Senior Railway Bridge Specialist / Bridge Group Lead

MVA International Headhunters; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

MVA International Headhunters is seeking an experienced Railway Bridge Practice Lead / Bridge Engineering Director to establish and lead a railway bridge engineering practice in Chicago. This role focuses on building a specialist team, developing client relationships, and driving business growth across North America.

The successful candidate will blend strong technical expertise in railway bridges with proven leadership, commercial acumen and people management capabilities to deliver large-scale

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in railway bridge or structural engineering.
• Proven leadership of an engineering team, department or specialist practice.
• Strong business development experience and established industry relationships.
• Experience with steel railway bridges, rehabilitation and asset management.
• Knowledge of North American freight railway infrastructure.
• Strong commercial, operational and people management capabilities.
• Degree in Civil or Structural Engineering.
• Professional Engineer (PE) licence, preferably Illinois, or eligibility to obtain one.

Responsibilities

• Establish, lead and grow a railway bridge engineering practice.
• Develop and execute a strategic business growth plan.
• Recruit, mentor and manage a team of bridge engineering professionals.
• Build relationships with Class I freight railroads, transit agencies and infrastructure owners.
• Identify and secure new projects, contracts and long-term client relationships.
• Provide technical leadership across bridge inspection, assessment, rehabilitation, strengthening and replacement projects.
• Oversee railway bridge asset management, capital improvement and structural engineering programmes.
• Manage project delivery, financial performance, resources and operational priorities.
• Ensure compliance with AREMA, FRA, AASHTO and applicable engineering standards.

Skills

Railway bridge engineering

Engineering leadership

Business development

Steel railway bridges

North American rail

People management

Education

Civil/Structural Eng

Job description

Employment Type: Full-Time | Permanent

The Opportunity

MVA International Headhunters is representing a leading international engineering consultancy seeking an experienced Railway Bridge Practice Lead / Bridge Engineering Director to establish, lead and grow its railway bridge engineering business in Chicago.

This is an exciting opportunity for an entrepreneurial engineering leader to build a specialist team, develop client relationships and drive business growth across the Midwest and wider North American railway infrastructure market.

The successful candidate will combine strong technical expertise in railway bridges with proven leadership, commercial and business development capabilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish, lead and grow a railway bridge engineering practice.
• Develop and execute a strategic business growth plan.
• Recruit, mentor and manage a team of bridge engineering professionals.
• Build relationships with Class I freight railroads, transit agencies and infrastructure owners.
• Identify and secure new projects, contracts and long-term client relationships.
• Provide technical leadership across bridge inspection, assessment, rehabilitation, strengthening and replacement projects.
• Oversee railway bridge asset management, capital improvement and structural engineering programmes.
• Manage project delivery, financial performance, resources and operational priorities.
• Ensure compliance with AREMA, FRA, AASHTO and applicable engineering standards.

Candidate Requirements

• Extensive experience in railway bridge or structural engineering.
• Proven leadership of an engineering team, department or specialist practice.
• Strong business development experience and established industry relationships.
• Experience with steel railway bridges, rehabilitation and asset management.
• Knowledge of North American freight railway infrastructure.
• Strong commercial, operational and people management capabilities.
• Degree in Civil or Structural Engineering.
• Professional Engineer (PE) licence, preferably Illinois, or eligibility to obtain one.

Highly Desirable:

• Existing relationships with Class I railroads and Midwest infrastructure clients.
• Experience establishing or expanding an engineering practice.
• Specialist experience with movable railway bridges, including lift, swing and bascule structures.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Build and lead your own engineering practice within an established international organisation.
• Significant autonomy over business strategy, recruitment and client development.
• Opportunity to develop a substantial railway bridge engineering business across North America.
• Long-term career progression into senior regional leadership.

Confidential Applications

This opportunity is being managed confidentially by MVA International Headhunters.