Principal Engineer - 90375688 - Philadelphia

Your success is a train ride away!

As we move America’s workforce toward the future, Amtrak connects businesses and communities across the country. We employ more than 20,000 diverse, energetic professionals in a variety of career fields throughout the United States. The safety of our passengers, our employees, the public and our operating environment is our priority, and the success of our railroad is due to our employees.

Are you ready to join our team?

Our values of ‘Do the Right Thing, Excel Together and Put Customers First’ are at the heart of what matters most to us, and our Core Capabilities, ‘Building Trust, Accountability, Effective Communication, Customer Focus, and Proactive Safety & Security’ are what every employee needs to know and do to be most impactful at Amtrak. By living the Amtrak values, focusing on our capabilities, and actively embracing and fostering diverse ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives, together we will honor our past and make Amtrak a company of the future.

SUMMARY OF DUTIES:

Principal Engineer position is responsible for managing a team of external engineering consultants in the delivery of design phase Engineering Services of multi-discipline infrastructure designs across the Amtrak rail system.

This position collaborates and partners with both internal and external stakeholders, including law, real estate, environmental, historic preservation, transportation, procurement, local and state agencies / utilities, the FRA, and freight and commuter railroads, to execute the troubleshooting, scoping and design phase of Engineering and infrastructure projects in support of new business initiatives, and state of good repair projects.

This position will also function as an SME (Subject Matter Expert) in their field of expertise and perform SME reviews of designs led by others for multiple different program stakeholders as well as 3rd Party entities in order to ensure compliance with Amtrak and industry standards.

Project types include upgrade or replacement of fixed and movable bridge assets for both major and minor crossings as well drainage structures and retaining walls, and other structural needs along the ROW supporting maintenance of way employee operations.  

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Provide scheduling, stakeholder interfacing, progress reporting, technical guidance, and assist teams in preforming project QC.
• Required to be an expert in multi-discipline design coordination, design detailing, code compliance, specification preparation and bid packaging
• Work collaboratively with Amtrak’s Project Management personnel to integrate the design work into the greater construction programs as well as facilitate fiscal year forecasting and lookahead.
• Develop scopes of work and manage development of plans and specifications for various types of rail infrastructure projects.
• Develop budgetary cost estimates for design and construction for various types of rail infrastructure projects.
• Collaborate with project stakeholders including local, state, and federal agencies.
• Research and apply best engineering practices as they pertain to project specific issues or conditions.
• Review engineering designs submitted by outside agencies for projects to be constructed on, over or adjacent to Amtrak property to ensure compliance with Amtrak and industry standards.
• Collaborate with other engineering disciplines and other departments within the Amtrak organization.
• Provide technical expertise to other departments and make critical engineering decisions for various groups within the Amtrak organization.
• Mentor junior staff.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Structural or Civil Engineering
• Structural design experience with particular emphasis in bridges and buildings.
• Understanding of AREMA and associated industry codes and standards within their discipline and their application to rail infrastructure projects.
• Experience in preparation of RFP’s and scopes of work for projects.
• Experience in developing design and construction documents.
• Experience in the preparation of project scope, schedule, and budget.
• Understanding of development of performance specifications.
• Demonstrated experience working in a matrix organization.
• Proficiency with the design process from inception through construction bid and EOR construction support.  
• Demonstrated experience in developing multi-discipline biddable design and construction documents and procurement packages.
• Working knowledge of specialties impacting design, such as SHPO, NEPA, sustainability and resiliency standards relating to rail bridge replacement and rehabilitation.
• Must be a self-starter and motivated individual capable of anticipating the next step in a process or project and seeks out the appropriate information required to answer a question or complete a task.
• Must have excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to prepare and present project technical reports and commentaries to management and outside agencies.
• Must be able to initiate work from a bare problem statement and perform / manage all investigation, design, and contract packaging to drive toward an efficient result having minimal impact to railroad operations.
• Understanding of passenger railroad operating environments.
• Working knowledge of rail infrastructure.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• 8 to 10+ years of knowledge, understanding and prior experience of passenger rail operations, business functions, design / construction processes, and infrastructure requirements.
• 6-8 years of relevant professional experience in engineering
• Prior experience managing a team of multi-discipline engineering/architecture professionals.
• Prior design and/or procurement experience within the Federal sphere.
• Prior design experience of the replacement or repair of railroad infrastructure
• Experience on railroad projects including bridges, tunnels, facilities, mechanical shops, support buildings and yards.
• Professional Engineering License- [In at least one State along the Northeast Corridor]
• Master’s Degree in Structural or Civil Engineering

WORK ENVIORNMENT: 

• Travel up to 25%
• Hybrid work schedule, 3 days in the office with days remote

COMMUNICATIONS AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS:

• Must have excellent oral and written communication skills.

The salary/hourly range is $124,600 - $161,352, Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, internal equity, etc. Depending on an employee’s assigned worksite or location, Amtrak may consider a geo-pay differential to be applied to the employee’s base salary. Amtrak may offer additional incentive and pay programs to recognize and reward our employees, including a short-term incentive bonus based upon factors such as individual and company performance that is commensurate with the level of the position and/or long-term incentive plan compensation. In addition to your salary, Amtrak offers a comprehensive benefit package that includes health, dental, and vision plans; health savings accounts; wellness programs; flexible spending accounts; 401K retirement plan with employer match; life insurance; short and long term disability insurance; paid time off; back-up care; adoption assistance; surrogacy assistance; reimbursement of education expenses; Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility; Railroad Retirement sickness and retirement benefits; and rail pass privileges. Learn more about our benefits offerings here.​

Requisition ID:161365
Posting Location(s):Pennsylvania
Job Family/Function:Information Technology; Research & Strategy 
Relocation Offered:No 
Travel Requirements:Up to 25% 
 

You power our progress through your performance.
 

We want your work at Amtrak to be more than a job. We want your career at Amtrak to be a fulfilling experience where you find challenging work, rewarding opportunities, respect among colleagues, and attractive compensation. Amtrak maintains a culture that values high performance and recognizes individual employee contributions. 

Amtrak is committed to a safe workplace free of drugs and alcohol. All Amtrak positions requires a pre-employment background check that includes prior employment verification, a criminal history check and a pre-employment drug screen. 

Candidates who test positive for marijuana will be disqualified, regardless of any state or local statute, ordinance, regulation, or other law that legalizes or decriminalizes the use or possession of marijuana, whether for medical, recreational, or other use. Amtrak's pre-employment drug testing program is administered in accordance with DOT regulations and applicable law.  

In accordance with DOT regulations (49 CFR § 40.25), Amtrak is required to obtain prior drug and alcohol testing records for applicants/employees intending to perform safety-sensitive duties for covered Department of Transportation positions. If an applicant/employee refuses to provide written consent for Amtrak to obtain these records, the individual will not be permitted to perform safety-sensitive functions.

In accordance with federal law governing security checks of covered individuals for providers of public transportation (Title 6 U.S.C. §1143), Amtrak is required to screen applicants for any permanent or interim disqualifying criminal offenses. 

Note that any education requirement listed above may be deemed satisfied if you have an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Amtrak is an EOE/Affirmative Action Minority/Female employer, and we welcome all to apply. We consider candidates regardless of race/color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions), national origin/ethnicity, age, disability (intellectual, mental and physical), veteran status, marital status, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, genetic information, citizenship or any other personal characteristics protected by law.