Sr. Technical Advisor – Systems Engineering & CBTC

HNTB; New York (NY); On-site; USD 188,000 - 301,000; Full time

Job summary

HNTB in New York is seeking a senior Rail Signaling Engineer to lead CBTC projects, review complex designs, and ensure technical excellence across disciplines.

The role requires deep expertise in rail signaling, systems engineering processes, and strong advisory capabilities to clients and project teams. Visa sponsorship is noted; multiple locations may apply, with NY as a key site.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering and 12 years of relevant experience, or

Responsibilities

• Perform independent technical reviews and provide guidance on complex projects.
• Provide technical guidance to project leadership and mentoring to staff.
• Coordinate technical aspects with clients and teaming partners at local leadership level.

Skills

CBTC

Rail signaling

Systems engineering

Requirements management

Test strategies

Client communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Master’s degree in Engineering

PhD in Engineering

Tools

IBM DOORS

DOORS Next

Job description

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.

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

• Demonstrated technical leadership in the design, implementation, or oversight of complex CBTC and rail signaling projects.
• Ability to translate client needs and operational objectives into clear, verifiable functional and performance requirements, technical specifications, and acceptance criteria.
• Experience applying systems engineering processes, including requirements management, interface management, configuration management, verification, and validation.
• Understanding of interfaces among train control, rolling stock, communications, control center systems, and other supporting rail systems.
• Experience developing and assessing migration and cutover strategies that address interim configurations, operational constraints, service continuity, and the transition from existing signaling systems to CBTC.
• Ability to develop and review test strategies, procedures, and results and assess readiness for systems integration testing, commissioning, and entry into revenue service.
• Ability to evaluate technical designs and supplier submittals for compliance, completeness, constructability, operability, and maintainability.
• Experience developing or reviewing CBTC implementation schedules and cost estimates, including integration dependencies and track access constraints.
• Ability to identify and assess technical risks, develop mitigation strategies, and communicate recommendations to technical and nontechnical stakeholders.
• Experience advising clients on procurement, design, implementation, systems integration, and long-term maintenance strategies for signaling and train control systems.
• Ability to develop plans and procedures for transitioning operations, maintenance, and control center functions to new train control systems.
• Ability to guide engineering teams through coaching, priority setting, work assignments, progress monitoring, and support for professional development.
• Strong engineering judgment and the ability to serve as a trusted technical advisor while building productive relationships with clients and project partners.
• Ability to communicate industry best practices, emerging trends, and lessons learned through presentations, publications, and participation in professional committees.

What We Prefer

• Master’s degree in Engineering.
• 20 years of relevant experience, including at least 15 years in rail signaling and train control systems.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Experience implementing CBTC on an operating transit system, including migration, systems integration, testing, and commissioning.
• Working knowledge of applicable IEEE 1474 and CENELEC standards and experience applying them to project delivery.
• Experience with requirements management tools such as IBM DOORS or DOORS Next.

Additional Information

Visa sponsorship is available for this position. #AS #TransitAndRail

Locations: New York, NY

The approximate pay range for New York is $188,125.20 - $300,511.68. Please note that the pay range provided is a good faith estimate for the position based on all selected locations within the state at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be dependent on factors, including but not limited to, the individual’s qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as physical work location within the state.

Job Type: Regular

Full/Part Time: Full time

Job Category: Engineering Group