Senior Signals Engineer

AECOM•Philadelphia, PA

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

AECOM's Transportation business line in Philadelphia, PA is seeking an experienced Senior Signals Engineer to lead the planning, design, and delivery of rail and transit signal systems through conceptual, preliminary, final design, and construction support phases for light rail, commuter rail, heavy rail, and freight rail projects. This role involves providing technical leadership, mentorship, and engineering oversight to mid-level and junior engineers, designers, and CAD staff, including performing QA/QC reviews and supporting staff development. The engineer will develop signal design packages, design and analyze wayside signal systems, prepare engineering calculations and technical documentation, coordinate signal system interfaces with other disciplines, and support the testing and commissioning of various train control systems. Additionally, the role includes supporting project planning and execution, conducting field investigations, and interfacing with clients, railroads, contractors, and regulatory agencies.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field and 6 years of relevant experience in rail signal design, testing, or construction or demonstrated equivalency of education and/or experience.
Professional Engineer (PE) licensure or ability and willingness to obtain within two years of hire.
Experience with AREMA guidelines, FRA regulations, and signal design practices.
Experience with CAD software (e.g., AutoCAD, MicroStation)
Experience with reading and programming logic and vital logic equations.
Experience working with microprocessor-based vital logic controllers such as ElectroLogIXS and Microlock II.
Experience with the working principles of DC and AC track circuits.
Experience with CAB signaling design and coded track circuits, audio frequency track circuits, and phase shift overlay circuits.

Nice To Haves

8 years of relevant experience in rail signal design, testing, or construction.
Working knowledge of legacy and modern interlocking systems.
Familiarity with signal vendors (e.g., Siemens, Alstom, Hitachi, Wabtec).
Field or construction support experience including signal cutover or testing.
The Professional Engineer(PE) License.
The Project Management Professional(PMP) License.

Responsibilities

Provide technical leadership, mentorship, and engineering oversight to mid-level and junior engineers, designers, and CAD staff, including performing QA/QC reviews and supporting staff development.
Develop signal design packages including signal layouts, interlocking plans, control line diagrams, route and aspect charts, cable routing plans, signal house layouts, equipment location plans, and associated construction documents.
Design and analyze wayside signal systems, interlockings, switch machine systems, train detection systems, vital and non-vital logic, and highway-rail grade crossing warning systems in accordance with industry standards and client requirements.
Prepare engineering calculations, technical specifications, bills of materials, cost estimates, design reports, and other technical documentation required to support project delivery.
Coordinate signal system interfaces with traction power, communications, SCADA, OCS, train control, track, civil, roadway, station, and utility systems to ensure successful multidisciplinary integration.
Support the design, integration, testing, and commissioning of conventional signaling, Positive Train Control (PTC), Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC), Automatic Train Protection (ATP), and Automatic Train Control (ATC) systems.
Support project planning and execution activities, including scope development, resource forecasting, schedule management, technical risk assessment, proposal preparation, fee development, and business development efforts.
Conduct field investigations, site inspections, diagnostic reviews, testing, commissioning, cutovers, and construction support activities, including responding to RFIs, reviewing submittals, and supporting revenue service implementation.
Interface with clients, railroads, contractors, regulatory agencies, and project stakeholders while ensuring compliance with FRA, FTA, AREMA, MUTCD, railroad owner standards, and applicable safety, quality, and environmental requirements.
Lead factory acceptance testing (FAT), site acceptance testing (SAT), commissioning, cutover planning, and revenue service implementation activities for signal, train control, and grade crossing systems.
Develop signal design criteria, standards, specifications, engineer’s cost estimates, and evaluate alternative technical solutions and value engineering opportunities to improve safety, reliability, constructability, and lifecycle costs.
Support and coordinate highway-rail grade crossings, traffic signal preemption and transit signal priority (TSP) systems, while interfacing with FRA, railroads, transit agencies, roadway authorities, utility owners, and other project stakeholders throughout project development and implementation.