Senior Rail Automation Engineer – Autonomous Operations

Wabtec

Chicago (IL)

On-site

USD 139,000 - 198,000

Full time

2 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Health benefits

Job summary

Wabtec is seeking a Principal Application Engineer within the Integrated Solutions group of Digital Intelligence to translate customer requirements into architectures and roadmaps, bridging railroad operations and software teams, and leading the technical vision for rail automation solutions.

You will focus on autonomous train operations and automated yard management, driving simulation validation, on-site testing, and compliance with ABTH, GCOR/NORAC, and FRA metrics across global customer

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Mathematics or Computer Science; Master’s degree preferred.
15+ years of experience in railroad operations, locomotive manufacturing, or rail automation.
Experience leading complex technical solutions in a customer-facing environment.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and systems-thinking skills.
Proven experience with systems engineering, requirements management, and solution integration.
Proven ability to influence and lead across cross-functional organizations.
Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally.
Knowledge of railroad operations, train handling and locomotive systems (preferred).
Familiarity with IBM ELM, DOORS, or DOORS Next (preferred).
Technical understanding of the Digital Intelligence Product Portfolio (preferred).

Responsibilities

Elicit and translate customer requirements into solution-level specs.
Translate locomotive expertise into software requirements for Autonomous Train Operation (ATO) algorithms.
Optimize driving engines and energy management systems to balance fuel efficiency with strict speed restrictions.
Define technical parameters for automated systems to manage in-train forces during acceleration and braking.
Document edge-case scenarios to develop automated safe-stop protocols.
Lead the development of simulation environments to test train handling across operating envelopes.
Lead on-site testing and ride-alongs to validate autonomous train handling performance.
Ensure automated train handling adheres to ABTH, GCOR/NORAC, and FRA metrics.
Communicate between locomotive engineers and software developers.
Support architecture development aligned with customer requests and product teams.
Provide technical leadership for resolution of cross-team issues.
Identify technical risks and mitigation plans for new solutions.
Collaborate with senior management on culture/speed initiatives.