Join Mott MacDonald as a Principal Project Manager Rail Systems in Calgary, AB, CA. This is a full-time, hybrid role requiring a minimum of three days per week in the office, with an expected salary range of $162,000 - $199,000 CAD. You will provide senior leadership across rail systems engineering, integration, and project delivery for major transit assignments.
Requirements
Degree in Engineering or a related discipline; a relevant master's degree is an asset.
Chartered Engineer, Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) or equivalent professional registration (candidates without APEGA registration must be willing and able to obtain it).
15+ years of experience in rail, transit or other complex safety-critical infrastructure.
Strong systems engineering, assurance, signalling, and train control experience across the project lifecycle.
Demonstrable experience delivering complex projects within an operating railway environment.
Skills & Responsibilities
Project Management & Leadership: Lead and manage rail systems assignments with accountability for scope, schedule, budget, quality, and risk.
Multidisciplinary Engineering: Direct engineering teams across systems engineering, signalling, communications, rolling stock, and traction power.
Business Development: Lead bids, support proposal preparation, and build relationships with transit clients and industry partners.
Potential transition routes: People from Senior Project Manager, Systems Engineering Director, or Lead Signalling Engineer roles may bring strong project delivery and technical oversight skills, alongside meeting professional engineering and rail experience requirements.
Job description
At Mott MacDonald, we are driven by purpose and powered by brilliant people. As a trusted engineering, management, and development consultancy, we work with clients to solve complex challenges and deliver sustainable outcomes that make a meaningful difference for the communities we serve.
When you join us as an experienced professional, you will bring your expertise to work that matters while continuing to grow your career. You will collaborate with talented colleagues across disciplines and geographies, contribute your perspective, and help shape better outcomes through technical excellence, innovation, and integrity.
Build on your experience while helping shape what comes next. At Mott MacDonald, you'll work alongside talented people on complex and rewarding projects that make a real difference. We value fresh perspectives, encourage collaboration, and provide opportunities to expand your skills, take on new challenges, and grow your career. Whether you're deepening your technical expertise, broadening your leadership experience, or exploring new opportunities across our business, you'll be supported by a team that is committed to helping you succeed.
Mott MacDonald is seeking a Principal Project Manager Rail Systems to join our Calgary team. The role will provide senior leadership across rail systems engineering, integration and project delivery for transit and urban mobility assignments in Alberta, Western Canada and, where relevant, across North America. The successful candidate will lead multidisciplinary engineering activities through the project lifecycle, support the delivery of complex live-rail and major-project assignments, and help grow our local capability and client relationships.
This is a hybrid delivery and technical-leadership position. It is suited to an experienced rail professional who can manage projects and engineering teams while providing credible systems integration, assurance and signalling oversight. The role is not limited to detailed signalling design. It combines project leadership, multidisciplinary engineering management, technical governance, client engagement and business development.
Key Responsibilities:
Lead and manage rail systems and transit assignments, with accountability for scope, schedule, budget, quality, risk and client satisfaction
Direct multidisciplinary engineering teams across systems engineering, signalling and train control, communications, rolling stock, traction power, integration, verification and validation, testing and commissioning
Establish effective engineering governance and technical assurance, including delivery planning, design and gate reviews, configuration management and change control
Lead systems engineering and integration activities, including requirements, architecture, interfaces, verification and validation, safety and assurance, testing, commissioning and acceptance into service
Provide senior technical leadership for signalling and wider rail systems, including design management, contractor and supplier oversight, technical reviews and operational integration
Manage relationships with clients, operators, maintainers, contractors, suppliers, regulators and delivery partners, resolving technical, commercial and delivery issues
Lead and contribute to bids and business development, including opportunity shaping, delivery strategy, technical writing, estimating and work planning, while building relationships with transit clients and industry partners in Alberta and across Canada
Lead, mentor and develop staff, supporting capability development, succession planning and knowledge transfer while collaborating across Canadian, North American and international teams to bring the right specialist expertise to projects
Candidate Specification
Degree in Engineering or a related discipline; a relevant master’s degree is an asset
Chartered Engineer, Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) or equivalent professional registration; candidates without APEGA registration must be willing and able to obtain the appropriate license
15+ years of experience in rail, transit or other complex safety-critical infrastructure, including significant engineering, project and team leadership responsibilities
Strong systems engineering and assurance experience across the project lifecycle, including requirements, interfaces, configuration and change control, verification and validation, testing, commissioning and acceptance into service
Credible signalling and train control experience, with the ability to provide technical leadership across wider rail systems and multidisciplinary interfaces
Demonstrable experience delivering complex projects through design, construction, testing, commissioning and operational integration, preferably within an operating railway environment
Proven ability to manage scope, budget, schedule, quality, risk and resources on complex engineering assignments
Experience supporting business development, client relationship management and the preparation of proposals and tender submissions
Strong communication, leadership and relationship-building skills, with the ability to lead client discussions, communicate complex technical matters clearly and develop engineering teams
Experience working within multidisciplinary and geographically distributed teams; experience within an international consulting environment is an asset
Knowledge of Canadian transit clients, procurement approaches and delivery models is preferred
Commitment to health, safety, professional integrity and high-quality project delivery, with willingness to travel as required
Bring your expertise, curiosity, and drive to make a difference. If you are ready to join a collaborative consultancy where your perspective is valued, your growth is supported, and you are empowered to lead with integrity, we would love to hear from you.
Benefits & Rewards
The expected salary range for this position is from $162,000 - $199,000.
Multiple factors such as qualifications, overall experience, and position responsibilities will be used to determine the successful candidate's actual salary within the expected range.
In addition to base salary, Mott MacDonald offers performance-based bonuses and a comprehensive benefits package, giving employees a direct connection to our success.
The comprehensive benefits and rewards package is designed to support your health, wellbeing, and professional growth. Eligible employees have access to health and dental coverage, wellness resources, retirement savings, insurance and disability protection, paid time off, family leave support, and professional development opportunities. Benefits are subject to eligibility, plan terms, and change.
This posting is for an existing vacancy.
Collaboration at Our Core
At Mott MacDonald, we believe great ideas happen when we're together. Our hybrid approach centers on an in-office culture, with most of your time spent collaborating face-to-face and a minimum of three days per week in the office. We balance flexibility with connection, so you and your manager can choose how to meet clients, team, and personal commitments.
We seek to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they have the opportunity to contribute.
