Lead OCS Engineer

Carrington West; Greater London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Carrington West is recruiting an experienced Lead Overhead Catenary System (OCS) Engineer for a major UK rail infrastructure programme. You will provide technical leadership on OCS standards, leading design assurance and complex interface management across client, contractors and designers in a high-speed rail context.

This senior client-side role requires deep understanding of OCS/OLE engineering, interoperability constraints, and regulatory requirements, including CDM and CSM, with proven

Qualifications

• Significant OCS/OLE engineering experience at lead level.
• Strong understanding of OCS requirements, design principles and engineering assurance.
• Detailed knowledge of BS EN 50119 and its application to overhead contact line systems.
• Strong understanding of interoperability requirements, particularly OCS, pantograph and contact wire interactions.
• Experience interpreting and applying technical standards and challenging designs.
• Experience reviewing contractor and consultant designs.
• Knowledge of CDM Regulations and Common Safety Method (CSM) requirements.
• Ability to manage complex technical interfaces across contractors, designers and railway systems.
• Experience in a major rail infrastructure environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership on OCS standards and interfaces across design and construction teams.
• Assure contractor solutions meet complex technical and regulatory requirements.
• Engage with contractors and designers to challenge solutions that do not meet standards.
• Act as key technical interface between client and delivery/design organisations.
• Lead assurance activities to ensure compliance and robustness for a high-speed railway environment.

Skills

OCS engineering

Interoperability knowledge

Design assurance

CDM Regulations

CSM requirements

Stakeholder management

Contractor reviews

Rail infrastructure

Job description

Are you an experienced OCS Engineer with a strong understanding of interoperability and high-speed rail standards?

Can you provide technical leadership on overhead catenary systems, challenging designs and assuring that contractor solutions meet complex technical and regulatory requirements?

Salary:
London: £79,864 to £99,829 including 20% flexible fund
Birmingham: £73,946 to £92,434 including 20% flexible fund

Location: London or Birmingham
Contract: Permanent, full-time

I am recruiting for a Lead Overhead Catenary System (OCS) Engineer to provide technical and professional leadership on one of the UK's largest rail infrastructure programmes.

This is a senior client-side engineering role responsible for leading the application of OCS standards and technical requirements, providing assurance across design and construction, and resolving complex engineering and interface issues.

The project has progressed into scheme design, so I am looking for someone who can confidently engage with contractors and designers, understand the reasoning behind technical requirements and challenge solutions where they do not meet the required standards.

You will act as a key technical interface between the client and the OCS delivery and design organisations, ensuring the system is compliant, technically robust and suitable for a high-speed railway environment.

Essential requirements

• Significant OCS/OLE engineering experience, with the technical depth to operate at lead level.
• Strong understanding of OCS requirements, design principles and engineering assurance.
• Detailed knowledge of BS EN 50119 and its application to overhead contact line systems.
• Strong understanding of interoperability requirements, particularly the interaction between the OCS, pantograph and contact wire.
• Experience interpreting and applying technical standards and requirements rather than solely designing to established solutions.
• Experience reviewing and challenging contractor and consultant designs.
• Strong understanding of requirements management, compliance and technical assurance.
• Good knowledge of CDM Regulations and Common Safety Method (CSM) requirements.
• Ability to manage complex technical interfaces across contractors, designers and other railway systems.
• Experience working within a major rail infrastructure environment.
• Right to work in the UK.

Highly desirable

• Previous HS2 or other high-speed rail experience.
• International OCS/OLE experience on major rail projects.
• Experience working with European or international high-speed rail standards and interoperability requirements.
• Experience working across different rail standards and engineering environments outside the traditional Network Rail framework.
• Experience on major high-speed projects in countries such as France, Spain, Germany or Italy, or relevant projects in Australia, Asia or the Middle East.
• Client-side engineering assurance experience.

I am particularly interested in speaking with experienced OCS/OLE professionals who have worked internationally or on high-speed rail programmes and can bring a broader understanding of standards, interoperability and requirements-led design.

This is not simply a design production role. I am looking for someone who understands why an OCS solution is designed in a particular way, can trace that solution back to the applicable requirements and standards, and has the confidence to challenge contractors when those requirements have not been met.