Staff Railroad Engineer

RINA•Chicago, IL

12d•$85,000 - $120,000•Onsite

About The Position

RINA is hiring a Staff Railroad Engineer for its Project Engineering Division, based in Houston, Texas, or Chicago/Lisle, Illinois. The role supports the planning, design, and delivery of freight, passenger, and transit rail projects. Working under senior engineers and project managers, the engineer will focus on track design and supporting civil design, including track geometry, grading, drainage, railroad civil components, and plan production. The position offers hands-on experience with Class I railroad and public agency projects, multi-agency coordination, and opportunities to work toward professional licensure and increased technical responsibility. The engineer will develop track alignments and layouts, prepare design plans and construction documentation, evaluate existing conditions, and assist with cost estimates. Civil design work includes grading, roadbed and subgrade design, drainage, roadway and utility plans, and erosion and sediment control. The role also contributes to design deliverables, calculations, technical documentation, quality reviews, stakeholder and railroad coordination, field investigations, and construction-phase support. Travel to project sites and work near active railroad operations are part of the role.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or Transport Engineering.
At least 2 years of professional engineering experience in rail, transit, or transportation civil design, including direct track design experience.
Engineer-in-Training (EIT) or Engineering Intern (EI) certification.
Working knowledge of the AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering and familiarity with Class I railroad and/or transit agency design standards.
Proficiency in design modeling and sheet production using Bentley OpenRail Designer (MicroStation/InRoads/OpenRoads).
Ability to perform track geometry, earthwork, and drainage calculations.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear technical documentation.
Ability to travel up to 25% of the time to project sites and work in field conditions near active railroad operations.
Valid driver’s license.

Nice To Haves

Professional Engineer (PE) license or ability to obtain licensure within the next 1–2 years.
Experience on freight and passenger rail projects, including Class I railroad, commuter rail, or light rail work.
Experience with publicly funded projects, such as state DOT, FRA, or FTA projects, and associated design, documentation, and grant requirements.
Familiarity with hydrologic and hydraulic software such as HY-8, HEC-RAS, or StormCAD.
Experience with Bentley ProjectWise or similar document management systems.
Experience with track design for yard, terminal, grade separation, or multi-track corridor projects.
Roadway Worker Protection (RWP) training and railroad contractor safety orientation, such as eRailSafe.
Exposure to 3D modeling, BIM, Digital Twin, or digital delivery workflows.
Experience with civil design software such as AutoCAD Civil 3D.

Responsibilities

Develop horizontal and vertical track alignments, including curves, spirals, superelevation, and grade calculations, in accordance with applicable AREMA, railroad, and agency standards.
Prepare layouts for mainline, yard, siding, and industry tracks, including turnout and crossover placement, special trackwork, and clearance envelopes.
Work on corridor improvement projects for dual-use passenger and freight railroads.
Prepare track plans, profiles, typical sections, railroad detail sheets, and construction staging and phasing plans that maintain rail operations during construction.
Evaluate existing track conditions using survey, LiDAR, and as-built data to support rehabilitation, upgrades, and capacity improvements.
Support design of grade crossings, crossing surfaces, and track-related elements at bridges, signals, and platforms.
Perform quantity take-offs and assist with track construction cost estimates.
Design site grading, roadbed and subgrade sections, earthwork, and retaining wall layouts supporting rail infrastructure.
Perform drainage analysis and design, including culverts, ditches, storm sewers, and stormwater management features.
Prepare roadway, utility relocation, and site civil plans for grade separations, crossings, and station or facility improvements.
Develop erosion and sediment control plans and support environmental permitting requirements.
Coordinate designs with structural, signal, roadway, geotechnical, environmental, and utility disciplines.
Produce and assemble design deliverables at preliminary, 30/60/90/100%, and final (IFC) milestones, including plans, specifications, and estimates (PS&E).
Prepare design calculations, technical memoranda, and basis-of-design documentation.
Participate in internal QA/QC reviews and address comments from railroads, public agencies, and project partners.
Support stakeholder outreach with aerial exhibits.
Coordinate with Class I and commuter railroads, state DOTs, FRA, municipalities, and utility owners.
Conduct field investigations and site visits to verify existing conditions, and provide construction-phase support, including RFI responses and submittal reviews.
Track assigned tasks against project schedules and budgets, and communicate progress and issues to the project manager.
Follow company and railroad safety requirements, including roadway worker protection protocols when on or near active track.