Project System Design Specialist

Hitachi, Ltd.; Toronto; On-site; CAD 99,000 - 127,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Dental and Vision plans

Retirement with company match

3 weeks vacation

Job summary

Hitachi Rail is seeking a Project System Design Specialist to lead system and signaling design for complex rail projects in Canada. The role involves translating customer requirements into robust specifications, simulations, and validation activities, while coordinating with software, hardware and safety teams.

You will guide a team to deliver safe, high‑quality designs on schedule and within budget, adapting processes to project needs and ensuring compliance with industry standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (Systems, Electrical, Computer) or closely related field.
• 6–10 years of experience in development of software‑based system applications.
• Knowledge of modern software engineering practices, methods, and tools.
• Knowledge of systems development life cycle.
• Senior‑level expertise in URS (Urban Rail Signaling) Systems: 3–5 years of similar system complexity.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and support customer requirements compliance assessment, gap analysis, and architecture design.
• Convert customer requirements into conceptual designs and documentation via analyses, simulations, and trade‑offs.
• Define system, subsystem, and interface requirement specifications from customer needs.
• Lead system design activities to deliver high‑quality, safe guideway design within budget and schedule.
• Mentor other systems engineers and coordinate with Work Package Managers.

Skills

URs (Urban Rail Signaling)

System design

Software engineering

Team leadership

Stakeholder communication

Project budgeting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Tools

DOORS

Polarion

Melody Advance

Job description

About Us

A career at Hitachi Rail will help create a legacy. With operations in every corner of the world, our work goes to the cutting‑edge of digital transformation and technology. From the multi‑cultural strength of our global organisation to the sustainable and innovative ways we work to bring people together, there’s something for everyone to get stuck into. And that’s where you come in.

Job Description

The Project System Design Specialist will perform system design, signaling design, analysis, modelling, and simulation to specify communication‑based train control systems. They will develop and define system design features to meet Customer requirements. They will analyze and evaluate customer requirements and verify compliance with our product system technical requirements. They will develop and define System and Subsystems requirements in order to fulfill any specific customer requirements on the project. They will communicate and gain acceptance of the design with the customer and internal stakeholders.

The incumbent is accountable for performing the design work independently, within cost and schedule limits, as defined in approved work packages. Responsible for leading the team to perform system design activities to deliver a high‑quality and safe guideway design, on time, at the lowest cost, and meeting customer requirements. The incumbent will also adapt system design processes to meet the needs of the project deployment and industry standards and ensure this process is followed by the team. Able to perform the role of Work Package Manager to organize and assign work to the system engineers on the project, as well as managing the budget and schedule for the system design work. Responsible for the overall system design for the project.

Key Accountabilities

• Technical:

  • Prepares and supports customer requirements compliance assessment, gap analysis, and architecture design.
  • Converts Customer (internal and/or external) requirements into conceptual designs and prepares associated documentation by performing operational analyses, simulations, and technical trade‑off studies evaluating alternative design configurations and functional features.
  • Creates new concepts or modifies existing concepts to fulfill customer requirements.
  • Prepares system, subsystem, and interface requirement specifications by analyzing and decomposing, modelling, and refining customer requirements and train control domain requirements.
  • Prepares Operational Concept Document.
  • Prepares and supports bids and proposals, including customer requirements compliance assessment, gap analysis, architecture design, simulation, trade‑off of key features, and cost estimation.
  • Presents technical design and reports to customers and/or other engineering/management groups in clear, complete, concise, and non‑ambiguous terms.
  • Identifies and updates system processes based on specific project/product needs while aligning with industry standards to ensure efficient, high‑quality designs.
  • Evaluates and defines operational design limits.
  • Ensures strong working relationships between the system design team and Software, Hardware, Safety, and IVVQ groups.
  • Encourages adherence to development processes within the system team.

• Safety:

  • Promotes a safety culture where product safety is paramount.
  • Ensures that safety is incorporated into the design by identifying and resolving safety‑related defects early in the process.

• Management:

  • Supervises contractors and system specialists by defining tasks, coaching them, monitoring progress, and setting priorities.
  • Proposes work package estimates and descriptions based on project knowledge and requirements.
  • Leads technical discussions, presents solutions, and provides regular status reports to internal and external stakeholders.
  • Mentors other systems engineers by coaching, monitoring progress, and providing technical guidance while directing priorities.
  • Collaborates with Work Package Managers and other project team members to ensure inputs and outputs are managed effectively within the system design team.
  • Identifies and implements process improvement initiatives.

Key Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (Systems, Electrical, Computer), Computer Science, or a closely related field.
• 6-10 years of experience in the development of software‑based System applications.
• Knowledge of modern software engineering practices, methods, and tools.
• Knowledge of systems development life cycle.
• Senior‑level expertise in URS (Urban Rail Signaling) Systems:
  • Minimum 3-5 years of similar system complexity.
  • Ability to act as a reference/coach for specialized engineering skills within the CBTC (Communication Based Train Control) domain.
• Experience in leading a group of technical resources.
• Strong planning and organizational skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience using DOORS, Polarion, Melody Advance, or other system design and requirements management tools.
• Strong application domain knowledge of automated train control systems, as well as systems engineering principles and practices.
• Rail signaling knowledge.
• Work Package Management experience.
• Excellent technical writing, communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to confidently sell and defend the product to customers with varying levels of understanding about automated systems.

Total Compensation Range (Base Salary + Annual Incentive plan) : $117,022 $150,028

Base Salary Range: $99,000-127,000

The Company provides an extensive benefits program for all full‑time employees working 24 or more hours per week and their eligible dependents, including the following:

• Health, Dental and Vision plans - 100% of premiums are company‑paid
• Retirement Savings Planwith a companymatch
• Company paid holidays - 3 weeks of vacation
• Company provided Lifeand accidentInsurance, LTD
• Worklife programs such as Flextime and a variety of Development and Training opportunities

This posting relates to an existing vacancy.

Our hiring process uses both human and technology‑assisted (AI) tools to support candidate screening and assessment. All results are reviewed by people, and all hiring decisions are made by people.

At Hitachi Rail, there is a place for everyone. We welcome and value differences in background, age, gender, sexuality, family status, disability, race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, and world view. It is our commitment to create an inclusive environment - we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.