Rail and Transit Power Technical Director

Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets.

We are more than 36,000 people, in over 70 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life. Everyone has an important role to play. With the power of many curious minds, together we can solve the world’s most complex challenges and deliver more impact together.

Role description:

We are seeking a visionary and technically accomplished Technical Director to lead the design, delivery, and integration of traction power and electrical systems for a wide spectrum of rail and transit infrastructure, including light rail (LRT), subways, passenger rail, heavy rail, and high-speed rail (HSR).

This role focuses on the end-to-end lifecycle of power supply systems, including 3rd rail (and 4th rail) and overhead catenary systems (OCS/OHLE), uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and backup power systems, traction (or propulsion) power substations. You will be responsible for ensuring technical excellence, regulatory compliance, systems integration, and innovation in delivering high-performance, electrified transit networks across Canada and internationally.

A focus on high-capacity, electrified transit networks in Vancouver (TransLink: SkyTrain), Calgary (City of Calgary and Calgary Transit: Green, Blue and Red Lines LRT), and Edmonton (City of Edmonton and ETS: Capital Line, Metro Line and Valley Line), freight rail (CP, CN) National Rail (Via and Amtrack) and high-speed rail (HSR).

Role accountabilities:

In this role, you will focus on the growth and development of Arcadis’ portfolio by establishing and maintaining strong client relationships. You will lead bids from conception through RFQ and RFP processes to successful completion. Your work will involve close collaboration with clients, contractors, and regulatory bodies to ensure that project requirements are met and client expectations are consistently exceeded. This role requires strategic leadership and technical direction to drive success across major rail infrastructure programs.

You will provide overall technical leadership for traction power and power supply and distribution systems, defining system architecture, leading integration strategies, and ensuring alignment across all subsystems and interfacing disciplines. This leadership position offers an opportunity to shape Canada’s next generation of electrified transit systems. You will serve as the technical authority for systems design and assurance, leading all aspects of traction power system engineering. This includes managing DC third rail and fourth rail systems for subways and metro systems, DC overhead catenary systems for LRT and streetcars, and AC OCS/OHLE systems for regional passenger, heavy rail, and high-speed rail (HSR).

In this role, you will direct the planning, sizing, and placement of traction power substations (TPSS), switching and paralleling stations, and conduct load flow, short circuit, arc flash, grounding, and protection coordination studies. You will also oversee utility interconnections and interface with grid operators, including backup power schemes. Your responsibilities will extend to designing and overseeing the deployment of UPS systems and emergency backup power for signaling and train control, passenger communications, emergency systems, tunnel ventilation, elevators/escalators, fire/life safety infrastructure, and operations control centers. Additionally, you will lead the integration of power SCADA and Operational Systems Control systems for monitoring, alarms, and supervisory control of traction and auxiliary power networks.

As part of your system integration and assurance duties, you will ensure a seamless interface between traction power systems and civil, structural, mechanical, rolling stock, and systems components, as well as signaling, communications, and station power systems. Applying and enforcing RAMS, HAZOP, HAZID, and safety certification processes in accordance with CENELEC EN 50126/8/9, NFPA 130, AREMA, CSA, and local codes will be crucial. You will guide utility coordination, load planning, and power quality assurance for multi-modal rail corridors. Your work will cover various transit modes, delivering power systems across LRT networks, subways, metro systems, passenger and commuter rail corridors, heavy rail electrification, high-speed rail lines, and multimodal interchange hubs and operations and maintenance facilities.

You will lead engineering and delivery teams through all project phases, including feasibility, preliminary and detailed design, and procurement. Providing technical leadership on Design-Bid-Build, Design-Build, DBFOM, P3, or Alliance models will be an integral part of your role. You will represent the organization in interactions with transit agencies, utilities, partners, and regulatory bodies, ensuring that Arcadis remains at the forefront of the industry and continues to deliver innovative, high-quality solutions.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Power Systems Engineering
• Licensed Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) in Alberta and/or British Columbia, or eligible
• 15+ years of experience delivering traction power and rail electrical systems on large-scale transit projects
• Deep understanding of applicable codes and standards, including:
• CENELEC EN 5012x
• NFPA 130
• Canadian Electrical Code (CEC), CSA, and utility interconnection standards
  

Why Arcadis?

We can only achieve our goals when everyone is empowered to be their best. We believe everyone's contribution matters. It’s why we are pioneering a skills-based approach, where you can harness your unique experience and expertise to carve your career path and maximize the impact we can make together.

You’ll do meaningful work, and no matter what role, you’ll be helping to deliver sustainable solutions for a more prosperous planet. Make your mark, on your career, your colleagues, your clients, your life and the world around you.

Together, we can create a lasting legacy.

Join Arcadis. Create a Legacy.

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We want you to be able to bring your best self to work every day which is why we take equality and inclusion seriously and hold ourselves to account for our actions. Our ambition is to be an employer of choice and provide a great place to work for all our people. We are an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. We are dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status, disability, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law.

The salary range for this position is $138,700 - $158,700. The base salary represents Arcadis’ hiring range for this position. Actual salaries will vary and will be based on various factors, such as location, skills, experience, and qualification for the role.