System Design Specialist, Intermediate

Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc.; Toronto; On-site; CAD 95,000 - 118,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental and vision plans

Retirement plan with company match

3 weeks of vacation

Life and accidental insurance

Flextime and training opportunities

Job summary

Hitachi Rail Canada Inc. in Toronto is seeking a System Design Specialist, Intermediate to perform system and CBTC signalling design, analysis, modelling and simulation.

You will define system and subsystem requirements, communicate technical solutions, and drive high-quality engineering work within budget and schedule constraints. The role requires 5+ years in software design and development, with experience in Agile environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in CS or engineering.
• 5+ years in software design, development, integration, testing, deployment, and URS systems.
• Experience in Agile development environments.

Responsibilities

• Understand customer needs through studies, simulations, prototypes, and models.
• Contribute to architecture design, algorithm development, and requirements refinement.
• Design, code, debug, test, and review software solutions.
• Develop and execute software test procedures and participate in design reviews.
• Review code quality, test procedures, and results.
• Analyze defects and implement corrective actions.
• Provide input for project cost estimates.
• Collaborate with Systems Engineering for software consistency.
• Deliver timely technical solutions and pursue continuous improvement.

Skills

Software design

Agile development

System design

C++

Python

Java

Education

Bachelor’s/Master’s in CS/Engineering

Tools

Git

Jira

Eclipse

DOORS

ClearCase

ClearQuest

Visual Studio

MSBuild

Job description

Job Details

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Job ID: R0142413 Date Posted: 2026-09-10 Company Name: Hitachi Rail Canada Inc. Profession (Job Category): Engineering & Science Job Schedule: Full time Remote: No

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 System Design Specialist, Intermediate will perform system design, signalling design, analysis, modelling, and simulation activities to specify Communication‑Based Train Control (CBTC) systems. The incumbent will develop and define system design features that satisfy customer requirements and project objectives. They will analyze and evaluate customer requirements, assess compliance with product and system technical requirements, and define system and subsystem requirements to address specific project needs. The System Design Specialist will communicate technical solutions and gain acceptance of system designs from customers and internal stakeholders. They will be responsible for delivering high‑quality engineering work with limited supervision while adhering to approved cost, schedule, and quality objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Understand customer needs and lifecycle concerns through studies, simulations, models, prototypes, and other engineering methods.


• Contribute to mission/function definition, architecture design, algorithm development, and requirements refinement.


• Design, code, debug, test, and review software solutions.


• Develop and execute software test procedures and participate in design reviews.


• Review code quality, test procedures, and test results.


• Analyze defects and implement corrective actions.


• Perform engineering testing and investigate issues in field environments.


• Provide input for project cost estimates.


• Support functional managers through training, leadership, and mentoring activities.


• Collaborate with Systems Engineering teams to ensure software consistency, architectural compliance, and proper component refinement.


• Deliver technical solutions in a timely manner and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.


• Participate in Work Package Management activities within the assigned technical domain when required.

Required Qualifications

• Education Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.


• Experience 5+ years of experience in software design, development, integration, testing, deployment, and URS systems.


• Experience working within Agile development environments.

Technical Skills

• Strong software development and engineering expertise.


• Advanced troubleshooting and analysis skills using field logs and event correlation.


• Ability to work independently on medium to large-scale software applications.


• Proficiency with Microsoft Visual Studio and software simulation environments.


• Experience with source control, IDE, and requirements management tools including Git, Jira, Eclipse, ClearCase, ClearQuest, and DOORS.


• Knowledge of railway signaling systems, particularly SelTrac CBTC.


• Strong verbal and written English communication skills.


• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) designation.

Preferred Technical Expertise

• C++, C#, Java, Python, Perl, Ruby, Assembly.


• STL, Boost, MFC, WPF, multithreading, socket programming.


• Windows, Linux, and Unix platforms.


• Angular, TypeScript, WebSockets, Java‑based back‑end development.


• Software build tools such as gmake and MSBuild.


• Embedded systems development.


• Modelling and simulation.


• Control theory and graph theory concepts.

Base Salary Range

$95,000-118,000

Benefits

• Health, Dental and Vision plans - 100% of premiums are company-paid


• Retirement Savings Plan with a company match


• Company paid holidays - 3 weeks of vacation


• Company provided Life and accident Insurance, 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. Thank you for your interest in Hitachi Rail. If your application is of interest, we will be in contact. Please do not hesitate to discover more about us and our latest jobs at https://www.hitachirail.com/careers. 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. We would be delighted if you would be one of our followers at https://www.linkedin.com/company/hitachirail Hitachi brings together the world’s greatest minds to help breathe life into new possibilities – and drive innovation for a better future. That’s why we look for individuals who share our pioneering spirit, have imaginative ideas and are fearless when it comes to tackling the world’s biggest challenges. Our people love technology – and they love making a difference. They have a passion for finding new solutions and working with brilliant colleagues. Every day they dedicate themselves to a huge range of exciting projects, contributing to the Hitachi vision around the globe. From engineering new sustainability solutions that conserve water and energy to creating the infrastructure for the smart cities of tomorrow, there’s no challenge too great for our pioneers. And there’s no shortage of opportunities for you to make a difference. Come and experience the dynamic, collaborative and creative environments where your ideas are welcome and new discoveries are waiting. To help you grow to your full potential, we strive to support our employees in their career aspirations and promote the freedom to explore new horizons. E-mail us for data privacy inquiries or technical support.