Rail Design Manager

Mott MacDonald•Seattle, WA

8d•$162,000 - $199,000•Hybrid

About The Position

At Mott MacDonald, we trust our brilliant people to do brilliant things in engineering, management, and development services, supporting multisector project work in over 150 countries. As one of the largest employee-owned companies in the world, we pride ourselves on our ability to deliver exceptional outcomes through our network of 20,000+ talented consultants. With sustainability and innovation at the heart of all our sectors in North America, including, Buildings, Energy, Transportation, and Water. We believe in empowering our people to excel, learn, and grow, offering diverse opportunities to contribute to career-defining work. Join us and be part of a collaborative environment where your ambitions are united with ours, and you can truly shape your story. If you share that vision, even if you don’t meet every requirement listed, we’d still love to hear from you. We value potential and diverse perspectives as much as experience. Let’s explore how we can support your growth and help you take the next step in your career, while contributing to an exciting new chapter for Mott MacDonald in North America. We are seeking an accomplished Principal Engineer to provide technical and design leadership on complex, large-scale transit infrastructure projects in the Seattle region, with a strong emphasis on rail systems integration and multidisciplinary design delivery. This role will play a critical leadership position supporting a high-profile, multi-billion-dollar light rail expansion programme, providing strategic oversight of design development from preliminary engineering through final design and into construction delivery. The Principal Engineer will serve as a senior technical leader and trusted advisor, guiding project teams through complex engineering challenges while ensuring alignment across rail systems, civil infrastructure, client requirements, and stakeholder expectations. The role requires extensive experience leading multidisciplinary teams, managing critical technical interfaces, and driving successful project outcomes within a highly regulated public sector environment. In addition to project delivery responsibilities, the Principal Engineer will support business development activities, strengthen client relationships, mentor technical staff, and contribute to the continued growth of Mott MacDonald's rail and transportation practice.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Transportation Engineering, or a related discipline required; Master's degree preferred.
Professional Engineer (PE) license required or ability to obtain Washington State licensure within a reasonable timeframe.
Minimum 15+ years of relevant experience delivering major transportation, transit, rail, or infrastructure projects.
Demonstrated success serving in senior technical leadership, Design Manager, Engineering Manager, Principal Engineer, or similar roles on complex infrastructure programs.
Extensive experience overseeing multidisciplinary engineering teams and design integration activities across large-scale programs.
Significant experience with rail systems, including track, traction power, signaling, communications, systems integration, or related transit infrastructure.
Light Rail Transit (LRT), commuter rail, passenger rail, or major transportation program experience strongly preferred.
Proven ability to lead complex technical discussions with executive stakeholders, transit agencies, public-sector clients, and regulatory authorities.
Strong understanding of systems integration, technical governance, risk management, and program delivery methodologies.
Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers and support development of high-performing technical teams.
Experience supporting business development, client management, and strategic growth initiatives.
Strong communication, leadership, and relationship-building skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
Experience working within public sector and highly regulated project environments is strongly preferred.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree preferred.
Light Rail Transit (LRT), commuter rail, passenger rail, or major transportation program experience strongly preferred.
Experience working within public sector and highly regulated project environments is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide technical and strategic leadership for the delivery of major transit and rail infrastructure programs throughout planning, design, and implementation phases.
Serve as a senior technical authority and subject matter expert for rail and transit projects, advising project teams, clients, and senior leadership.
Lead and oversee multidisciplinary design delivery, including guideways, stations, structures, utilities, track, traction power, signaling, communications, and systems integration.
Direct design integration activities across engineering disciplines to ensure consistency, quality, and alignment with programs objectives.
Provide executive-level oversight of complex technical interfaces and program risks, particularly where rail systems intersect with civil infrastructure.
Establish technical direction and engineering standards to support successful project execution and delivery.
Lead engagement with transit agencies, public sector clients, regulatory authorities, and key stakeholders on critical technical matters.
Guide design reviews, quality assurance processes, and technical governance activities to ensure compliance with client and industry standards.
Mentor, develop, and provide technical leadership to engineering and design management staff across project teams.
Support pursuit and business development activities, including proposal preparation, client engagement, project positioning, and strategic growth initiatives.
Collaborate with project directors and program managers to align technical delivery with commercial, schedule, and budget objectives.
Support procurement and delivery strategy development, including Design-Bid-Build, Progressive Design-Build, CM/GC, and alternative delivery methods.
Champion innovation, best practices, and continuous improvement across rail and transportation projects.
Build and maintain long-term client relationships through trusted advisory services and consistent delivery of high-quality technical solutions.
Collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary consultant, subconsultant, and joint venture environments to achieve program-wide objectives.