Rail and Transit Sr Technical Director - Traction Power

Parsons; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Parsons is seeking a Senior Technical Director - Traction Power to lead and grow our Rail and Transit Traction Power Team in the U.S. West Region.

The role demands strong technical leadership across traction power, electric rail systems, and project delivery. You will oversee design, calculations, and integration of Traction Power Substation systems, coordinate with utilities, manage scope, schedule, budget, and client engagement, and mentor a high-performing team across the Western United

Qualifications

• Registered Professional Engineer with extensive rail electrification project delivery experience.
• Strong technical design, project delivery, client development and leadership capabilities.
• Experience leading traction power and rail electric systems teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow Parsons' Rail and Transit Traction Power Team across the Western United States.
• Provide technical direction for traction power, OCS, rail electrical and corrosion control.
• Lead traction power studies, translate results into constructable designs and specs.
• Oversee design, integration, and implementation of traction power and rail systems on major programs.
• Ensure compliance with NFPA 130, NEC, IEEE standards and other codes.
• Mentor and develop a high-performing team and support business growth.

Skills

Professional Engineer

Rail Electrification

Project Leadership

Technical Design

Client Development

Job description

In a world of possibilities, pursue one with endless opportunities. Imagine Next! At Parsons, you can imagine a career where you thrive, work with exceptional people, and be yourself. Guided by our leadership vision of valuing people, embracing agility, and fostering growth, we cultivate an innovative culture that empowers you to achieve your full potential. Unleash your talent and redefine what's possible.

Job Description:

Parsons is looking for a Senior Technical Director - Traction Power to lead and grow our Rail and Transit Traction Power Team in the U.S. West Region.

We are seeking a registered Professional Engineer with extensive experience delivering rail and transit electrification projects through planning, design, construction, installation, systems integration, startup, testing, commissioning, and project closeout. The ideal candidate will bring a strong combination of technical design, project delivery, client development, and team leadership experience.

With more than 50 rail and transit projects underway across the United States and a robust pipeline of upcoming pursuits, this position offers opportunities to lead large-scale transportation projects throughout North America, particularly in the Western United States, including Texas.

The Senior Technical Director will drive technical excellence and successful project delivery while supporting market growth, scope development, staffing, resource management, and client engagement.

What You'll Be Doing:

Project Delivery and Technical Leadership

• Lead and grow Parsons' Rail and Transit Traction Power Team across the Western United States, providing technical direction for traction power, OCS, rail electrical, and corrosion control professionals.
• Serve as a senior technical leader and subject matter expert for traction power and rail electric systems.
• Lead traction power studies and calculations, including load flow, short-circuit, cable sizing, protection coordination, grounding and bonding, step-and-touch potential, arc flash, power quality, and negative-return evaluations.
• Translate study results into constructable designs, technical specifications, drawings, contract documents, and construction deliverables.
• Lead the design and integration of complete Traction Power Substation systems, including utility interfaces, transformers, rectifiers, inverters, DC distribution, switching and sectionalization, feeders, protection and relaying, controls, SCADA interfaces, and system monitoring.
• Provide technical leadership for third-rail and overhead contact system power supply and distribution, including grounding, bonding, negative return, and stray-current mitigation.
• Direct and review conceptual through issued-for-construction designs, including TPSS site plans, ductbank and cable plans, grounding grids, single-line diagrams, schematics, conduit and wire schedules, and equipment layouts.
• Manage the design, integration, and implementation of traction power, OCS, and related rail systems on major projects and programs.
• Ensure compliance with agency requirements, NFPA 130, the National Electrical Code, IEEE standards, and other applicable codes and guidelines.
• Oversee quality, safety, scope, schedule, budget, risk, and technical performance across assigned projects and task orders.
• Collaborate with project managers and discipline leads in track, train control, communications, civil and structural engineering, systems integration, and other disciplines to deliver coordinated solutions.
• Provide technical support during construction, including field investigations, site inspections, constructability reviews, submittal and shop drawing reviews, RFI responses, design clarifications, field engineering, factory testing, witness testing, startup, commissioning, and project closeout.
• Coordinate with utility companies and project stakeholders regarding service requirements, outages, interface responsibilities, operational constraints, and construction sequencing.
• Resolve complex technical issues associated with active rail operations, stations, tunnels, underground structures, aerial structures, maintenance facilities, and other rail infrastructure.
• Promote safe, reliable, maintainable, and constructible electrification solutions throughout the project lifecycle.

Mentorship and Team Capability Building

• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing traction power and electrification team focused on technical excellence, accountability, collaboration, and client service.
• Recruit, retain, and develop traction power and rail electrical talent throughout the Western United States.
• Provide technical coaching and review deliverables for quality, completeness, constructability, and compliance.
• Support succession planning and the long-term growth of the Traction Power discipline within Parsons' Rail Systems practice.
• Promote continuous improvement, innovation, and best practices in modeling, design standards, documentation, quality management, and project delivery.

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