infrastructure and rail systems.
• Act as Deputy Project Director supporting programme delivery and risk.
• Lead multidisciplinary design reviews for stations, tunnels, depots and interfaces.
• Review and approve designs, calculations, reports and technical submissions.
• Coordinate design governance, interfaces, and technical approvals with stakeholders.

Skills

Metro rail engineering

Technical leadership

Project direction

Civil works

Rail systems

Rolling stock

Systems integration

Safety assurance

Design governance

BIM coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

Master's degree in engineering/rail systems

Professional Engineering registration

Tools

BIM software

Job description

Technical Director - Metro Rail Delivery

Job Snapshot: Role: Technical Director - Metro Rail Delivery, Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Industry: Transportation-Trucking-Railroad, Function: Project-Program Management, Experience: Minimum 25 years, Job Type: Full-time

Salary: 70,000–95,000 (estimated; confirmed with employer)

Overview

The Technical Director - Metro Rail Delivery in Dubai is a senior transportation role combining multidisciplinary technical leadership with Deputy Project Director responsibilities on a major metro programme. The position directs civil works, rail systems, rolling stock, integration, safety assurance, and design governance across a complex Design and Build project. Acting as Deputy Project Director, the role supports overall project leadership while ensuring engineering decisions, design reviews, interfaces, and technical approvals remain aligned with programme objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic technical leadership across civil infrastructure, rail systems, rolling stock, systems integration, and safety assurance.
• Act as Deputy Project Director and support executive oversight of programme delivery, technical risk, stakeholder engagement, and project performance.
• Lead multidisciplinary design reviews covering stations, tunnels, viaducts, depots, architecture, mechanical systems, electrical systems, BIM, and rail technology.
• Review and approve Design and Build contractor designs, calculations, reports, drawings, specifications, and technical submissions.
• Direct technical review activities across signalling, telecommunications, power supply, trackwork, automatic fare collection, platform systems, depot systems, and control systems.
• Ensure design development progresses in accordance with the approved project programme.
• Monitor the technical performance and progress of engineering services across all project disciplines.
• Confirm that civil and rail systems designs are fully coordinated and technically integrated.
• Ensure compliance with Employer requirements, contract conditions, applicable standards, authority regulations, and international best practices.
• Chair senior design review meetings and Design Control Point gate reviews.
• Establish clear technical decision‑making processes and maintain effective design governance.
• Evaluate complex engineering issues and provide technically sound recommendations to project leadership.
• Review and determine acceptance of engineering change requests.
• Assess value engineering proposals for safety, performance, cost, programme, operability, and lifecycle implications.
• Resolve major technical conflicts between civil works, systems, rolling stock, depot facilities, and operational requirements.
• Oversee interface management across design disciplines, contractors, suppliers, operators, and external stakeholders.
• Guide the integration of civil infrastructure with railway systems and rolling stock.
• Support testing and commissioning strategies for civil works, rail systems, and train fleets.
• Ensure systems and safety assurance requirements are embedded throughout design and delivery.
• Review technical risks and direct the development of effective mitigation measures.
• Represent the Engineer‘s team at the highest technical level during client, contractor, regulatory, and stakeholder meetings.
• Present design status, technical risks, engineering recommendations, and major decisions to executive leadership.
• Coordinate with regulatory authorities to support technical approvals and statutory compliance.
• Maintain effective communication between design, construction, systems, commercial, programme controls, and project management teams.
• Mentor discipline leaders and promote consistent technical standards across the project.
• Support project-wide decisions affecting scope, programme, cost, quality, safety, and operational performance.
• Provide leadership during major technical reviews, design challenges, interface disputes, and project recovery activities.
• Promote a disciplined engineering culture focused on accountability, integration, safety, and delivery certainty.

Ideal Profile

• Bachelor‘s degree in Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Master‘s degree in engineering, transportation, rail systems, or project management is preferred.
• Professional Engineering registration or equivalent chartered status is highly desirable.
• Minimum 25 years of rail engineering experience.
• At least 10 years of experience in senior technical leadership or project director-level roles.
• Demonstrated technical depth across civil infrastructure and multidisciplinary rail systems.
• Extensive experience reviewing or delivering metro stations, tunnels, viaducts, depots, and associated infrastructure.
• Strong knowledge of rail systems, rolling stock, systems integration, interface management, and safety assurance.
• Proven involvement in large‑scale new‑build metro rail programmes.
• Significant experience working in a PMC or Engineer role on Design and Build metro projects.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary technical reviews and formal design approval processes.
• Experience managing engineering change requests and value engineering evaluations.
• Strong understanding of design governance, technical assurance, configuration management, and systems engineering.
• Experience supporting integration, testing, and commissioning of civil works, rail systems, and rolling stock.
• Ability to make high‑impact technical decisions in complex and time‑sensitive project environments.
• Confidence presenting to client executives, government stakeholders, regulators, and contractor leadership.
• Strong commercial and programme awareness when evaluating engineering decisions.
• Excellent written and spoken English communication skills.
• Middle East rail or major infrastructure experience is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead senior professionals across diverse cultural and technical backgrounds.

Skills Set

• Metro rail engineering
• Technical leadership
• Project direction
• Civil works
• Rail systems
• Rolling stock
• Stations and depots
• Tunnels and viaducts
• Systems integration
• Interface management
• Safety assurance
• Design and Build contracts
• Design governance
• Design Control Point reviews
• Engineering change control
• Value engineering
• Multidisciplinary design review
• Technical assurance
• Systems engineering
• BIM coordination
• Testing and commissioning
• Rail systems commissioning
• Rolling stock integration
• Technical risk management
• Contractor design review
• Client executive engagement
• Regulatory coordination
• PMC delivery
• Programme leadership
• Engineering management

Why Join Us

This appointment offers the opportunity to lead the technical direction of a prestigious metro programme and influence decisions across infrastructure, railway systems, safety, integration, and operational readiness. The position combines high-level engineering authority with broader Deputy Project Director responsibilities, creating a direct impact on programme quality, schedule, risk, and delivery outcomes.

About the Company

Parsons Corporation delivers engineering, programme management, technical assurance, and construction supervision services for major transport and infrastructure programmes. Its rail teams support clients through metro planning, multidisciplinary design review, systems integration, safety assurance, testing, commissioning, and complex project delivery across international markets.