Sr. Technical Advisor

HNTB; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking company that has been shaping infrastructure for over a century. This role offers the chance to lead innovative engineering projects, mentor junior staff, and collaborate across disciplines to deliver complex solutions. You'll apply your extensive technical expertise in rail signal systems, ensuring compliance with industry standards while managing project scopes, schedules, and budgets. With a commitment to quality and safety, you will play a crucial role in enhancing transportation systems that benefit communities. If you are passionate about engineering and eager to make a difference, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Benefits

Health Insurance

Retirement Plan

Professional Development

Flexible Work Hours

Paid Time Off

Tuition Reimbursement

Employee Stock Ownership

Wellness Programs

Remote Work Options

Career Advancement Opportunities

Qualifications

• 12+ years of relevant engineering experience required.
• Proven ability to lead design and engineering projects.
• Experience in managing complex engineering projects.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical guidance on complex engineering projects.
• Develop and review design calculations and technical reports.
• Mentor junior engineering staff and support project delivery.

Skills

Technical Leadership

Project Oversight

Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration

Mentorship & Team Development

Analytical Expertise

Design Execution

Client-Facing Communication

Project & Quality Management

Risk Mitigation

Strategic Contribution

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Master’s degree in Engineering

PhD in Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

MicroStation

SATS

Vitalsim

Job description

What We're Looking For

At HNTB, you can create a career that is meaningful to you while building communities that matter to all of us. For more than a century, we have been delivering solutions for some of the largest, most complex infrastructure projects across the country. With our historic growth, it is an exciting time to join our team of employee-owners.

This opportunity entails being responsible for providing guidance and direction in your area of expertise and functional discipline, supporting the technical aspects of project development and delivery, including proposal development, scope implementation, and change management. You will apply advanced engineering methods, techniques, and analyses to provide solutions, make recommendations, and resolve issues, ensuring industry and HNTB standards of design are consistently and effectively applied across projects of varying disciplines, sizes, and complexities. Additionally, you will be responsible for the production and modification of design calculations, technical reports, engineering plans, and specifications for assigned projects. By consulting with the project manager, you will perform research, development, calculations, design, and delivery, leveraging your technical knowledge and experience to address design-related issues or concerns. You will work closely with the project manager through creative problem-solving, interactions with clients, and by completing tasks to meet the project schedule. Your role includes developing conceptual and detailed designs and calculations to support project completion using current drawing and technical tools, programs, and software. You may also mentor, train, and review the work of junior engineering staff, providing constructive feedback. As a member of the team, you will contribute to the successful delivery of a diverse range of projects for HNTB’s clients, serving as an advisor on complex projects to provide technical designs, plans, and specifications, and taking a lead role in directing, mentoring, and training junior staff.

What You'll Do:

• Performs independent technical reviews, makes recommendations, and provides technical guidance as requested on complex or unusual engineering projects. Provides direction to resolve technical issues as requested.
• Provides technical expertise and advice to project leadership, and mentoring/support to production staff.
• Assists in marketing responsibilities, including proposal generation on complex or unusual engineering projects within discipline.
• Coordinates technical aspects with client counterpart and teaming partners at local leadership level for work within and across disciplines on complex or unusual engineering projects.
• Develops and advises on technical consistency within and across disciplines on processes and projects.
• Ensures same standard and practices are being applied.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

What You'll Need:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and 12 years of relevant experience, or
• Master’s degree in Engineering and 11 year of relevant experience, or
• PhD in Engineering and 10 years of relevant experience

What You'll Bring:

• Technical Leadership: Proven ability to lead the design and engineering of advanced rail signal systems, including circuit design and vital & non-vital logic programming.

• Project Oversight: Experience managing complex engineering projects in compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.

• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Strong coordination skills with Systems Engineering, civil, track, power, and communications teams to integrate train control systems into broader infrastructure. Skilled in managing scope, schedules, budgets, and technical resolutions.

• Mentorship & Team Development: Passion for mentoring junior engineers and guiding project teams through all phases of design and implementation.

• Analytical Expertise: Ability to develop and analyze signal systems for transit and heavy rail, including traditional relay-based systems—braking calculations, control tables, routes and aspects, schematics, and phasing plans.

• Design Execution: Skilled in producing and reviewing detailed calculations, AutoCAD or MicroStation drawings, technical specs, procurement documents, design packages, cost estimates, design justifications, and other construction-ready deliverables.

• Standards & Compliance: Understanding of applicable codes, client specifications, and Rail Operation Rules to ensure fully compliant signal designs.

• Client-Facing Communication: Clear, professional communicator capable of engaging with clients to resolve technical concerns and align expectations.

• Project & Quality Management: Proficient in executing projects per scope, schedule, and budget, while managing deliverables through thorough quality control and document oversight.

• Risk Mitigation: Ability to proactively identify and address technical and project risks to maintain safety, quality, and performance.

• Strategic Contribution: Informed perspective on industry trends, with a track record of contributing to team strategy and proposing innovative design solutions.

• System Engineering: Experience developing system requirements and specifications for train control and signaling systems.

• Field & Commissioning Support: May be involved in oversight of installation, field acceptance testing, and coordination of interlocking and cab signaling cutovers.

• Design Verification: Conduct detailed checks and peer reviews of signaling and circuit designs prepared in-house or by third-party consultants.

• Scheme Development: Expertise in developing signaling scheme plans based on industry codes, signaling principles, and system components.

• Adaptability: Willingness to take on additional tasks and responsibilities as needed to support project success.

What We Prefer:

• Education: Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.

• Experience: Minimum of 20+ years of relevant experience in rail and transit signaling systems.

• Licensure: Professional Engineer (PE) or American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), depending on discipline.

• Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, and grow technical teams.

• Standards Expertise: Comprehensive understanding of FRA regulations, AREMA standards, and M.U.T.C.D. requirements.

• Vital & Non-Vital Logic Proficiency: experience with Boolean and ladder logic programming for VHLC, MLK-II, Electrologixs, and other vital equipment.

• Design Documentation: Strong background in creating interlocking book of plans, grade crossing layouts, control lines, route and aspect charts, and typical installation drawings, etc.

• Simulation & Tools: Proficient in SATS or Vitalsim interlocking simulation tools, as well as AutoCAD and MicroStation design platforms.

• Professional Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for client engagement and technical presentations.

• Network Systems: Familiarity with data communication networks including fiber optics and both wired and wireless communication protocols.

• Modern Systems Knowledge: Familiarity with CBTC and PTC concepts, and applications is a plus but not required.

• Project Delivery: Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent projects while ensuring high-quality outcomes and client satisfaction.

• Scope & Schedule Control: Experience in scope definition, progress tracking, and schedule adherence for large-scale transportation projects.

Additional Information

Click here for benefits information: HNTB Total Rewards

Click here to learn more about Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. #CB #TransitAndRail

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Locations:

King of Prussia, PA (Norristown), Philadelphia, PA (Pennsylvania)

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NOTICE TO THIRD-PARTY AGENCIES:

HNTB does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or agencies. Any staffing/employment agency, person or entity that submits an unsolicited resume to this site does so with the understanding that the applicant's resume will become the property of HNTB. HNTB will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion and without any fee owed to the submitting staffing/employment agency, person or entity. Staffing/employment agencies who have fee agreements with HNTB must submit applicants to the designated HNTB recruiter to be eligible for placement fees.