Senior Systems Engineer

VTA; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) invites applications for a Senior Systems Engineer, focused on advancing safety, reliability, and performance of the Light Rail System. Based at the Light Rail Maintenance Yard, you will lead systems engineering across rail assets, monitor asset health, and drive continuous improvement through data-driven decisions.

The ideal candidate brings deep experience in electrified rail systems, engineering design, troubleshooting, and project delivery,

Qualifications

• Sufficient education, training, and professional engineering experience on electrified rail systems.
• Registration as a professional electrical or mechanical engineer in the State of California at appointment.

Responsibilities

• Selects, trains, supervises, and assigns work to professional and technical engineering staff.
• Oversees the work of staff, consultants, and contractors.
• Provides expertise for systems integration of vehicles, track, overhead electrification, traction power, signals, communications equipment, and fare vending machines.
• Evaluates systems, equipment, and operations for safety, cost effectiveness, efficiency, and reliability.
• Develops and reviews specifications and prepares budget estimates for vehicles, systems, and components.
• Monitors performance of critical components and systems and provides data on failure trends.
• Establishes and maintains control of equipment and technical documents.

Skills

Engineering design

Troubleshooting

Project delivery

Data analysis

Reliability improvement

Communication

Stakeholder management

Education

Professional engineer (PE) licensure in CA

Job description

Job Description

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Agency (VTA) is seeking a collaborative, solutions-oriented engineer with strong experience in rail transit systems and a passion for improving system performance for the position of Senior Systems Engineer. The Senior Systems Engineer plays a key role in advancing the safety, reliability, and performance of the Light Rail System. Based at the Light Rail Maintenance Yard, this position provides high-level engineering support across rail system assets and helps ensure compliance with regulatory requirements while driving continuous system improvement. This role leads and supports a wide range of engineering projects, including component and material replacement, maintenance service improvements, and construction-related upgrades. The Senior Systems Engineer uses system data and field insights to monitor asset health, identify improvement opportunities, solve complex technical issues, and recommend solutions ranging from part changes to fleet-wide enhancements. The position works closely with maintenance teams, contractors, consultants, and other engineering disciplines, requiring strong technical judgment, project management capability, and the ability to deliver practical, effective solutions in a dynamic operating environment.

Light Rail Vehicle Maintenance

Light Rail Vehicle (LRV) Maintenance is located at the Guadalupe Light Rail Division. LRV Maintenance is responsible for timely and reliable maintenance, preventive maintenance, inspections, repair and servicing of light rail vehicles and service equipment. After a light rail vehicle returns from revenue service at the end of each day, Maintenance performs an interior inspection/walk-through of the vehicle, analyzes the Operator Defect Card, performs a visual inspection of the vehicle undercarriage, performs exterior and interior cleaning, cleans and repairs windows and seating, and removes and repairs graffiti and vandalism. Regular preventive maintenance is performed at prescheduled cycles every 10,000, 30,000, 60,000, and 120,000 miles to ensure optimal performance, efficiency, safety and reliability. Running Repair/Corrective Maintenance repairs items identified by Operators during the daily operation of an LRV. The normal service life of VTA's light rail vehicle fleet is about 30 years and the major vehicle components are overhauled in a 3-phase program to achieve this lifespan. After 120,000 miles, contacts and the air system, including brake boxes and subcomponents, are overhauled. After 240,000 miles, major components including the motor alternator, gear box, traction motor, pantographs, coupler assembly, trucks, sub-assemblies, and axle bearing assemblies are overhauled. The air conditioning system, car body paint and furnishings, major electronic components, roof resistors and PC boards are overhauled every 7 to 10 years as needed.

What You’ll Be Doing

Under direction, the Senior Systems Engineer plans, organizes, and directs varied and difficult electrified rail engineering work performed by staff and consultants, and provides technical assistance in systems engineering to rail operating managers.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a collaborative, solutions-oriented engineer with strong experience in rail transit systems and a passion for improving system performance. They bring a solid foundation in engineering design, troubleshooting, and project delivery, and are comfortable working in a public agency or other highly regulated environment. The strongest candidates will have deep expertise in either rail vehicles or electrified rail infrastructure, including traction power, overhead catenary systems, and related components. They will also have strong knowledge of maintenance practices, data analysis, and reliability improvement methods. This person is an effective communicator and project leader who can manage multiple priorities, work across disciplines, and build productive relationships with operations staff, contractors, and regulatory stakeholders.

