Senior Communications Engineer, Rail Systems, Seattle WA

Hatch Ltd.; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Top-tier medical coverage

401(k) with employer match

3-4 weeks of vacation

Job summary

A leading consulting firm in Seattle seeks a Senior Communications Engineer to join their Transit team. In this role, you will design communications networks for public transit, ensuring systems meet specifications and function effectively. The ideal candidate has extensive experience in communications infrastructure and holds a relevant degree. Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits are offered, along with opportunities for career advancement in a diverse work environment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in communications infrastructure.
• Strong understanding of network throughput and reliability.
• Experience with disaster recovery plans for network infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Develop conceptual designs for communications networks.
• Ensure systems meet specifications and function as intended.
• Collaborate with team members to achieve project goals.

Skills

Communications infrastructure

Designing fiber-based systems

Knowledge of NEC standards

Network management tools

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Electrical Engineering, IT, or related

Tools

HP OpenView

SolarWinds

Job description

Senior Communications Engineer, Rail Systems, Seattle WA

Date: Mar 10, 2026

Location: Seattle, WA, US

Company: Hatch

Requisition ID: 98502

Join a company that is passionately committed to the pursuit of a better world through positive change. With more than 70 years of business and technical expertise in mining, energy, and infrastructure, our 10,000 colleagues in 150 countries tirelessly work toward bettering the industries in which we operate. With practical solutions that are safe, innovative and sustainable, we think globally while acting locally. Are you looking for an opportunity to join a diverse group of professionals who are committed to remaining exceptional? We look forward to hearing from you.

Our expertise in infrastructure includes aviation, highways and bridges, planning and advisory services, ports, rail and transit, tunnels, and water. Want to be part of the creation and construction of our cities? Then the infrastructure team is for you!

Ready to advance your career?

Hatch is seeking a highly motivated Senior Communications Engineer, Rail Systems to join our Transit team in Seattle, WA.

We’re looking for an engineering professional who is results‑driven, detail‑oriented, and an excellent communicator. You should be comfortable working both independently and as part of a collaborative team, managing multiple tasks while maintaining strong quality standards. Our communications engineers play a vital role in supporting transit agency operations designing and deploying networks that enable dispatching, safety systems, passenger information tools, ticketing, and administrative functions. Much of the work occurs in active (“brownfield”) rail and transit environments, where careful planning, execution, and field validation are essential.

In this role, you will:

• Develop conceptual designs and contract documents for state‑of‑the‑art communications networks and data centers for public transit clients.
• Ensure systems are built to specifications, function as intended, and balance client risk, needs, and cost.
• Establish design criteria, write specifications, create conceptual designs, prepare cost estimates, review contractor designs, and oversee testing, commissioning, and cutover activities.
• Participate in design, testing, and commissioning on transportation projects, with a focus on communications and IT infrastructure.
• Collaborate with team members locally and remotely to achieve project goals.

What you bring:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Information Technology, Computer Science, or related field.
• At least 10 years of experience with communications infrastructure and technology, ideally in transit or transportation environments.
• Knowledge of NEC, NFPA, and BICSI standards.
• Experience designing detailed fiber‑based communications systems including outside plant, switches, and data/control centers.
• Familiarity with network management and monitoring tools such as HP OpenView, WhatsUpGold, Nagios, SolarWinds, or similar.
• Understanding of network throughput, latency, and reliability performance.
• Experience developing disaster recovery plans for network infrastructure.
• Experience designing Public Address systems for stations and facilities.
• Ability to define security requirements for protecting network and critical electronic infrastructure.
• Strong knowledge of Ethernet core protocols and extensions.

Preferred qualifications:

• Certifications or experience with Cisco technologies.
• BICSI RCDD certification, P.E. or EIT licensure (preferred but not required).
• Experience working in the North American transit industry.

Don't meet every single requirement? You don't need to. At Hatch, we are building a diverse, inclusive workplace that fosters innovation. If you're interested in this role, we encourage you to apply even if your past experiences don't perfectly align with the skills we've listed.

We're committed to fostering a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities in which we operate and serve. Hatch is an Equal Opportunity Employer that considers applicants without regard to age, race, color, national origin, citizenship, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, veteran, or any other protected status. If you have any accommodation requirements, please let us know. We'll do our best to meet your needs in accordance with applicable local legislation.

Base Compensation: $140,000 - $230,000 (Actual compensation is subject to variation due to such factors as education, experience, skillset, and/or location)

Hatch is proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package to meet the diverse needs of our employees. This includes:

• Health and Welfare benefits: Top-tier medical coverage (one plan with no employee premium required), prescription drug, dental, vision; flexible spending accounts and a health savings account (with a generous employer contribution); life, accident, and disability insurance; employee assistance program (EAP), employee wellness program
• Retirement Savings: 401(k) with employer match of 50% per dollar up to 6%, fully vested after three years; additional 3% in profit‑sharing contribution after one year of employment (immediately vested)
• Paid Time Away from Work: 3‑4 weeks of vacation based on experience and company discretion, prorated in the 1st year based on hire date (up to 2.5 weeks can be carried over per year); 10 paid holidays; 10 sick days per calendar year, with the ability to carry‑over sick time to a maximum of 40 days to be used for future FMLA‑qualifying events; Partial Paid Parental leave up to 12 weeks for birth parents and 4 weeks for non‑birth parents

The benefits listed above apply to US‑based, full‑time permanent applicants only. Hatch reserves the right to change plans at its discretion.