Job & Business Opportunities

Job Summary

This classification is primarily responsible for performing many of the tasks in the following areas: Project Planning and Technical Engineering, Systems Project Oversight and Management, Systems Engineering Design, Field Safety and Accident Investigation, Radio Communication Assignments, and Calendar/Meeting Management and Support. This is the journey, fully trained level within this series; incumbents are expected to be fully competent to independently perform the full range of duties. Work mainly involves the gathering and interpretation of data dealing with problems and difficult situations. Incumbents may put forth alternative solutions for consideration.

Supervision

Supervision Received: This class works under direction, wherein the employee receives general instructions regarding the scope and approach to projects or assignments, but procedures and techniques are left to the discretion of the employee.

Supervision Exercised: This class may provide indirect supervision to lower level personnel.

Distinguishing Characteristics

N/A

Essential Functions

A. Project Planning and Technical Engineering.
Duties may include:
Prepare and review technical contract specifications to ensure accuracy and legal compliance. Prepare issue papers and history reports for the District’s Board of Directors to consider and vote on. Review and modify AutoCAD drawings of rail-related systems for contract preparation. Evaluate contractors’ bids and ability to perform work. Monitor contractors’ contract performance and milestones. Ensure contractors’ final products meets the design. Provide information to and answer questions from contractors during the pre-bid process. Participate in public meetings with all interested contractors to describe the project. Other duties as assigned.

B. Project Oversight and Management
Duties may include:
Develop, monitor, and communicate critical timelines through detailed schedules and workloads. Coordinate construction activity for LRT Projects with multiple consultants, contractors, sub-contractors, City and County, and State agencies. Attend weekly construction meetings to inform, escalate, and resolve critical projects that affect the public. Initiate and develop solutions to complicated requests for information, provide documentation, and review submittals. Provide written communication, and complex reasoning to initiate Potential Change Orders to alleviate costly issues. Work with contractors, upper management, and legal department to complete the bid process. Ensure projects meet strict timelines and address all system-related issues. Review and monitor budget, system milestones, and schedules; negotiate project deliverables and compliance with specification requirements with the contractor and the consultant. Evaluate the contractor’s performance. Compose letters, meeting minutes, cost estimates, action item lists, and amendments. Provide oversight to contractors and consultants on resolutions of action items and approve contract documents and invoices. Conduct suitability or modifications of equipment or materials to meet authority standards. Develop recommendations to senior management. Confer with the contractor regarding alternative solutions to the specified requirements; review contractor quotations. Determine cost analysis for quotation margin levels and prepare system engineering scopes of work. Other duties as assigned.

C. Systems Engineering Design
Duties may include:
Develop engineering budgets for projects to define a baseline cost structure for Board of Director approval. Review and analyze engineering calculations and their adherence to ANSI, ASTM, ASME, and AREMA standards. Prepare specifications, plans, and designs related to TPSS, signal design, track construction, and other projects. Utilize CAD and engineering design tools to prepare engineering and design documents. Evaluate electrical schematics for LRV, power substations, and track power distribution. Design electrical solutions for LRV subsystems wayside power distribution, and track control. Provide technical expertise in repair and trouble shooting of vehicle and track power distribution and control. Provide technical guidance and supervision of LRV sub-suppliers and installation contractors. Review and evaluate electrical related technical proposals, reports, and other submittals. Create maintenance procedures and field modification instructions. Provide engineering support services required for the District’s capital program design and implementation. Provide technical assistance in the development of the conceptual design of bus and rail facilities. Provide technical and general coordination and interface with professional and technical representatives of the City, County, State, and private organizations. Other duties as assigned.

D. Field Safety and Accident Investigation
Duties may include:
Review and evaluate existing and new light rail system, including the track, OCS, and signal system, in order to meet safety standards. Develop and implement appropriate engineering solutions to safety-related issues. Respond to hardware and electrical-related accidents along the light rail system. Other duties as assigned.

E. Radio Communication Assignments
Duties may include:
Coordinate movement of internal District workers and vehicles throughout the system by two-way radio with emphasis on non-routine communications. Utilize the two-way radio to ensure critical incidents such as accidents, mechanical difficulties, service disruptions, and red tag events, are quickly resolved to minimize the effect to the public. Work with the City, State, and SMUD to coordinate activities for existing and new light rail projects. Other duties as assigned.

F. Calendar/Meeting Management and Support
Duties may include:
Attend meetings to take minutes or notes. Prepare meeting information
packets. Prepare meeting agenda and meeting minutes. Reserve facilities and equipment for meetings. Other duties as assigned.

G. Public Information
Duties may include:
Organize meetings and telephone conference calls. Prepare meeting and conference agendas and compose reports of meeting minutes reports. Represent the District at design reviews, surveys and tests. Participate together with the District's senior management in negotiating the contract provisions and amendments. Prepare and present to the District's management comprehensive reports with a status of projects. Present to the District’s senior management recommendations for open items, cost estimates, and issue papers for Board approval. Coordinate and schedule training. Other duties as assigned.