About VTA

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority employs more than 2,000 people dedicated to providing solutions that move Silicon Valley. Unique among transportation organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area, VTA is Santa Clara County’s authority for transit development and operations (light rail and bus), congestion management, transportation-related funding, highway design and construction, real estate and transit-oriented development, and bicycle and pedestrian planning. With local, state, and federal partners, VTA works to innovate the way Silicon Valley moves and provide mobility solutions for all. Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is an independent special district that provides sustainable, accessible, community-focused transportation options that are innovative, environmentally responsible, and promote the vitality of our region. VTA provides bus, light rail, and paratransit services, as well as participates as a funding partner in regional rail service including Caltrain, Capitol Corridor, and the Altamont Corridor Express. As the county’s congestion management agency, VTA is responsible for countywide transportation planning, including congestion management, design and construction of specific highway, pedestrian, and bicycle improvement projects, as well as promotion of transit oriented development. VTA provides these services throughout the county, including Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara, Saratoga and Sunnyvale. VTA continually builds partnerships to deliver transportation solutions that meet the evolving mobility needs of Santa Clara County. As we continue to implement our VTA Forward Plan, we aim to strengthen and increase our workforce to take on future opportunities and challenges by elevating our people and our services. For more information about our VTA Forward Plan, visit: https://www.vta.org/VTAForward

Family-Friendly Workplace Certification Program (FFWCP)

The County of Santa Clara FFWCP recognizes VTA as a business that creates supportive workplaces for employees and their families. Family-friendly workplaces improve health outcomes and job satisfaction for employees and increase work productivity and retention for employers. Employers can create a family-friendly workplace by meeting and exceeding state and federal employment laws relating to parental leave, lactation accommodation, and work/family balance.

Essential Job Functions

Typical Tasks

• Selects, trains, supervises, and assigns work to professional and technical engineering staff;
• Oversees the work of staff, consultants, and contractors;
• Provides expertise for systems integration of vehicles, track, overhead electrification, traction power, signals, communications equipment, and fare vending machines;
• Evaluates systems, equipment, and operations for safety, cost effectiveness, efficiency, and reliability;
• Develops and reviews specifications and prepares budget estimates for vehicles, systems, and components;
• Develops and designs changes to upgrade systems and equipment;
• Monitors performance of critical components and systems and provides data on failure trends;
• Participates in accident investigation to determine cause and damage to systems and recommends corrective action;
• Develops or assists in developing programs and procedures for quality assurance, testing, major overhaul and rebuild, or systems and equipment;
• Ensures coordination of construction work by others within or near the right-of-way with the operations of the rail system;
• Establishes and maintains control of equipment and technical documents;
• Maintains contacts with other agencies, suppliers, and consultants;
• Prepares and presents oral and written reports;
• Performs related work as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Employment Standards

Sufficient education, training, and professional engineering experience on electrified rail systems which demonstrates the ability to perform the above tasks and possession of the following knowledge and abilities. Registration as a professional electrical or mechanical engineer in the State of California, at the time of appointment.

Knowledge Of

• Design and construction of electrified rail systems and components;
• Principles of supervision and training;
• Systems and component testing;
• Principles of quality assurance and quality control;
• Investigative techniques;
• Operations and maintenance of rail transit vehicles and equipment;
• Federal, State and local safety and other legal requirements;
• Maintenance requirements and practices of rail vehicles, wayside equipment and systems;
• Specialized tools and equipment used in the maintenance of rail systems and equipment.

Ability to:

• Supervise systems engineering functions;
• Evaluate and monitor work and performance of others;
• Analyze engineering problems and work out effective solutions;
• Make accurate engineering computations;
• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing;
• Write accurate and concise engineering reports, analyses, specifications, and procedures;
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those encountered in the course of work.

VTA offers a generous benefit package including: vision care, a choice of health plans, dental coverage, an employee assistance program, life insurance, and liberal holiday, vacation, and sick leave. A credit union and deferred compensation are also available to employees at their option. Detailed information on VTA's benefits may be found here: https://app.strivebenefits.com/santa-clara-valley-transportation-authority

All Classic AFSCME, SEIU, TAEA and Non-Rep employees hired on or after 01/09/2012 pay 7.0% of salary toward the required employee contribution to PERS.

All New/PEPRA AFSCME, SEIU, TAEA and Non-Rep employees pay 8.0% of salary toward the required employee contribution to PERS.

Social Security taxes will be deducted from each employee's bi-weekly salary.

• Classic Members’ retirement benefit formula is 2% @55.
• New Members’ retirement benefit formula is 2% @62.

Equal Employment Opportunity

VTA is an equal employment opportunity employer. VTA does not and will not tolerate discrimination against applicants or employees on the basis of age, ancestry, color, marital status, mental or physical disability, genetic information, national, origin, immigration status, political affiliation, race, religion, creed, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, medical condition, disabled veteran or veteran status, etc.