Technical Head - Rail Control System

WS Atkins & Partners Overseas Engineering Consultants; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 650,000 - 950,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tax-free salary

Life insurance coverage

Medical insurance

Annual leave balance

Company gratuity scheme

Discretionary bonus program

Annual flight contribution

Transportation & housing allowances

Employee Wellbeing Program

Job summary

AtkinsRéalis is seeking a Technical Head – Railway Control Systems to provide strategic and technical leadership across complex Middle East rail programs. The role focuses on delivering high-quality consultancy services across communications, control, signaling, systems integration and operational control, while driving innovation and business growth.

You will lead major bids, manage client relationships and develop high-performing engineering teams, with extensive international rail project

Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering or related field and Chartered Engineer status.
• 15+ years in rail systems across high-speed, conventional and metro railways.
• Experience with ETCS/ERTMS, CBTC, TMS, GSM-R, signaling and control systems.
• Proven leadership of complex, multidisciplinary rail projects.
• Strong client management and experience with assurance, approvals and certification.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and technical leadership for railway control systems.
• Lead bids, tenders and procurement activities with technical and commercial input.
• Oversee delivery of major rail projects across scope, schedule, cost and quality.
• Drive system integration across signaling, telecoms and infrastructure interfaces.
• Develop and grow engineering capability and mentor teams.

Skills

Railway systems leadership

System architecture

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Communication skills

Education

Engineering degree

Chartered Engineer

Job description

Job Description Overview

We are seeking a Technical Head – Railway Control Systems to provide strategic and technical leadership across complex our Middle East business, with our clients and on railway programs. This role focuses on delivering high-quality consultancy services across communications systems, control systems, signaling, systems integration, and operational control, while driving innovation, technical excellence, and business growth. As a senior leader, you will play a key role in shaping solutions, leading major bids within our governance framework, managing client relationships, and developing high-performing engineering teams.

Your role

Technical & Strategic Leadership

• Act as a trusted technical authority and SME, providing strategic guidance to clients and internal teams.
• Lead development of complex rail control system solutions, ensuring best-in-class technical delivery.
• Provide oversight of system architecture, integration strategies, and operational concepts.
• Provide valuable experience and insight into other areas such as, but not excluslusively, contracting and technical deployment strategies, constructability and testing and commissioning.
• Proactively identify and resolve technical challenges and constraints.

Project Delivery and Operations and Asset Management

• Lead and oversee delivery of major and multidisciplinary rail projects.
• Ensure delivery excellence across scope, schedule, cost, and quality.
• Manage critical system interfaces across signaling, telecoms, and infrastructure.
• Ensure compliance with assurance, approvals, and certification requirements.
• Lead and oversee delivery of operations and asset management assignments.

Business Development

• Lead bids, tenders, and procurement activities, providing both technical and commercial leadership.
• Develop feasibility studies and strategic advisory inputs to support client decision-making.
• Identify growth opportunities and strengthen AtkinsRéalis’ market position.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key clients and stakeholders.

Innovation & Systems Integration

• Drive development and optimisation of railway operational concepts and system interfaces.
• Promote adoption of digital, communication, and advanced control technologies.
• Support innovation in areas such as smart mobility, data-driven systems, and automation.

People, Competency & Capability Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop engineering teams and technical specialists.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Support knowledge sharing and development of technical best practices.
• Contribute to strategic capability growth within the Rail Control Systems discipline.

About you

Essential Experience & Skills

• Degree-qualified in Engineering or a related discipline.
• Extensive experience (15+ years) in rail systems across high-speed, conventional and metro railways, including one or more of: ETCS / ERTMS.
• CBTC systems.
• Train Management Systems (TMS).
• GSM-R and telecommunications systems.
• Railway signaling and operational control systems.
• Strong expertise in system architecture, integration, and railway system performance.
• Demonstrated leadership of complex, multidisciplinary rail projects.
• Strong track record in senior stakeholder and client management.
• Experience across assurance, approvals, and certification processes.
• Experience in the management of equipment suppliers.
• Proven ability to lead technical bids and consultancy assignments.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and influencing skills.
• Ability to manage multiple high-value assignments simultaneously.
• Chartered Engineer.
• Membership of a relevant professional institution.
• Experience working across international rail projects and markets.
• Experience of client and contractor organisations.
• Experience of client and contractor organisations.

Desirable Experience & Skills

• Knowleldge of rail control systems including: IP-based networks, data centres, and cloud infrastructure.
• Knowledge of cybersecurity, data analytics, and AI applications in rail systems.
• Additional language skills.

Rewards & benefits

• Tax-free salary.
• Life insurance coverage.
• Medical insurance.
• Annual leave balance.
• Company gratuity scheme.
• Discretionary bonus program.
• Annual flight contribution.
• Transportation & housing allowances.
• Employee Wellbeing Program: 24/7 access to specialists in finance, legal matters, family care, personal health, fitness, and nutrition.

About AtkinsRéalis

We're AtkinsRéalis, a world‑class engineering services and nuclear organization. We connect people, data and technology to transform the world’s infrastructure and energy systems. Together, with our industry partners and clients, and our global team of consultants, designers, engineers and project managers, we can change the world. We're committed to leading our clients across our various end markets to engineer a better future for our planet and its people. Find out more.

Worker Type Employee Job Type Regular

At AtkinsRéalis, we seek to hire individuals with diverse characteristics, backgrounds and perspectives. We strongly believe that world‑class talent makes no distinctions based on gender, ethnic or national origin, sexual identity and orientation, age, religion or disability, but enriches itself through these differences. Created by the integration of long‑standing organizations dating back to 1911, AtkinsRéalis is a world‑class engineering services and nuclear company dedicated to engineering a better future for our planet and its people. We create sustainable solutions that connect people, data and technology to transform the world’s infrastructure and technology. We deploy global capabilities locally to our clients and deliver unique end‑to‑end services across the whole life cycle of an asset including consulting, advisory & environmental services, intelligent networks & cybersecurity, design & engineering, procurement, project & construction management, operations & maintenance, decommissioning and capital. The breadth and depth of our capabilities are delivered to clients in strategic sectors such as Engineering Services, Nuclear and Capital. News and information are available at Atkinsrealis or follow us on LinkedIn.