Senior Project Engineer - Rail

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 experienced Senior Project Engineer (Design Manager) to lead delivery of complex, large‑scale transit infrastructure projects in the Seattle region, with a strong emphasis on rail systems design management and integration.

This role will oversee the full lifecycle of design development (from preliminary engineering through final design) supporting a high‑profile, multi‑billion‑dollar light rail expansion program.

The Senior Project Engineer (Design Manager) will be responsible for coordinating multi‑disciplinary design teams, including oversight and integration of rail systems design (e.g., track, traction power, signaling, communications), managing technical interfaces, and ensuring delivery aligns with agency standards, project requirements, and regional stakeholder expectations.

This individual will play a key leadership role in driving design integration across both civil infrastructure and rail systems, maintaining quality, and supporting successful transition into construction.

The position requires a collaborative leader who can operate effectively within a public‑sector environment, balancing technical excellence with schedule, budget, and stakeholder considerations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the delivery of multi‑disciplinary design packages for major transit infrastructure projects, including guideways, stations, structures, utilities, and rail systems components (track, systems, and integration interfaces)
• Oversee design development from concept through final design, ensuring alignment with project scope, schedule, and budget objectives
• Provide oversight and integration of rail systems design, ensuring alignment with civil, structural, and architectural elements across the program
• Coordinate and integrate work across engineering disciplines, including civil, structural, geotechnical, rail systems, and architectural teams
• Manage complex technical interfaces, particularly between infrastructure and rail systems packages, ensuring seamless design integration
• Manage consultant teams, providing direction, oversight, and performance management to ensure quality and consistency across deliverables
• Serve as the primary point of contact for design-related matters with internal leadership, clients, and external stakeholders
• Ensure compliance with applicable codes, standards, and agency design criteria, including quality management processes and design reviews
• Identify and proactively manage technical risks, design challenges, and constructability considerations across both civil and systems scopes
• Support interface management with third parties such as utilities, municipalities, regulatory agencies, and adjacent projects
• Collaborate with construction and project management teams to support constructability reviews and design‑to‑delivery alignment
• Contribute to procurement strategies and support alignment of design deliverables with delivery methods (e.g., Design-Bid-Build, Progressive Design-Build, CM/GC)
• Present technical information and design updates to senior leadership, stakeholders, and community groups as needed
• Build and maintain strong client relationships through a visible and proactive client presence, underpinned by consistent delivery of high-quality work and professional engagement
• Collaborate effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary subconsultant and joint venture team to deliver coordinated, high-quality project deliverables

Candidate Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering required (Civil, Structural, or related discipline); advanced degree preferred
• Washington State PE license preferred (or ability to obtain)
• Minimum 10+ years of experience, with at least 5 years in a Design Manager or Design Lead role on large infrastructure projects
• Demonstrated experience in rail systems design management, coordination, or oversight (e.g., track, traction power, signaling, communications), or strong experience integrating systems within major transit programs
• Light Rail Transit (LRT) or commuter rail project experience preferred
• Background working within heavily regulated, stakeholder‑driven environments
• Demonstrated experience delivering major transit or heavy civil infrastructure projects, ideally light rail or similar rail systems
• Proven ability to manage and coordinate multi‑disciplinary engineering teams on complex programs, including systems integration across multiple design packages
• Strong understanding of design development processes, technical integration, and project delivery methods within a public‑sector environment
• Experience working with transit agencies or large public owners is strongly preferred
• Familiarity with regional permitting, stakeholder coordination, and utility interface management in the Pacific Northwest is a plus
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey complex technical concepts to both technical and non‑technical audiences
• Strong leadership, organizational, and problem‑solving capabilities with a proactive, team‑oriented approach

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 $148,000 - $181,000

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.

Location(s)

Seattle, WA, US

Contract Type: Regular (US only)

Work Pattern: Full Time

Market: Transport

Discipline: Railways

Job Ref: 14759

Recruiter Contact: Sam Kitchin