Senior Systems Engineering Specialist

Burns Engineering, Inc.; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering firm is seeking a Senior Systems Engineering Specialist to provide technical leadership in the development of complex train control and signaling systems. Candidates should have at least 10 years of progressive engineering experience in the railroad industry, including a minimum of 6 years in systems engineering. This role involves managing system requirements, coordinating integration efforts, and providing mentorship while ensuring compliance with engineering standards and practices.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years of engineering experience in the railroad industry.
• At least 6 years in systems engineering.

Responsibilities

• Lead systems engineering for rail train control and signaling projects.
• Develop system requirements and manage project lifecycle.
• Coordinate system integration with team and clients.
• Provide technical input for project planning and risk management.

Skills

System engineering

Requirements development

System integration

Technical leadership

Mentorship

Education

Bachelor's (B.S.) Engineering degree

Tools

DevOps

DOORS

Job description

Senior Systems Engineering Specialist

Pittsburgh or Philadelphia, Pa.

SUMMARY

The Senior System Engineering Specialist provides technical leadership for the development, integration, and verification of complex train control and signaling systems. This role leads systems engineering activities across the project lifecycle, with a focus on requirements management, system architecture, interface coordination, and system integration.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead systems engineering activities for complex rail train control and signaling projects, including requirements development, system design, system verification, and integration.
• Develop and manage system requirements throughout the project lifecycle, including traceability, change control, and stakeholder alignment.
• Develop system architecture and define functional allocations to support implementation of train control solutions.
• Author technical papers to document potential system functionality enhancements, balancing railroad operational objectives (such as train performance and capacity) with safety‑critical requirements.
• Lead interface identification, definition, and coordination across subsystems, disciplines and internal/external stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain interface control documentation and lead collaboration efforts to resolve interface issues throughout the project lifecycle.
• Coordinate system integration activities with internal teams, contractors and suppliers, and clients to ensure system components function as an integrated solution.
• Support development of verification and validation plans, procedures, and reports to demonstrate compliance with requirements and safety‑critical design principles.
• Provide technical leadership on assigned projects, determine discipline work tasks and flow, and delegate design elements to less senior Engineers and Designers while retaining most complex, high‑value tasks as appropriate.
• Serve as the primary subject matter expert and technical resource for clients and external partners, including participation in technical workshops, design reviews, and coordination meetings.
• Support Project Managers by providing technical input to project planning, resource allocation and risk management.
• Support system safety efforts by evaluating designs against fail‑safe and safety‑critical principles, assisting with hazard identification and resolution related to system requirements, design, interfaces, and integration.
• Mentor early and mid‑career work through on‑the‑job training. When requested, partner with a Learning & Development Lead to create and deliver training content.
• Perform all tasks in compliance with Burns (and, when applicable, a client's) standards, policies, procedures, and engineering codes.
• Perform all tasks efficiently, accurately, within the allotted project hours, and complete tasks on or before the due date.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

No formal supervisory responsibilities. Under the oversight of the Project Manager, the Engineer I may provide direction to CAD Operators, CAD Technicians, Designers, Co‑Ops, Interns, Engineering Design Associates, and Engineering Associates.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's (B.S.) Engineering degree.
• A minimum of 10 years of progressive discipline‑specific engineering experience in the railroad industry, with at least 6 of those years in the field of system engineering.

CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

No certifications or licenses required; however, a Professional Engineer (PE) license, or similar, is considered a plus.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

• Experience with Positive Train Control (PTC) systems, including Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System (ACSES) and/or Interoperable Electronic Train Management System (I‑ETMS).
• Experience with modern train control systems, such as Automatic Train Control (ATC) and/or Communications Based Train Control (CBTC).
• Experience working on large‑scale train control projects, especially those within the Northeast Corridor (NEC).
• Experience testing and commissioning complex large‑scale systems.
• Proficient with system engineering software and requirements management tools such as DevOps or DOORS.
• Proficient knowledge of railroad operations and maintenance practices.
• Proficient knowledge of federal regulations related to train control systems.
• Experience developing and maintaining client relationships, especially those within the rail industry.
• Experience providing technical guidance, training, and feedback to early career employees.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities. This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.