Senior Railway Bridge Specialist / Bridge Group Lead

Hatch Ltd.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 175,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Parental leave

Job summary

Hatch Ltd. in Chicago seeks a Senior Railway Bridge Specialist / Bridge Group Lead to establish and lead a new Railway Bridges Group. The role focuses on technical leadership, team growth, and business development across North America.

You will guide rehabilitation, asset management, and capital planning for steel, movable, and other railway structures, while building a high-performing bridge engineering group.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience leading, managing, or growing a bridge engineering practice or technical team.
• Proven ability to recruit, develop, and retain technical professionals.
• Experience establishing strategic plans and growth objectives for an engineering practice.
• Proven success in developing client relationships and expanding market presence.

Responsibilities

• Lead establishment, growth, and long-term development of a new Railway Bridges Group in the Chicago office.
• Develop and execute a strategic growth plan for the bridge practice, including staffing, client development, and market positioning.
• Recruit, mentor, and develop bridge engineering professionals at all career levels.
• Build a high-performing team culture focused on technical excellence, safety, collaboration, and innovation.
• Provide leadership, coaching, performance management, and career development for bridge staff.
• Coordinate resource planning and workload management to support sustainable growth.
• Collaborate with regional and North American leadership to expand capabilities and market presence.
• Act as senior client advisor to railroads, transit agencies, and other clients; lead business development and proposals.

Skills

Bridge engineering leadership

Team development

Business development

Project management

Job description

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!

We are seeking a highly motivated and entrepreneurial Senior Railway Bridge Specialist / Bridge Group Lead to join our Chicago, IL office. This is a unique opportunity to establish, lead, and grow a new Railway Bridges Group within our expanding rail and transit business.

In addition to providing technical leadership and subject matter expertise for railway bridge infrastructure projects across North America, the successful candidate will play a key role in building a high-performing team, developing client relationships, driving business growth, and establishing Hatch as a leading provider of railway bridge engineering services in the Midwest and across North America.

The role combines technical excellence, strategic leadership, business development, and people management. The successful candidate will help define the vision and growth strategy for the bridge practice while leading complex bridge rehabilitation, asset management, capital planning, and structural engineering projects. Experience with steel railway bridges and movable bridge structures, including bascule, swing, and lift bridges, is considered a strong asset.

You will work closely with multidisciplinary rail, transit, ports, and infrastructure teams while recruiting, mentoring, and developing the next generation of bridge engineers and specialists.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the establishment, growth, and long-term development of a new Railway Bridges Group in the Chicago office.
• Develop and execute a strategic growth plan for the bridge practice, including staffing, client development, technical capabilities, and market positioning.
• Recruit, mentor, and develop bridge engineering professionals at all career levels.
• Build a high-performing team culture focused on technical excellence, safety, collaboration, innovation, and professional growth.
• Provide leadership, coaching, performance management, and career development for bridge engineering staff.
• Coordinate resource planning and workload management to support sustainable practice growth.
• Collaborate with regional and North American leadership to expand bridge engineering capabilities and market presence.

Business Development & Client Management

• Act as a senior client advisor and trusted partner to Class I railroads, short lines, transit agencies, ports, industrial clients, and public-sector organizations.
• Lead business development activities including strategic account planning, opportunity identification, proposal preparation, fee negotiations, and technical presentations.
• Develop and maintain strong client relationships that generate repeat business and expand Hatch's bridge engineering presence in key markets.
• Identify emerging market opportunities and establish strategic partnerships that support long-term growth objectives.
• Represent Hatch at industry conferences, professional associations, and client events.

Technical Leadership & Project Delivery

• Lead and manage railway bridge engineering projects from planning and condition assessment through detailed design and construction.
• Serve as Technical Lead, Project Manager, and/or Engineer of Record for railway bridge projects.
• Lead bridge inspection, condition assessment, load rating, and rehabilitation programs for steel, concrete, timber, and movable railway structures.
• Develop bridge asset management strategies, life-cycle assessments, and risk-based capital planning programs.
• Lead structural analysis and design efforts for bridge rehabilitation, strengthening, and replacement projects.
• Provide expertise in fatigue evaluation, fracture-critical member assessment, capacity upgrades, and rehabilitation of existing steel railway bridges.
• Support assessment, rehabilitation, and modernization of movable bridge structures, including lift, swing, and bascule bridges.
• Review and approve engineering designs, technical reports, specifications, inspection findings, and contract documents.
• Oversee project delivery performance including scope, schedule, budget, quality, safety, and risk management.
• Provide construction support services, including shop drawing reviews, RFIs, site inspections, and contractor coordination.
• Ensure compliance with AREMA, AASHTO, FRA, and other applicable railway and transportation standards.

Additional Required Qualifications

Add the following qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience leading, managing, or growing a bridge engineering practice, department, or technical team.
• Proven ability to recruit, develop, and retain technical professionals.
• Experience establishing strategic business plans, growth objectives, and operational priorities for an engineering practice.
• Demonstrated success in developing new client relationships and expanding market presence.
• Strong financial and operational management skills, including forecasting, utilization management, and business planning.
• Proven leadership experience managing multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Additional Preferred Qualifications

• Experience launching, growing, or leading a bridge engineering business unit, discipline group, or regional practice.
• Existing client relationships within the Midwest railway, freight, transit, or transportation infrastructure market.
• Demonstrated track record of delivering revenue growth and achieving business development targets.
• Recognized industry reputation through participation in professional associations, technical committees, publications, or conference presentations.
• Collaborate on exciting projects to develop innovative solutions

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: $175,000 - $200,000 (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.