Technical Director - Metro Rail Systems

Parsons; Dubai; On-site; AED 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Parsons in Dubai seeks a Technical Director – Metro Rail Systems to direct the technical delivery of a complex Design and Build metro programme while supporting the Project Director in overall programme leadership.

The role requires broad command across stations, tunnels, design reviews, systems integration, safety assurance, and governance; you will chair senior reviews, coordinate with authorities, and represent the client and contractor in executive forums.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Master’s degree in engineering, transport systems, or project management is preferred.
• Professional Engineering registration or equivalent chartered status is desirable.
• Minimum 25 years of rail engineering experience.
• At least 10 years of experience in senior technical leadership roles.
• Extensive knowledge of both civil infrastructure and multidisciplinary railway systems.
• Proven design or design-review experience involving metro stations, tunnels, viaducts, depots, and associated civil works.
• Strong technical understanding of rail systems, rolling stock, interface management, systems engineering, and safety assurance.
• Significant involvement in large-scale new-build metro programmes.
• Demonstrated experience delivering Design and Build metro programmes in a PMC or Engineer role.
• Proven capability to lead multidisciplinary technical reviews and formal design approvals.
• Experience reviewing engineering changes and value engineering submissions.
• Strong understanding of design governance, technical assurance, systems integration, and configuration control.
• Experience supporting integration, testing, and commissioning across civil works, rail systems, and rolling stock.
• Ability to make sound technical decisions in complex, high-pressure project environments.
• Strong programme and commercial awareness when assessing engineering options.
• Confidence presenting to client executives, authorities, contractor leadership, and major stakeholders.
• Excellent written and spoken English communication skills.
• Middle East rail or major infrastructure experience is preferred.
• Ability to lead senior engineering professionals across diverse technical and cultural backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Direct the technical delivery of a complex Design and Build metro project.
• Provide senior representation to the client, authorities, stakeholders, and Design and Build contractor.
• Lead multidisciplinary reviews of contractor designs, calculations, reports, drawings, specifications, and technical submissions.
• Oversee the review of stations, tunnels, viaducts, depots, architecture, mechanical systems, electrical systems, and BIM deliverables.
• Direct technical assurance across signalling, telecommunications, traction power, trackwork, platform systems, control systems, depot equipment, and associated railway technologies.
• Ensure engineering progress remains aligned with the approved project schedule.
• Monitor the technical performance and progress of engineering services across all project disciplines.
• Confirm that civil infrastructure, railway systems, rolling stock, and operational requirements are fully coordinated.
• Ensure compliance with Employer requirements, contract provisions, authority regulations, applicable standards, and recognised good practice.
• Chair senior design review meetings and Design Control Point gate reviews.
• Establish disciplined technical governance, decision-making, and approval procedures.
• Review complex engineering issues and issue clear technical recommendations.
• Make or endorse high-impact technical decisions within delegated authority.
• Review engineering change requests and assess their effect on performance, safety, cost, programme, and operability.
• Evaluate value engineering proposals and determine whether they preserve contractual, technical, and lifecycle requirements.
• Resolve major interfaces between stations, tunnels, viaducts, depots, systems, rolling stock, utilities, and external stakeholders.
• Lead coordination between civil engineering, railway technology, operations, maintenance, testing, and commissioning teams.
• Support integrated testing and commissioning of civil works, rail systems, and rolling stock.
• Ensure systems and safety assurance requirements are embedded throughout design and delivery.
• Review technical risks and direct the preparation of practical mitigation measures.
• Represent the Engineer’s team in senior meetings with client leadership, contractors, regulators, and strategic stakeholders.
• Present technical status, key risks, engineering decisions, and required actions to executive audiences.
• Coordinate with authorities and regulatory bodies on approvals, compliance, and technical acceptance.
• Guide discipline leaders and promote consistent engineering standards across the project.
• Support recovery planning where technical performance or design progress falls behind programme expectations.
• Maintain alignment between technical delivery, project controls, commercial management, construction supervision, and stakeholder commitments.
• Promote a project culture based on engineering integrity, safety, integration, accountability, and delivery certainty.

Skills

Technical leadership

Rail systems knowledge

Systems integration

Safety assurance

PMC/Engineer leadership

BIM coordination

Executive stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline

Master’s degree in engineering, transport systems, or project management is preferred

Professional Engineering registration or equivalent chartered status

Tools

BIM coordination

CAD/Design review tools

Job description

Job Snapshot

Role: Technical Director - Metro Rail Systems

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Industry: Transportation-Trucking-Railroad

Function: Project-Program Management

Experience: Minimum 25 years

Job Type: Full-time

Job Details

Country: United Arab Emirates

City: Dubai

Salary: 70,000 – 95,000 (Estimated range; final offer confirmed by employer)

Role Context

The Technical Director – Metro Rail Systems will direct the technical delivery of a complex Design and Build metro project while supporting the Project Director in overall programme leadership. The position requires broad technical command across stations, tunnels, viaducts, depots, architecture, MEP, BIM, railway systems, rolling stock, interface management, systems integration, and safety assurance. The successful professional will establish clear engineering direction, lead high‑level reviews, resolve major technical issues, and ensure that contractor designs are coordinated, compliant, buildable, and aligned with programme milestones.

