Principal Engineer

Network Rail; Greater London; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 104,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

28 days annual leave

Private healthcare

Pension schemes

75% travel discount

Gym pass

Volunteer leave (5 days)

Rail travel subsidy

My Benefits platform

Job summary

Network Rail in the United Kingdom is seeking a senior engineer to provide delivery ownership for ETCS on a major national rail project. You will lead engineering delivery, system integration and verification, reporting to the Head of Engineering for the East Coast Digital Programme.

You will steer cross‑disciplinary teams, shape technical strategy, manage risks, and ensure delivery within time, cost and safety requirements across a high‑capacity intercity network.

Qualifications

• Chartered Engineer or equivalent level 7
• Knowledge of applicable policies, standards and national legislation
• Experience in developing technology and product strategies
• Knowledge of system safety management and risk assessment process

Responsibilities

• Provide overall engineering delivery ownership and accountability for ETCS delivery
• Lead Programme Engineering, System Integration and System Assurance with an ETCS bias
• Lead policy/standards, design and delivery for technical capability development
• Set technical strategy and liaise with regulatory bodies
• Manage Engineering Verification activities and cross-disciplinary integration
• Represent Network Rail externally and contribute to European issues as required
• Deliver projects within time, cost and quality with risk management and continuous improvement

Education

Engineering degree (BEng/MEng)

Tools

ETCS systems

Job description

Who We Are

Join Network Rail ! Where People and Connections Matter

At Network Rail, we're dedicated to keeping passengers and freight moving safely and efficiently across the country. When you join us, you're not just part of a team- you're part of something that matters to millions. We believe that our people are at the heart of what we do, and every role plays a vital part in building a better, more connected railway.

We're committed to creating a diverse, inclusive workplace that reflects the communities we serve. To discover more about our ED&I commitments. We value flexibility and understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance. As a Disability Confident Leader, we'll do everything we can to accommodate any needs throughout the recruitment process.

Safe behaviour is a requirement of working for Network Rail. Applicants should be able to demonstrate their awareness of our safety vision.

About The Role

East Coast Digital Programme is rolling out ETCS on the East Coast Mainline, a key technology enabler for a safer and higher-performing railway. This Programme is the pioneering deployment programme within Network Rail's Industry Digital Signalling Directorate which will set the path for all future large scale ETCS deployments in the country.

Job Purpose

The role is to provide overall engineering delivery ownership and accountability for ETCS delivery in a Railway Configuration State delivery model, reporting to the Head of Engineering for ECDP. This role requires the successful candidate to provide core Programme Engineering, System Integration and System Assurance leadership with an ETCS bias, acting as the guiding and controlling mind on all topics related to the progressive engineering delivery, integration and assurance of ETCS Level 2 (based on System Version 3.6.0) on a high-capacity intercity railway.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead the provision of expert advice, input and support associated with the provision of services for our customers and suppliers.
• Provide professional leadership for the development of engineers aligned to the engineering discipline and undertake professional mentorship of engineers in support of their achievement of professional registration to their relevant Engineering Council.
• Lead the technical input to accident and incident investigations and CIPs for safety verification.
• Lead the setting of policy and standards, operational processes and systems. Manage the design and delivery of programmes for the development of technical capability required within Network Rail, including competence frameworks and effective training materials
• Lead the technical input to the development of the standards, specifications, means of compliance (including applications for derogations and non-compliance) and KPIs for Asset Management, including system risk and Product Acceptance process and vehicle/infrastructure interface.
• Set strategy within the technical engineering area in liaison with experts internally and externally including regulatory bodies.
• Proactively research and respond to changes in the internal and external requirements and practice, which impact upon policy and standards
• Act as Delivery Manager for delivery of a specific project or portfolio of projects and deliver projects within time, cost and quality.
• Identify opportunities for technical and business process improvement and innovation, developing business cases and Investment Papers where required.
• Manage Engineering Verification activities.
• Represent Network Rail externally to the industry and input to European issues as required, speaking on and publishing in relevant platforms.
• Integrate and co-ordinate activity across different engineering disciplines and contribute to the development of engineers within the Practice.
• Support the development and implementation of competency frameworks and specify the engineering discipline training needs.

