Project Manager, Traction, Power and Medium Voltage

Burns Engineering•Sacramento, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Burns Engineering is seeking a Project Manager, Traction Power and Medium Voltage, to join its Transit and Rail Team in Sacramento, California. The role oversees delivery of traction power, medium voltage distribution, and auxiliary power systems for the California High-Speed Rail (CAHSR) Program, from design and procurement through construction, testing and commissioning, energization, and operational handover. Systems include 25kV AC traction power, substations, switching and paralleling stations, static frequency converters, utility interconnections, SCADA, protective relays, transformers, switchgear, grounding and bonding, traction return, auxiliary substations, medium voltage networks, facility and wayside power, emergency and standby power, UPS, and electrical metering and monitoring. The Project Manager is accountable for scope, schedule, budget, risk, contractor performance, and coordination across electrical infrastructure work packages. The role coordinates with OCS, signaling, communications, SCADA, stations, maintenance facilities, civil works, track, operations, and maintenance teams, and oversees utilities, contractors, consultants, commissioning teams, and specialist integrators. It leads utility coordination and approval activities, while monitoring construction, safety, outage and energization planning, integrated testing, and commissioning. Reporting to the Rail Systems Lead, the Project Manager provides delivery accountability for railway electrical infrastructure, supports a cleared utility interconnection and energization authorization path, and oversees test and inspection evidence required for operational readiness and entry into revenue service. The position is based in Sacramento, California, with travel of 25 to 50 percent along the alignment.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related engineering discipline, or demonstrable on-the-job work experience.
At least 10 years of experience delivering traction power, electrical infrastructure, utility, medium voltage, or rail systems projects.
At least 10 years of project management experience on major transportation, utility, energy, or infrastructure programs.
Demonstrated delivery accountability on programs exceeding $250 million in value.
Experience overseeing traction power and electrical systems from design through construction, testing, commissioning, energization, and final acceptance.
Experience overseeing contractors, utilities, suppliers, and multidisciplinary delivery teams.
Strong working knowledge of traction power systems, medium voltage distribution systems, substations, protective relays, utility interfaces, and railway electrical infrastructure.
Experience leading utility coordination, interconnection agreements, and energization authorization activities.
Experience securing Authority Having Jurisdiction, statutory, and regulatory approvals for electrical infrastructure.
Experience overseeing substation construction, wayside equipment installation, outage planning, and commissioning programs.
Demonstrated leadership of electrical safety and energization readiness programs.
Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
Availability to travel 25 to 50 percent along the alignment.

Nice To Haves

Experience on high-speed rail projects operating above 125 mph (200 km/h).
Experience with California High-Speed Rail, HS2, European high-speed rail programs, or comparable large-scale rail programs.
Experience delivering 25kV AC traction power systems and static frequency converters.
Experience delivering medium voltage distribution and auxiliary power systems supporting railway operations.
Experience with electrical SCADA systems, power monitoring systems, and integrated railway power management systems.
Experience managing corridor-wide wayside electrical infrastructure and power distribution systems.
Experience supporting integrated testing, revenue service demonstration, and entry into revenue service activities.
PMP, PRINCE2, PE, or comparable project management or engineering certification.

Responsibilities

Oversee traction power, medium voltage, and auxiliary power systems through design, procurement, construction, testing and commissioning, energization, and operational handover.
Manage scope, schedule, budget, risk, and contractor performance for traction power and electrical infrastructure work packages.
Coordinate delivery among traction power, OCS, signaling, communications, SCADA, stations, maintenance facilities, civil works, track, operations, and maintenance teams.
Oversee utilities, electrical suppliers, contractors, consultants, commissioning teams, and specialist system integrators.
Oversee delivery and integration of 25kV AC traction power systems, substations, switching and paralleling stations, static frequency converters, and utility interconnection facilities.
Oversee delivery and integration of traction power SCADA, protective relays, transformers, high- and medium-voltage switchgear, grounding and bonding, traction return, and power monitoring systems.
Oversee auxiliary substations, medium voltage networks, station and maintenance facility power, wayside distribution, ring main units, distribution transformers, motor control centers, emergency and standby power, UPS, low voltage distribution, and electrical metering.
Oversee review and approval of traction power studies, protection schemes, load flow analyses, equipment specifications, and construction packages.
Lead utility coordination for transmission, sub-transmission, and distribution service connections, including applications, interconnection agreements, load studies, protection coordination reviews, and energization authorizations.
Oversee statutory, regulatory, and jurisdictional approvals; coordinate with utility providers, Authorities Having Jurisdiction, electrical inspectors, fire authorities, public agencies, railroad operators, and local jurisdictions.
Support permitting, environmental compliance, and utility relocation programs; manage responses to regulator and utility comments, permit conditions, and inspection findings through final authorization.
Monitor construction of substations, utility interconnections, medium voltage distribution systems, and wayside electrical infrastructure; oversee contractor performance, construction quality, and safety compliance.
Support resolution of field issues, design changes, RFIs, utility conflicts, site access constraints, and construction sequencing challenges.
Lead electrical safety, outage planning, energization readiness, and operational readiness programs.
Oversee test plans, commissioning procedures, and energization programs, including Factory Acceptance Testing, Site Acceptance Testing, System Integration Testing, protective relay testing, transformer testing, switchgear testing, SCADA verification, and trial running.
Oversee defect resolution, corrective actions, punch-list closure, final system acceptance, revenue service demonstration, and operational handover.