Mid Green occupation

Engineering and manufacturing

Rail and rail systems principal engineer - Track Engineering

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Helping maintain railway tracks and equipment.

Summary

A Rail and Rail Systems Principal Engineer is a senior strategic role and provides industry wide leadership related to their chosen specialism. Specialisms include Rail Civils; Rail Track; Rail Signalling and Control; Rail Systems & Integration; Rail Traction & Rolling Stock, Rail Telecoms, Network & Digital; Rail Electrical, Mechanical & Building Services. They are responsible, and where appropriate accountable for, defining the scope of the railway related (conventional or high speed)– work to be done within their specialism. They liaise with industry partners beyond their immediate organisation and this can include other train operators and government departments. They lead integrated safe design, construction, installation, maintenance, renewal, or decommissioning, to provide a safe and reliable railway. They have a deep understanding of how their organisation fits into the national railway network and their responsibilities regarding legislation and government policy. They are a key decision maker, influencer and leader who will be proactive in finding different potential solutions to problems and identifying areas for improvement at a project, organisation or rail industry level. They are likely to be a subject matter expert and the technical lead for their organisation or professional engineering discipline with the associated accountability for the interactions between rail technical areas and inter-disciplinary and inter-organisational teams.

Typical job titles include

Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)

K1:

The scientific, technical, engineering, mathematical and design principles and practices across the majority of railway engineering disciplines for the delivery of design, maintenance, renewal, construction and / or decommissioning across the railway. Knows how the railway works as an integrated, complex system, and understands technological developments and how they influence future operation of the railway/ways of working.

K2:

Rail and Rail Systems Engineering innovation and solutions, including project management principles, asset, data, quality and risk management and assurance systems and business improvement processes and techniques.

K3:

Business planning including: project / scheme sponsorship, detailed financial planning and government rail regulatory funding rules, commercial imperatives, contractual obligations, supply chain management, and resourcing.

K4:

Research and development methodologies informed by business and data analytics, problem solving and structured continuous improvement tools/techniques.

K5:

Leading teams to work effectively, often in complex situations, across multiple disciplines or railway worksites. Understands employment law and strategic workforce planning, change management and transformational leadership theory/processes.

K6:

Approaches to partner, stakeholder and supplier relationship management including negotiation, influencing, and networking. Detailed knowledge of collaborative working techniques and how to share best practice pan-industry. Detailed understanding of conflict resolution and stakeholder engagement, particularly related to railway regulation/funding rules.

K10:

The application of track standards e.g. Eurocodes, TSIs and industry norms.

K11:

Rail materials and componentry e.g. construction material strengths and grades, components and proprietary elements (e.g. bearings, sleepers, rail etc.)

K12:

Rail track geometry requirements and influences of track layouts from particular aspects of the railway environment, e.g. geotechnical, structures, bridges, tunnels, embankments, cuttings, vegetation and drainage including relevant techniques (e.g. rail milling, grinding and stone blowing)

Technical Educational Products

: ST0497: Rail and rail systems principal engineer (integrated degree) - Track Engineering (Level 7) Approved for delivery

Reference:: OCC0497F

Status:: Approved occupation

Average (median) salary:: £45,514 per year

SOC 2020 code:: 2121 Civil engineers

SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 2121/99 Civil engineers n.e.c.
- 2121/05 Transportation engineers
- 2129/99 Engineering professionals n.e.c.

S1:

Keep themselves and others safe by implementing and leading on safe working practices on the railway. Promote and champion within areas of influence compliance with statutory rail regulations and organisational safety requirements, including competence and safe access to work locations. Lead risk assessment workshops and hazard reviews.

S2:

Lead value engineering and whole life costing; identifying resources and cost options including draft railway specifications, concept or detailed designs.

S3:

Deliver rail and rail systems engineering solutions including planning, resource allocation, management and delivery to rail industry specifications, taking strategic decisions, and critical judgements informed by change and risk management priorities commensurate with one’s technical authority (e.g. being the specifier of the standard).

S4:

Lead Senior Management / Executive meetings reporting on technical and financial issues. Delivers interactive presentations, communicating rail technical and business data. Able to deliver papers to technical and non-technical internal and external conferences. May be an advisor on rail technical content to professional presentations.

S5:

Strategically contribute to long-term rail business planning within and beyond the organisation. Able to make risk-based decisions informed by business performance shaping factors, e.g. finance, commercial, contractual, including the impact of organisational change and change management.

S6:

Engage in the creative and innovative development of railway engineering technology and structured continuous improvement tools and techniques. Lead research and development for rail products, services or processes.

S7:

Lead multiple, multi-disciplinary, high performing teams. Delegate challenging tasks. Identifies appropriate mentorship / coaching required in line with talent management /succession planning, informed by strategic workforce plans and regulatory requirements.

S8:

Work collaboratively being aware of personal and team actions and impacts on others. Developing and maintaining effective relationships with rail colleagues, clients, suppliers and the public within their level of influence e.g. government, regulator, cross-industry, academia, and professional institutions. Lead multi-company or multi-discipline teams

S13:

Apply track engineering skill-sets in a wide range of environments/settings e.g. railway tunnelling, to support the effective performance and operation of the business, including understanding and application of appropriate techniques for maintenance, construction, and temporary works communicating findings to affected parties.

S14:

Lead the provision of expert technical advice and input, including development of rail track policies, standards, specifications and means of compliance and assurance.

S15:

Lead the definition of project, business and technical needs, considering the complete problem and its associated risks for track engineering.

S16:

Provide expert rail engineering judgement to ensure projects are assured and integrated, within budget, safe, risk assessed and delivered to deadlines and requirements.

Technical Educational Products

: ST0497: Rail and rail systems principal engineer (integrated degree) - Track Engineering (Level 7) Approved for delivery

Reference:: OCC0497F

Status:: Approved occupation

Average (median) salary:: £45,514 per year

SOC 2020 code:: 2121 Civil engineers

SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 2121/99 Civil engineers n.e.c.
- 2121/05 Transportation engineers
- 2129/99 Engineering professionals n.e.c.

B1:

Communication and influencing skills, choosing appropriate media to suit the audience and situation; influencing outcomes. Leads high level communication activity including Government, rail regulators, stakeholders and representative groups e.g. Unions.

B2:

Professionalism, dependability, determination, consistency, resilience, honesty and integrity. Respects others, acts ethically and contributes to sustainable development. Demonstrates leadership and followership, being a role model within the rail industry.

B3:

A proactive self-disciplined, self-motivated and motivational approach to work, demonstrating continued resilience to set backs and railway operational challenges.

B4:

Safe working practices, to approved rail industry standards, and ensuring others do likewise. Identifies and take responsibility for obligations for health, safety and welfare issues. Creates a culture of safety where this is everyone’s responsibility at all times.

B5:

Collaborative working that leads to a culture where people are aware of their actions and the impact they may have on others within a railway/regulated environment.

B6:

Continuous Professional Development, giving and receiving constructive feedback, creating an environment for lifelong learning. Maintains and extends a sound theoretical approach to the application of technology in rail engineering practice recognising technological, political, and economic developments affecting the industry.

Technical Educational Products

: ST0497: Rail and rail systems principal engineer (integrated degree) - Track Engineering (Level 7) Approved for delivery

Reference:: OCC0497F

Status:: Approved occupation

Average (median) salary:: £45,514 per year

SOC 2020 code:: 2121 Civil engineers

SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 2121/99 Civil engineers n.e.c.
- 2121/05 Transportation engineers
- 2129/99 Engineering professionals n.e.c.