Senior Systems Engineer - Traction Electrification

Sound Transit offers a collaborative, safety focused culture with strong emphasis on sustainability and continuous improvement. This hybrid Seattle based role provides a path to technical leadership in traction electrification, covering the design, integration, and monitoring of AC/DC traction power, overhead contact systems, and related automated control systems. The position delivers competitive compensation, comprehensive health and retirement benefits, and support for professional growth within a values driven organization.

• Health benefits
• Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Retirement Plans
• Paid Time Off
• Parental Leave
• Pet Insurance
• ORCA Card
• Tuition reimbursement
• Inclusive Reproductive Health Support Services
• Compensation practices

General Purpose

This is a technical leadership position focused on traction electrification systems engineering. Traction electrification encompasses incoming AC utility feeds and medium voltage AC distribution, DC traction power substations, overhead contact systems, and the automated monitoring and control components that support these assets.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain agency design criteria and standards for the assigned engineering discipline.
• Review formal contract deliverables and submittals to ensure compliance with established agency technical criteria, policies, and procedures for design development, systems interface coordination and integration, construction, testing, and commissioning.
• Assess changes and deviations from agency standards and provide recommendations.
• Support senior staff by coordinating with city code and fire department officials to incorporate code requirements and operational best practices into designs.
• Lead the end-to-end design of follow on and service delivery projects, coordinating schedule, scope, and budget for assigned initiatives.
• Perform engineering economic analysis to determine total cost of ownership.
• Support the department and other teams, participate in committees, and prepare reports and presentations for professional group meetings.
• Advance Agency Sustainability efforts by developing efficient designs and evaluating new technologies to improve outcomes.
• Collaborate across the agency to apply continuous improvement and best practices to engineering criteria, policies, and procedures.
• Model Sound Transit core values and demonstrate values based behavior in daily interactions across the organization.
• Contribute to a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion in alignment with the Equity & Inclusion Policy.
• Adhere to Agency safety rules, regulations, and procedures pertaining to duties and responsibilities, including potential field operations.
• Integrate sustainability into everyday business practices.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Experience: At least five years of traction electrification systems engineering experience that includes project management, systems design, construction and/or operations support, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Licenses/Certifications: Professional Engineering license.
• Engineering knowledge: Principles, methods, and techniques applied during design, construction, testing, commissioning, operations, and maintenance.
• Regulations: Familiarity with codes and related regulations relevant to the practice area.
• Trends: Knowledge of recent developments and emerging innovations in the field.
• Troubleshooting: Ability to perform diagnostics, root cause analysis, and recommend corrective actions.
• Time management: Capable of handling a large workload, prioritizing tasks, and managing commitments.
• Collaboration: Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with agency staff, consultants, contractors, authorities having jurisdiction, and other stakeholders.
• Communication: Skill in conveying technical information clearly to both technical and non technical audiences, in writing and verbally.
• Meetings: Ability to plan, conduct, and document effective meetings.
• Systems thinking: Ability to understand complex problems, recognize interdependencies, and decompose issues into solvable elements.

Physical Demands / Work Environment

The work environment combines a hybrid office setting with field work in transit systems, including rail tunnels and equipment rooms. The role typically requires in office work at least three days per week, with field assignments potentially exposing personnel to hazardous conditions and equipment. Visual inspections, troubleshooting in the field, and physical tasks such as bending, standing, and walking may be required. The agency provides safety training and equipment as needed.

Equal Opportunity

Sound Transit is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are informed of rights under federal employment laws. For additional information, review the Know Your Rights poster from the Department of Labor.