Director of Rail Modernization Delivery

At the MBTA, we envision a thriving region enabled by a best-in-class transit system. Our mission is to serve the public by providing safe, reliable, and accessible transportation. MBTA’s Core Values are built around safety, service, equity, sustainability, and culture. Each employee that works for the MBTA performs their roles based on our vision, mission, and values. This includes attendance, participation, and contribution in local safety committee meetings as needed.

MBTA Regional Rail Modernization is a service-focused program that will transform the current commuter rail into a significantly more productive, equitable, and decarbonized enterprise, with higher-frequency, all-day, bidirectional Regional Rail service. Specifically, the rail system of the future will be more similar to rapid transit in its most dense urban rail corridors within Route 128. It will have appropriately scheduled regional service to the network outside the urban core.

The modernization will be delivered in phases, with targeted early-action infrastructure improvements delivering improved service in the short term, in parallel with the planning and permitting of the first phase of electrification, utilizing an innovative mix of battery and catenary.

All aspects of the program are organized under one Regional Rail Modernization Office, allowing better configuration management and systems integration as the scope spans everything from demand forecasting, fare strategy, service planning, rail-bus integration, first/last mile strategies, as well as the integrated delivery of new rolling stock, track, station, maintenance facilities, and the power systems they require.

The Director of Rail Modernization Delivery leads the technical and strategic aspects of regional rail modernization-related capital work, initially focusing on the management of the delivery of Early Action projects, including any accepted Innovation Proposals. The role will also support the infrastructure aspects of the current procurement of the Regional Rail Operating Contract and future Electrification/Modernization Contracts.

Other strategic and policy setting roles will include: the investigating of methods to reduce construction carbon emissions and how to apply them to rail modernization; leadership of the development of capital cost forecasts for an outline business plan for the first phase of rail modernization and development of a digital twin for the railroad to facilitate system integration and the transition from construction to operation/whole life asset management.

• Primary responsibility for managing the program of Regional Rail Modernization early action projects from initial concepts to scoping, CIP or grant application, and through delivery into operation.
• Oversee and coordinate the railroad operations project managers in their work, overseeing individual Early Action projects.
• Act as MBTA lead for the infrastructure portion of the Fairmount line 20-minute decarbonized service program once a proposer is selected.
• Manage the development of cost forecasts for the rail modernization business plan and the Shadow bid(s) for the future Electrification/Modernization contract(s).
• Responsible for developing digital railroad strategy, including the evaluation of infrastructure monitoring initiatives, as well as the incorporation of requirements into the procurement of new assets.
• Responsible for developing the construction decarbonization strategy and performance targets for rail modernization projects and any capital works under the future innovative operating contract(s).
• Responsible for developing supporting technical material for loan or grant applications, including discretionary grant proposals in conjunction with Capital Program Planning, and supporting applications for USDOT loan programs.
• Act as a subject-matter resource on engineering, mitigation of construction risk, value engineering approaches, alternative construction approaches, cost-effective due diligence and site investigation, construction packaging, and potential modifications to law or regulation relating to technical matters.
• Represent the…