Senior Systems Engineer

About Us

A career at Hitachi Rail will help create a legacy. With operations in every corner of the world, our work goes to the cutting‑edge of digital transformation and technology. From the multi‑cultural strength of our global organisation to the sustainable and innovative ways we work to bring people together, there’s something for everyone to get stuck into. And that’s where you come in.

London, Greater London, United Kingdom (On‑Site)

To support ongoing growth in our ETCS On board Unit Retro fit portfolio we have an opening in our Systems Engineering job family for a Systems Engineer. This is your chance to work on projects that redefine rail safety and performance across the UK.

As a Senior Systems Engineer in the ETCS OBU portfolio, you will lead the design, development and maintenance of our solutions for projects and bids, and be accountable for delivery of the associated work packages. You will contribute to architectural and key design decisions to ensure our solutions meet the requirements of our customers.

You will report into the Portfolio Engineering Delivery Manager and will be required to provide support to team members through the application of mentoring and coaching.

This is a hybrid role working a minimum of two days per week from our site in the office, which may be Birmingham or London depending on the selected candidate’s location.

• Lead the design and development of scalable systems solutions that meet the needs of our clients and stakeholders in the tram and light rail markets.
• Act as a junior EDM and Work Package Manager (WPM), leading the team operationally with timely provision of status, accurate measurement of progress and forecasting of remaining work and by identifying change, variation, risk and opportunity to the Portfolio EDM.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to gather requirements, define project scope, and develop technical specifications.
• Provide technical input to architectural discussions, conduct trade‑off studies and make recommendations on technology and tools.
• Lead the design and development of solutions using industry best practice.
• Develop and document technical elements of business cases to support project variations and future opportunities.
• Undertake the role of Designer as identified in the CDM regulations, with particular attention to design risks. Ensure that safety risks are designed out or deemed as low as reasonably practicable.
• Troubleshoot issues, identify root causes, and implement effective solutions.
• Provide independent peer review and checking of systems designs.
• Understand and lead the project delivery processes, methodologies, and use the defined tools as set out in the Hitachi Rail GTS UK Management System and the project specific Engineering Management Plans.

• Strong communication, stakeholder management, motivation and inter‑personal skills.
• Strong leadership capability, with ability to build and sustain strong working relationships at all levels.
• Ability to lead, manage, mentor and coach a diverse team.
• Extensive experience in systems development, with a strong understanding of systems engineering principles and methodologies.
• Someone who understands the operational realities of the UK rail network and has worked within its standards and processes.
• Proven experience in designing and developing complex systems applications from concept to production.
• Experience with train systems, integration, or retrofit projects will set you apart from other candidates.
• Familiarity with Network Rail’s governance, assurance, and technical requirements is preferable.
• Solid understanding of systems architecture, architecting techniques and design patterns.
• Sound ability to use design tools to produce complex designs.
• Define engineering delivery methodologies.
• Be able to define and manage configuration control.

• Mentor junior engineers, providing guidance on systems design principles, engineering techniques, and best practices.
• Stay updated on emerging technologies, trends, and industry best practices, and apply them to enhance our solutions.
• Excellent communication skills in all forms and…