Job Demands

Physical and Mental Requirements:

• Mobility: frequent use of keyboard; frequent sitting for long periods of time; occasional bending or squatting.


• Lifting: frequently up to 10 pounds; occasionally up to 25 pounds.


• Vision: constant use of overall vision; frequent reading and close-up work; occasional color and depth vision.


• Dexterity: frequent repetitive motion; frequent writing; frequent grasping, holding, and reaching.


• Hearing/Talking: frequent hearing and talking, in person and on the phone.


• Emotional/Psychological: frequent decision-making and concentration; frequent public and/or coworker contact; occasional working alone.


• Environmental: frequent exposure to noise.

Knowledge and Abilities

Required Knowledge of:

• LRV and track signal, interface, and control technologies.


• Civil and systems engineering related to track, OCS, TPSS, train, and bus Systems.


• Construction materials, methods, and processes.


• Design submittals and proof of design and acceptance testing to validate safety certification.


• Design, testing, and commissioning of car borne equipment for the light rail.


• Electrical engineering principals and rail vehicle codes.


• Electromagnetic compatibility emissions and susceptibilities of the car borne and electromagnetic interference measures.


• Engineering principles, theory, and practices relating to design, specification writing, and estimating.


• Failure modes effect analysis (FMEA) in order to derive a cause and solution to a safety incident.


• Fare vending machine configuration management.


• Light rail systems LRV stations information and fare vending operational requirements.


• Light rail systems track signaling and TWC operational requirements.


• Light rail systems traction and overhead power distribution system operational requirements.


• Light rail transit systems operations.


• Light rail vehicle car borne equipment and wayside signaling equipment.


• National Electrical Codes as applied to power distribution and to rail vehicles.


• Patron interface and fare policy requirements.


• Power substation equipment for the existing transit light rail systems.


• Rail vehicle rehabilitation methods, techniques, and processes.


• Rail-highway grade crossings.


• Standards outlined in OSHA, FRA, CalTrans, PUC, AREMA, and ANSI/ASME.


• Test equipment, test methods, and test techniques for electromagnetic interference.


• Track circuits for railroad transit lines.


• Traction and overhead power distribution system maintenance requirements.


• Troubleshooting and testing techniques and practices for information and fare vending maintenance, track signaling, TWC maintenance, and traction and overhead power maintenance.


• UBC and CBA building codes for commercial construction.


• UMTA-MA test procedures for conducted, radiated, and inductive emissions.

• Learn the District’s policies, procedures, plans, programs, and performance criteria.


• Analyze the consequences of EMI interference by car borne and wayside equipment failure conditions.


• Capture accurate dictation, including action, owners, and timelines, during "heated" discussions at meetings.


• Collect and interpret data to ensure proper sizing of substation breakers and transformers.


• Convey engineering principles to people with varying backgrounds in engineering and construction.


• Coordinate delivery schedule and installation schedule of fare vending machines.


• Coordinate engineering solutions with contractors, sub-contractors, construction management, District, and several different agencies.


• Coordinate access agreements and contractors with the Union Pacific Rail Road (UPRR).


• Coordinate with SMUD and other utility services.


• Deal diplomatically and effectively with contractors and their sub-contractors.


• Develop clear, complete, and accurate engineering specifications, drawings, and bid list within timelines.


• Discuss and identify project problems, analyze situations, recommend solutions, and evaluate outcomes.


• Evaluate the decision on the procurement of materials.


• Interact professionally with various levels of employees, public officials, and outside representatives at all skill levels, position levels, and backgrounds.


• Interpret electrical schematics to ensure proper voltage and current flows.


• Interpret testing procedures and results to insure proper systems operation.


• Interpret, review, and approve design submittals, including drawings, descriptions, and schematics.


• Make field and site inspections for problem investigation.


• Manage creative engineering solutions within tight budget amounts.


• Monitor and direct contractor performance to meet project milestones and maintain high quality.


• Properly size equipment, components, and wiring based on power calculations.


• Respond to urgent red tag requests prior to the normal requesting period.


• Review and comment on design description and interface control drawings.


• Review and comment on proof of design and acceptance testing procedures.


• Review and comment on system installation and electrical schematic drawings.


• Transfer of knowledge from outside contractors to internal engineers.


• Troubleshoot LRV system equipment failures.


• Use test software to review fault logs and interrogate and exercise the subsystem.


• Write issue and historical information papers for Board of Director’s review.

• Common word processing software.


• Common spreadsheet software.


• Common database applications.


• ERMS software concepts.


• Accounting or operations software functionality.


• Email, contact management, and scheduling software.


• Project management software.


• Presentation and AutoCAD software.

Minimum Qualifications — Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Required Prior Experience:
Four years of related experience. Work experience in an LRV engineering environment is desirable.

Required Prior Education:
A Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, or Industrial Engineering. Must possess an EIT Certificate at the time of hire. A Professional Engineer License is desirable.