Essential Criteria

• Chartered Engineer or demonstrate equivalent experience (Level 7)
• A sound knowledge of applicable policies, standards and national legislation
• Experience of developing technology and product strategies
• Knowledge of the system safety management and risk assessment process

Desirable Criteria

• Formal Project Management qualification (e.g. APMP, PRINCE2, PMIP, MSP)
• Strong commercial awareness and financially astute
• Experience of working in railway infrastructure management or a similar safety critical environment
• Prior experience as a Principal-level Engineer on a major ETCS deployment programme
• Broad and extensive experience in the development of engineering technology with an ETCS bias
• ETCS system integration (vehicle, trackside, telecoms) experience
• Experience of leading the engineering delivery of multiple major digital signalling schemes into service

Please note: Applicants must provide proof of essential qualifications and/or competencies where required, or demonstrate active progress toward obtaining them, or evidence their applicable experience as a condition of employment.

Network Rail welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, marital status (including civil partnerships), pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, transgender status, sex (or gender), employment status, trade union affiliation, or other irrelevant factor.

We are a Disability Confident Leader employer! We will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria.

We are here to support you through every step of the recruitment process and to enable you to perform to the best of your ability. If you require any adjustments or modifications please contact Mark Holt (Resourcing Business Partner) at [e-mail]. You can also visit Evenbreak's Career Hive for advice on accessibility support if you're unsure of the options available.

We positively embrace flexible working, recognising that employees may wish to balance work with their family and home life.

Network Rail can offer you a rewarding career with competitive pay and excellent benefits including a choice of contributory pension schemes, a generous annual leave package, a bonus scheme and an annual 75% subsidy on season tickets costing up to £3,333 (to a maximum amount of £2,500). You will also be entitled to 28 days annual leave

Salary: £85,395 to £104,160 per annum (plus an Inner London Allowance of £3,270 per annum.

• Employees will be entitled to a 75% discount off leisure travel, this includes off peak and super off peak tickets*
• Some of our roles require face to face Drugs & Alcohol testing. Further details will be shared with you as part of your formal offer.

Closing date: 3rd November 2026. Late applications will not be accepted. We retain the right to close the advert before the listed closing date based on application volumes.

What's In It For You

• 28-day annual leave with the option to buy and sell days
• Choice of pension schemes
• 75% discount of leisure travel for you and your family
• Private Healthcare
• 5 days paid volunteer or carers leave
• Up to 75% subsidised Rail and Underground travel
• Gym Pass -access to gyms across UK
• My Benefits platform- giving national and local retail discount

Our aim is to ensure your candidate experience is as positive as possible. If you require reasonable adjustments at any point, simply let us know and we'll do our best to assist you.

Some of our roles require face to face Drugs & Alcohol testing. We will share further details with you as part of your formal offer.

All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks.

The successful candidate shall have substantial delivery experience on a comparable ETCS Programme in a senior engineering capacity with an engineering management bias. The candidate shall possess engineering management experience in a complex systems integration role and have experience of influencing stakeholders both internally and externally.

The successful candidate shall have a good understanding of the Digital Railway Requirements approach, generic supplier approaches to ETCS requirements development, ETCS design delivery, ETCS verification and validation, and ETCS compatibility and compliance assurance and railway systems integration assurance

The successful candidate shall have a broader railway understanding including but not limited to vehicle integration with ETCS, ETCS-Telecoms integration, ETCS-Key Management integration, timetable performance and wider railway system disciplines.

The successful candidate shall have experience of taking a balanced approach to decision-making in complex systems delivery, applying good engineering practice to balance safety, security, operability, reliability and performance risks alongside cost and schedule.

The successful candidate shall have authored several System Assurance Cases to demonstrate progressive compliance and readiness to enter ETCS or comparable technologies into safe and reliable service.