Senior Vehicle Engineer (8K)

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority•College Park, MD

About The Position

We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Vehicle Engineer to join our team and play a pivotal role in the mechanical engineering in new rail vehicles. This position offers a unique opportunity to directly influence the performance, safety, and efficiency of our fleet while collaborating with diverse stakeholders across the industry. As a Senior Vehicle Engineer, you will: Lead engineering efforts on complex railcar procurement projects, serving as the primary technical point of contact. Apply deep knowledge of railcar design, onboard systems integration, and performance standards to drive engineering excellence. Develop and author high-quality technical documents, including specifications, manuals, and maintenance instructions, to support operations and long-term reliability. Facilitate and lead engineering meetings, design reviews, and failure analyses with internal teams, contractors, and suppliers. Provide expert troubleshooting support for onboard vehicle systems, ensuring issues are resolved efficiently and to the highest safety standards. Contribute technical expertise to support change orders, production modifications, and field updates. This is your chance to make a lasting impact on a vital transportation system while advancing your career in an environment that values innovation, technical expertise, and professional growth. Job Summary/Duties: The Senior Vehicle Engineer is responsible for performing professional engineering, project management, engineering analysis and testing activities. The incumbent serves as a subject matter expert on technical aspects of rail vehicle equipment and its performance in passenger service. Responds to difficult and complex engineering problems/issues. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS Serves as the lead engineer on projects related to equipment on railcars and maintenance of way (MOW) vehicles. Reviews design documents in order to evaluate the constructability and maintainability of vehicle systems. Reviews contractor submitted shop and manufacturing drawings, design calculations and computations related to vehicles, various railcar systems/track equipment and subsystems. Reviews technical submittals of vehicle/track equipment design and fabrication. Provides engineering support to ensure conformity with specifications and design criteria. Serves as the lead of interdisciplinary engineering groups charged to address special rail/maintenance of way vehicles, fabrication and operational related problems towards developing remedies. Generates appropriate correspondence and documentation to maintain configuration control for implemented solutions. Develops engineering specifications for rail cars, rail car sub-systems/components and Maintenance of Way equipment. Develops the technical basis for change orders to ongoing rail vehicle/track equipment projects and programs. Drafts change order documentation to support post-bid design, pre- and post-production field changes. Prepares and/or reviews feasibility studies and special reports on vehicle/track equipment systems and subsystems. Prepares cost estimates as required. Participates, as required, in Vehicle and System Commissioning, Substantial Completion Inspections, Safety and other field/site investigations. Serves as WMATA's expert on one or more vehicle systems and/or train/MOW vehicle performance. Provides expert testimony when called upon to address equipment design and performance issues during accident investigations and litigation. Provides the vehicle program office with technical oversight and review/approval of the following: Railcar Qualification Testing Plans; Railcar Acceptance Plans; Railcar Systems Integration Matrices/Plans; and technical investigations and problem solving at new car delivery sites. Performs investigations and studies, and prepares reports to document recommendations in response to incidents, operations, maintenance or procurement needs. Supports the Configuration Control Management process by developing and/or maintaining engineering design technical documentation, maintenance manuals and drawings within the EPDM system. OTHER FUNCTIONS Perform on-call duty as assigned. The essential duties listed are not intended to limit specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Nor is it intended to limit in any way the right of managers and supervisors to assign, direct and control the work of employees under their supervision.

Requirements

Education Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical, Electrical or a related Engineering field
In lieu of a Bachelor's degree, a High School Diploma and four (4) years of experience performing vehicle engineering tasks as outlined above (i.e. troubleshooting, vehicle/subsystem testing, component/sub-system design, development & review of technical documentation) may be considered.
Experience Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience performing rail/MOW vehicle engineering tasks as outlined above (i.e. troubleshooting, vehicle/subsystem testing, component/sub-system design, development & review of technical documentation).
Certification/Licensure: Possession of a valid District of Columbia, Maryland or Virginia motor vehicle operator's permit issued from the jurisdiction of residence.
Medical Group: Satisfactorily complete the medical examination for this position, if required. The incumbent must be able to perform the essential functions of this position either with or without reasonable accommodations.

Nice To Haves

Preferred Experience in developing mechanical equipment specifications.
Registration as a Professional Engineer by NEC examination is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Lead engineering efforts on complex railcar procurement projects, serving as the primary technical point of contact.
Apply deep knowledge of railcar design, onboard systems integration, and performance standards to drive engineering excellence.
Develop and author high-quality technical documents, including specifications, manuals, and maintenance instructions, to support operations and long-term reliability.
Facilitate and lead engineering meetings, design reviews, and failure analyses with internal teams, contractors, and suppliers.
Provide expert troubleshooting support for onboard vehicle systems, ensuring issues are resolved efficiently and to the highest safety standards.
Contribute technical expertise to support change orders, production modifications, and field updates.
Serves as the lead engineer on projects related to equipment on railcars and maintenance of way (MOW) vehicles.
Reviews design documents in order to evaluate the constructability and maintainability of vehicle systems.
Reviews contractor submitted shop and manufacturing drawings, design calculations and computations related to vehicles, various railcar systems/track equipment and subsystems.
Reviews technical submittals of vehicle/track equipment design and fabrication.
Provides engineering support to ensure conformity with specifications and design criteria.
Serves as the lead of interdisciplinary engineering groups charged to address special rail/maintenance of way vehicles, fabrication and operational related problems towards developing remedies.
Generates appropriate correspondence and documentation to maintain configuration control for implemented solutions.
Develops engineering specifications for rail cars, rail car sub-systems/components and Maintenance of Way equipment.
Develops the technical basis for change orders to ongoing rail vehicle/track equipment projects and programs.
Drafts change order documentation to support post-bid design, pre- and post-production field changes.
Prepares and/or reviews feasibility studies and special reports on vehicle/track equipment systems and subsystems.
Prepares cost estimates as required.
Participates, as required, in Vehicle and System Commissioning, Substantial Completion Inspections, Safety and other field/site investigations.
Serves as WMATA's expert on one or more vehicle systems and/or train/MOW vehicle performance.
Provides expert testimony when called upon to address equipment design and performance issues during accident investigations and litigation.
Provides the vehicle program office with technical oversight and review/approval of the following: Railcar Qualification Testing Plans; Railcar Acceptance Plans; Railcar Systems Integration Matrices/Plans; and technical investigations and problem solving at new car delivery sites.
Performs investigations and studies, and prepares reports to document recommendations in response to incidents, operations, maintenance or procurement needs.
Supports the Configuration Control Management process by developing and/or maintaining engineering design technical documentation, maintenance manuals and drawings within the EPDM system.
Perform on-call duty as assigned.