The role will also provide senior representation to the client, authorities, stakeholders, and Design and Build contractor.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership across civil works, railway systems, rolling stock, systems integration, interface management, and safety assurance.
• Act as Deputy Project Director and support programme‑level decisions affecting scope, quality, schedule, risk, and technical delivery.
• Lead multidisciplinary reviews of contractor designs, calculations, reports, drawings, specifications, and technical submissions.
• Oversee the review of stations, tunnels, viaducts, depots, architecture, mechanical systems, electrical systems, and BIM deliverables.
• Direct technical assurance across signalling, telecommunications, traction power, trackwork, platform systems, control systems, depot equipment, and associated railway technologies.
• Ensure engineering progress remains aligned with the approved project schedule.
• Monitor the technical performance and progress of engineering services across all project disciplines.
• Confirm that civil infrastructure, railway systems, rolling stock, and operational requirements are fully coordinated.
• Ensure compliance with Employer requirements, contract provisions, authority regulations, applicable standards, and recognised good practice.
• Chair senior design review meetings and Design Control Point gate reviews.
• Establish disciplined technical governance, decision‑making, and approval procedures.
• Review complex engineering issues and issue clear technical recommendations.
• Make or endorse high‑impact technical decisions within delegated authority.
• Review engineering change requests and assess their effect on performance, safety, cost, programme, and operability.
• Evaluate value engineering proposals and determine whether they preserve contractual, technical, and lifecycle requirements.
• Resolve major interfaces between stations, tunnels, viaducts, depots, systems, rolling stock, utilities, and external stakeholders.
• Lead coordination between civil engineering, railway technology, operations, maintenance, testing, and commissioning teams.
• Support integrated testing and commissioning of civil works, rail systems, and rolling stock.
• Ensure systems and safety assurance requirements are embedded throughout design and delivery.
• Review technical risks and direct the preparation of practical mitigation measures.
• Represent the Engineer’s team in senior meetings with client leadership, contractors, regulators, and strategic stakeholders.
• Present technical status, key risks, engineering decisions, and required actions to executive audiences.
• Coordinate with authorities and regulatory bodies on approvals, compliance, and technical acceptance.
• Guide discipline leaders and promote consistent engineering standards across the project.
• Support recovery planning where technical performance or design progress falls behind programme expectations.
• Maintain alignment between technical delivery, project controls, commercial management, construction supervision, and stakeholder commitments.
• Promote a project culture based on engineering integrity, safety, integration, accountability, 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, transport systems, or project management is preferred.
• Professional Engineering registration or equivalent chartered status is desirable.
• Minimum 25 years of rail engineering experience.
• At least 10 years of experience in senior technical leadership roles.
• Extensive knowledge of both civil infrastructure and multidisciplinary railway systems.
• Proven design or design‑review experience involving metro stations, tunnels, viaducts, depots, and associated civil works.
• Strong technical understanding of rail systems, rolling stock, interface management, systems engineering, and safety assurance.
• Significant involvement in large‑scale new‑build metro programmes.
• Demonstrated experience delivering Design and Build metro projects in a PMC or Engineer role.
• Proven capability to lead multidisciplinary technical reviews and formal design approvals.
• Experience reviewing engineering changes and value engineering submissions.
• Strong understanding of design governance, technical assurance, systems integration, and configuration control.
• Experience supporting integration, testing, and commissioning across civil works, rail systems, and rolling stock.
• Ability to make sound technical decisions in complex, high‑pressure project environments.
• Strong programme and commercial awareness when assessing engineering options.
• Confidence presenting to client executives, authorities, contractor leadership, and major stakeholders.
• Excellent written and spoken English communication skills.
• Middle East rail or major infrastructure experience is preferred.
• Ability to lead senior engineering professionals across diverse technical and cultural backgrounds.

Skills Set

• Metro rail engineering
• Technical direction
• Deputy project leadership
• Civil works
• Rail systems
• Rolling stock
• Stations
• Tunnels
• Viaducts
• Depots
• Systems integration
• Interface management
• Safety assurance
• Design and Build delivery
• Design governance
• Design Control Point reviews
• Engineering change management
• Value engineering
• Multidisciplinary design review
• Technical assurance
• Systems engineering
• BIM coordination
• Testing and commissioning
• Regulatory coordination
• Contractor design review
• Executive stakeholder engagement
• Technical risk management
• PMC delivery
• Programme leadership
• Engineering management

Why Join Us

This role offers the opportunity to shape the technical direction of a prestigious metro programme in Dubai while operating at Deputy Project Director level. The successful professional will influence engineering quality, systems integration, design progress, safety assurance, technical risk, and executive decision‑making across the full rail project lifecycle.

The position provides exposure to a major transport investment involving international contractors, regulators, specialist suppliers, client executives, and multidisciplinary engineering teams. It is a significant career opportunity for an established rail leader seeking high‑level authority, regional impact, and long‑term involvement in the Transportation‑Trucking‑Railroad sector.

About the Company

Parsons Corporation delivers engineering, programme management, technical assurance, and construction supervision services for major rail, transportation, and infrastructure developments. Its multidisciplinary teams support metro projects through civil design review, systems integration, rolling stock coordination, safety assurance, testing, commissioning, and complex programme delivery.