Project Engineer, Signaling and Train Control

About Burns:

Burns Engineering provides professional engineering design and project management services for transportation, facilities, and infrastructure projects. We help our clients attain their strategic goals and initiatives through successful large-scale infrastructure projects.  Burns’ full-service capabilities include mechanical, electrical, civil, structural, transportation, and energy consulting engineering.

Recently voted a Top Workplace by Philly.com, we credit our strength as an organization to our talented, driven, vibrant team.  Burns is an ENR Top 500 Firm, and has been named an MEP Giant by Consulting-Specifying Engineer Magazine, as well as a Hot Firm by Zweig.  We are industry experts, proven leaders, innovative thinkers, and team players. We put our clients’ successes and best interests first, because their success is our success. We have fun at work because we love making a difference in the world.  We are looking for high-energy, bright, collaborative individuals who want the opportunity to “write their own story” with us.

Burns is currently seeking a Project Engineer, Signaling and Train Control to join our Transit and Rail in Sacramento, CA.

The Project Engineer, Signaling and Train Control, provides engineering leadership for railway signaling and train control systems on the California High-Speed Rail (CAHSR) Program, supporting design, integration, testing, and commissioning. The position covers ETCS Level 2, Automatic Route Setting, Computer Based Interlockings, Radio Block Centers, Traffic Management Systems, axle counter train detection, broken rail detection, and integrated train control and communications systems.

In this role, the Project Engineer prepares, reviews, and approves signaling engineering deliverables through design, construction, and testing and commissioning; supports requirements management, system architecture development, and interface definition; and reviews supplier and contractor designs for compliance with Program specifications and operational requirements. The position supports FRA submissions, safety case and hazard analysis development, and regulatory and independent assessor closeout, and develops and reviews test plans, procedures, and commissioning strategies across Factory Acceptance Testing, Site Acceptance Testing, System Integration Testing, and trial running.

Reporting to the Project Manager, Signaling and Train Control, the Project Engineer supplies the Program with technically complete and coordinated signaling deliverables, verified compliance evidence, and the documentation required for regulatory approval, system certification, and entry into revenue service. The position is based in Sacramento, California, with travel of 25 to 50 percent along the alignment.

Position Responsibilities

• Prepare, review, and approve signaling engineering deliverables throughout design, construction, and testing and commissioning
• Ensure technical documentation is complete, coordinated, and developed in accordance with Program requirements and applicable standards
• Support requirements management, system architecture development, and interface definition activities for train control
• Review supplier and contractor designs for compliance with Program specifications and operational requirements
• Coordinate interfaces between signaling, telecommunications, rolling stock, track, traction power, and operations teams
• Provide technical oversight and engineering support for ETCS Level 2, Automatic Route Setting, Computer Based Interlockings, and Radio Block Centers
• Provide technical oversight for Traffic Management Systems, axle counter train detection, broken rail detection, and integrated train control and communications systems
• Support FRA submissions and coordination activities, and prepare and review documentation required for regulatory, safety, and operational approvals
• Work with safety assurance teams, authorizing authorities, operators, and Program stakeholders to obtain required approvals and certifications
• Support development of safety cases, hazard analyses, and compliance documentation
• Address technical review comments and closeout actions raised by regulators and independent assessors
• Develop and review test plans, test procedures, and commissioning strategies for signaling systems
• Support Factory Acceptance Testing, Site Acceptance Testing, System Integration Testing, and operational trial running
• Witness testing activities and verify compliance with performance and safety requirements
• Coordinate defect management, corrective actions, and final system acceptance, and support revenue service demonstration and operational handover

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field and a minimum of ten (10) years of experience in railway signaling, train control, or rail systems engineering
• Demonstrated experience taking signaling systems from design through testing, commissioning, and final acceptance
• Experience developing and reviewing engineering deliverables on large transportation infrastructure projects
• Strong working knowledge of systems integration and safety-critical railway applications
• Experience supporting requirements management, system architecture development, and interface definition
• Experience reviewing supplier and contractor designs against project specifications and operational requirements
• Experience developing and reviewing test plans, test procedures, and commissioning documentation
• Experience witnessing Factory Acceptance Testing, Site Acceptance Testing, and System Integration Testing
• Experience preparing documentation supporting regulatory, safety, and operational approvals
• Strong technical writing, coordination, and stakeholder engagement skills
• Availability for travel of 25 to 50 percent along the alignment

Preferred Qualifications/ Certifications/ Licensures

• Professional Engineer (PE) licensure, or membership of a recognized professional institution such as IRSE; additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of licensure
• ETCS Level 2 or ERTMS deployment experience
• Experience with CBTC, PTC, ATP, or ATO systems
• High-speed rail project experience
• Familiarity with high-speed FRA requirements and U.S. rail regulations
• Working knowledge of EN 50126, EN 50128, and EN 50129
• Experience supporting system certification, safety approvals, and entry into revenue service
• Experience resolving technical issues in the field and leading design reviews

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