Signals Discipline Lead

AECOM•Philadelphia, PA

About The Position

AECOM is seeking a motivated, detail-oriented Signals Discipline Lead with rail and transit signal systems experience. The role leads the planning, design, and delivery of signal engineering solutions for rail and transit infrastructure projects, spanning conceptual, preliminary, and final design through construction support. The work covers light rail, commuter rail, heavy rail, and freight rail, including conventional signaling, PTC, CBTC, ATP, ATC, and highway-rail grade crossing systems. The Signals Discipline Lead provides technical leadership and oversight to engineers, designers, and CAD staff; develops and reviews signal design packages and technical documentation; and coordinates system interfaces across multidisciplinary project teams. The role also supports project planning, client and stakeholder engagement, field activities, testing, commissioning, cutovers, and revenue service implementation. Additional responsibilities include supporting the growth of AECOM’s Signals practice, developing engineering standards and best practices, and contributing to proposals and business development.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field, plus 8 years of relevant experience in rail signal design, testing, or construction, or demonstrated equivalency of experience and/or education.
Professional Engineer (PE) licensure, or ability and willingness to obtain it within two years of hire.
Experience with AREMA guidelines, FRA regulations, and signal design practices.
Experience with CAD software such as AutoCAD or MicroStation.
Experience 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

12 years of relevant experience in rail signal design, testing, or construction.
Working knowledge of legacy and modern interlocking systems.
Familiarity with signal vendors such as Siemens, Alstom, Hitachi, and Wabtec.
Knowledge of relay- or microprocessor-based interlocking systems.
Field or construction support experience, including signal cutover or testing.
Professional Engineer (PE) license.
Project Management Professional (PMP) license.
Strong problem-solving, written communication, and documentation skills.
Ability to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

Lead 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.
Provide technical leadership, mentorship, and engineering oversight to mid-level and junior engineers, designers, and CAD staff; perform QA/QC reviews and support 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 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.
Coordinate signal system interfaces with traction power, communications, SCADA, OCS, train control, track, civil, roadway, station, and utility systems.
Support design, integration, testing, and commissioning of conventional signaling, PTC, CBTC, ATP, and ATC systems.
Support project planning and execution, including scope development, resource forecasting, schedule management, technical risk assessment, proposal preparation, fee development, and business development.
Conduct field investigations, site inspections, diagnostic reviews, testing, commissioning, cutovers, and construction support; respond to RFIs, review submittals, and support revenue service implementation.
Interface with clients, railroads, contractors, regulatory agencies, and project stakeholders, ensuring compliance with FRA, FTA, AREMA, MUTCD, railroad owner standards, and applicable safety, quality, and environmental requirements.
Lead FAT, SAT, commissioning, cutover planning, and revenue service implementation for signal, train control, and grade crossing systems.
Develop signal design criteria, standards, specifications, and engineer’s cost estimates; 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 systems, working with relevant agencies, authorities, utility owners, railroads, and stakeholders.
Assist in growing and developing the Signals practice through recruiting, staff development, succession planning, resource management, and technical capability enhancement.
Serve as the technical point of contact for signal engineering projects and support multidisciplinary coordination across traction power, communications, systems integration, and other rail disciplines.
Support proposal development, technical presentations, client engagement, and strategic business development to expand the Signals practice and strengthen client relationships.
Develop and maintain signal engineering standards, specifications, design criteria, lessons learned, and best practices.
Provide technical leadership for major corridor modernization, expansion, and state-of-good-repair programs, ensuring quality, constructability, maintainability, and lifecycle performance.

Benefits

Medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, and disability benefits may be available depending on employment status.
Paid time off and leaves of absence may be available depending on employment status.
Voluntary benefits and perks may be available depending on employment status.
Flexible work options and well-being resources may be available depending on employment status.
Employee assistance program and business travel insurance may be available depending on employment status.
Service recognition awards may be available depending on employment status.
Retirement savings plan may be available depending on employment status.
Employee stock purchase plan may be available depending on employment status.
Relocation assistance may be available for this role.
Award-winning training and development programs.