Rail Design Manager

At Mott MacDonald, we trust our brilliant people to do brilliant things in engineering, management, and development services, supporting multisector project work in over 150 countries. As one of the largest employee-owned companies in the world, we pride ourselves on our ability to deliver exceptional outcomes through our network of 20,000+ talented consultants. With sustainability and innovation at the heart of all our sectors in North America, including, Buildings, Energy, Transportation, and Water.

We believe in empowering our people to excel, learn, and grow, offering diverse opportunities to contribute to career-defining work. Join us and be part of a collaborative environment where your ambitions are united with ours, and you can truly shape your story.

If you share that vision, even if you don’t meet every requirement listed, we’d still love to hear from you. We value potential and diverse perspectives as much as experience. Let’s explore how we can support your growth and help you take the next step in your career, while contributing to an exciting new chapter for Mott MacDonald in North America.

We are seeking an accomplished Principal Engineer to provide technical and design leadership on complex, large-scale transit infrastructure projects in the Seattle region, with a strong emphasis on rail systems integration and multidisciplinary design delivery. This role will play a critical leadership position supporting a high-profile, multi-billion-dollar light rail expansion programme, providing strategic oversight of design development from preliminary engineering through final design and into construction delivery.

The Principal Engineer will serve as a senior technical leader and trusted advisor, guiding project teams through complex engineering challenges while ensuring alignment across rail systems, civil infrastructure, client requirements, and stakeholder expectations. The role requires extensive experience leading multidisciplinary teams, managing critical technical interfaces, and driving successful project outcomes within a highly regulated public sector environment.

In addition to project delivery responsibilities, the Principal Engineer will support business development activities, strengthen client relationships, mentor technical staff, and contribute to the continued growth of Mott MacDonald's rail and transportation practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical and strategic leadership for the delivery of major transit and rail infrastructure programs throughout planning, design, and implementation phases.
• Serve as a senior technical authority and subject matter expert for rail and transit projects, advising project teams, clients, and senior leadership.
• Lead and oversee multidisciplinary design delivery, including guideways, stations, structures, utilities, track, traction power, signaling, communications, and systems integration.
• Direct design integration activities across engineering disciplines to ensure consistency, quality, and alignment with programs objectives.
• Provide executive-level oversight of complex technical interfaces and program risks, particularly where rail systems intersect with civil infrastructure.
• Establish technical direction and engineering standards to support successful project execution and delivery.
• Lead engagement with transit agencies, public sector clients, regulatory authorities, and key stakeholders on critical technical matters.
• Guide design reviews, quality assurance processes, and technical governance activities to ensure compliance with client and industry standards.
• Mentor, develop, and provide technical leadership to engineering and design management staff across project teams.
• Support pursuit and business development activities, including proposal preparation, client engagement, project positioning, and strategic growth initiatives.
• Collaborate with project directors and program managers to align technical delivery with commercial, schedule, and budget objectives.
• Support procurement and delivery strategy development, including Design-Bid-Build, Progressive Design-Build, CM/GC, and alternative delivery methods.
• Champion innovation, best practices, and continuous improvement across rail and transportation projects.
• Build and maintain long-term client relationships through trusted advisory services and consistent delivery of high-quality technical solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Transportation Engineering, or a related discipline required; Master's degree preferred.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required or ability to obtain Washington State licensure within a reasonable timeframe.
• Minimum 15+ years of relevant experience delivering major transportation, transit, rail, or infrastructure projects.
• Demonstrated success serving in senior technical leadership, Design Manager, Engineering Manager, Principal Engineer, or similar roles on complex infrastructure programs.
• Extensive experience overseeing multidisciplinary engineering teams and design integration activities across large-scale programs.
• Significant experience with rail systems, including track, traction power, signaling, communications, systems integration, or related transit infrastructure.
• Light Rail Transit (LRT), commuter rail, passenger rail, or major transportation program experience strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to lead complex technical discussions with executive stakeholders, transit agencies, public-sector clients, and regulatory authorities.
• Strong understanding of systems integration, technical governance, risk management, and program delivery methodologies.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers and support development of high-performing technical teams.
• Experience supporting business development, client management, and strategic growth initiatives.
• Strong communication, leadership, and relationship-building skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience working within public sector and highly regulated project environments is strongly preferred.

Benefits & Reward

At Mott MacDonald, our employees have a stake and a voice in our business, providing them with a direct connection to our success through our personal and group performance bonuses. We provide a comprehensive benefit package that includes 401k, medical, dental and vision insurance, short-term/long-term disability, paid holidays, PTO, parental leave, and company paid life insurance.

Individual pay is determined based on several factors such as work location, education, experience, and unique skills.

The expected salary for this position is $162,000 - $199,000

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 client, team, and personal commitments.

Equal opportunity is the law.

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.

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All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, creed, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status or disability status.