Lead Project Engineer - Track System Intergration

Lead Project Engineer - Track System Integration

Location: Birmingham or London
Working Pattern: Hybrid - typically three days per week in the office
Salary: Up to £86,000 per annum in Birmingham or £100,000 per annum in London

The Opportunity
We are seeking an experienced Lead Project Engineer to provide technical leadership and assurance for the delivery of track systems across a major UK rail infrastructure programme.

This is a senior, systems-focused engineering role responsible for ensuring that track designs are technically compliant, fully coordinated and successfully integrated with the wider railway. You will lead the management of complex interfaces between track, civils, signalling, OLE, stations and control systems, supporting delivery from design development through to construction.
This is not purely a detailed permanent way design or Subject Matter Expert position. The successful candidate will combine a strong understanding of track engineering with the ability to lead technical assurance, manage multidisciplinary interfaces and make informed engineering decisions across a complex design-and-build environment.

Key Responsibilities
As Lead Project Engineer, you will:
·Provide engineering leadership and technical assurance across the track workstream.
·Review contractor designs, identifying key technical risks, integration issues and areas requiring specialist input.
·Lead the coordination of interfaces between track, civils, structures, signalling, OLE, CCS and other railway systems.
·Oversee the development and management of Interface Control Documents and ensure interface requirements are clearly defined and resolved.
·Provide assurance across slab track, switches and crossings and track integration activities.
·Lead technical reviews and support decisions relating to departures from standards, design changes and engineering risks.
·Work closely with project management, commercial and delivery teams to manage technical change, risk and compensation events.
·Ensure that designs are safe, compliant, constructible and aligned with programme requirements.
·Engage with contractors, consultants, technical specialists and senior stakeholders to drive technical issues through to resolution.
·Maintain a holistic systems-engineering approach throughout design and delivery.

Essential Experience
To be considered for this position, you must have:
·Extensive experience working within a multidisciplinary railway engineering environment.
·A strong understanding of track integration, including the interfaces between track, civils, signalling, OLE and wider railway systems.
·Detailed knowledge of slab track and switches and crossings.
·Experience leading technical assurance, design reviews and engineering coordination on major rail infrastructure projects.
·Previous experience as a Lead Project Engineer, Designated Project Engineer or Senior Project Engineer.
·Experience working within a design-and-build delivery environment.
·Strong knowledge of engineering risk, change control, requirements management and interface management.
·The ability to understand complex technical information, identify critical issues and engage the appropriate Subject Matter Experts.
·Strong stakeholder management, communication and technical decision-making skills.
·Experience of working on NEC contracts

Desirable Experience
The following would be particularly advantageous:
·Previous experience working as a Designated Project Engineer for Network Rail.
·A background in track or permanent way engineering.
·Experience working on major infrastructure programmes such as HS2, Crossrail, East West Rail or the Transpennine Route Upgrade.
·Experience of high-speed rail infrastructure.
·Knowledge of resilient, precast or other forms of slab track.
·Experience of high-speed switches and crossings.
·Familiarity with NEC contracts and compensation event processes.
·Chartered Engineer status or an equivalent professional qualification.

A formal engineering degree is preferred but is not essential where candidates can demonstrate extensive relevant project engineering, technical assurance and railway systems integration experience.

The Project
The role will support the delivery of a technically complex section of railway infrastructure incorporating:
·Major station infrastructure and associated track interfaces.
·Multiple forms of slab track.
·High-speed switches and crossings.
·Interfaces with the existing conventional railway network.
·Complex coordination between track, structures, signalling, OLE and railway systems.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced railway project engineer to take a leading technical role on one of the UK's most significant infrastructure programmes.