Project Engineer, Communications

About Burns:

Burns Engineering provides professional engineering design and project management services for transportation, facilities, and infrastructure projects. We help our clients attain their strategic goals and initiatives through successful large-scale infrastructure projects.  Burns’ full-service capabilities include mechanical, electrical, civil, structural, transportation, and energy consulting engineering.

Recently voted a Top Workplace by Philly.com, we credit our strength as an organization to our talented, driven, vibrant team.  Burns is an ENR Top 500 Firm, and has been named an MEP Giant by Consulting-Specifying Engineer Magazine, as well as a Hot Firm by Zweig.  We are industry experts, proven leaders, innovative thinkers, and team players. We put our clients’ successes and best interests first, because their success is our success. We have fun at work because we love making a difference in the world.  We are looking for high-energy, bright, collaborative individuals who want the opportunity to “write their own story” with us.

Burns is currently seeking a Project Engineer, Communications to join our Transit and Rail Team in Sacramento, CA.

The Project Engineer, Communications, provides engineering leadership for railway communications and operational telecommunications systems on the California High-Speed Rail (CAHSR) Program, supporting design, integration, testing, and commissioning. The position covers fiber optic backbone networks, operational telecommunications systems, IP/MPLS networks, Operations Control Center communications, wayside and maintenance radio systems, dispatch communications, public address, CCTV transport networks, cybersecurity interfaces, and integrated operational communications and control systems.

In this role, the Project Engineer prepares, reviews, and approves communications engineering deliverables through design, construction, and testing and commissioning; supports requirements management, system architecture development, and interface definition; and reviews supplier and contractor designs for compliance with Program specifications and operational requirements. The position supports FCC licensing and frequency coordination, radio spectrum management, interference assessment, and coverage studies, and develops and reviews test plans, procedures, and commissioning strategies across Factory Acceptance Testing, Site Acceptance Testing, System Integration Testing, network validation testing, and trial running.

Reporting to the Project Manager, Communications, the Project Engineer supplies the Program with technically complete and coordinated communications deliverables, verified compliance and coverage evidence, and the documentation required for telecommunications and regulatory approval and entry into revenue service. The position is based in Sacramento, California, with travel of 25 to 50 percent along the alignment.

Position Responsibilities

· Prepare, review, and approve communications engineering deliverables throughout design, construction, and testing and commissioning

· Ensure technical documentation is complete, coordinated, and developed in accordance with Program requirements and applicable standards

· Support requirements management, system architecture development, and interface definition activities for communications systems

· Review supplier and contractor designs for compliance with Program specifications and operational requirements

· Coordinate interfaces between communications, signaling, traction power, SCADA, stations, operations, maintenance facilities, and information technology teams

· Provide technical oversight for fiber optic backbone networks, operational telecommunications systems, and IP/MPLS networks

· Provide technical oversight for Operations Control Center communications, wayside radio, maintenance radio, and dispatch communications systems

· Provide technical oversight for public address systems, CCTV transport networks, cybersecurity interfaces, and integrated operational communications and control systems

· Support FCC licensing and frequency coordination activities, and prepare and review documentation required for telecommunications, operational, and regulatory approvals

· Work with regulatory authorities, telecommunications providers, operators, and Program stakeholders to obtain approvals and certifications

· Support radio spectrum management, interference assessments, radio coverage studies, and compliance documentation

· Address technical review comments and closeout actions raised by regulatory agencies and independent assessors

· Develop and review test plans, test procedures, and commissioning strategies for communications systems

· Support Factory Acceptance Testing, Site Acceptance Testing, System Integration Testing, network validation testing, and operational trial running, and witness testing to verify compliance with operational and performance requirements

· Coordinate defect management, corrective actions, and final system acceptance, and support revenue service demonstration and operational handover

Minimum Qualifications

· Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field and a minimum of ten (10) years of experience in railway communications, operational telecommunications, or transportation systems engineering

· Demonstrated experience taking communications systems from design through testing, commissioning, and final acceptance

· Experience developing and reviewing engineering deliverables on large transportation infrastructure projects

· Strong working knowledge of systems integration and operational railway communications applications

· Experience supporting requirements management, system architecture development, and interface definition

· Experience reviewing supplier and contractor designs, network designs, and telecommunications documentation

· Experience developing and reviewing test plans, test procedures, and commissioning documentation

· Experience supporting radio coverage studies, interference assessment, or spectrum management activities

· Experience preparing documentation supporting telecommunications, operational, and regulatory approvals

· Strong technical writing, coordination, and stakeholder engagement skills

· Availability for travel of 25 to 50 percent along the alignment

Preferred Qualifications/ Certifications/ Licensures

· Professional Engineer (PE) licensure; additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of licensure

· Experience with railway operational telecommunications systems

· Experience with wayside radio and maintenance radio systems

· High-speed rail project experience

· Familiarity with FCC licensing requirements and U.S. telecommunications regulations

· Experience with fiber optic transport systems, IP networking, LTE, mission-critical communications, or FRMCS

· Experience supporting system certification, operational approvals, and entry into revenue service

· Experience leading design reviews and resolving technical issues in the field

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