Senior Systems Engineer

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Agency (VTA) is seeking a collaborative, solutions-oriented engineer with strong experience in rail transit systems and a passion for improving system performance for the position of Senior Systems Engineer.

The Senior Systems Engineer plays a key role in advancing the safety, reliability, and performance of the Light Rail System. Based at the Light Rail Maintenance Yard, this position provides high-level engineering support across rail system assets and helps ensure compliance with regulatory requirements while driving continuous system improvement.

This role leads and supports a wide range of engineering projects, including component and material replacement, maintenance service improvements, and construction-related upgrades. The Senior Systems Engineer uses system data and field insights to monitor asset health, identify improvement opportunities, solve complex technical issues, and recommend solutions ranging from part changes to fleet-wide enhancements.

The position works closely with maintenance teams, contractors, consultants, and other engineering disciplines, requiring strong technical judgment, project management capability, and the ability to deliver practical, effective solutions in a dynamic operating environment.

Light Rail Vehicle (LRV) Maintenance is located at the Guadalupe Light Rail Division. LRV Maintenance is responsible for timely and reliable maintenance, preventive maintenance, inspections, repair and servicing of light rail vehicles and service equipment.

After a light rail vehicle returns from revenue service at the end of each day, Maintenance performs an interior inspection/walk-through of the vehicle, analyzes the Operator Defect Card, performs a visual inspection of the vehicle undercarriage, performs exterior and interior cleaning, cleans and repairs windows and seating, and removes and repairs graffiti and vandalism.

Regular preventive maintenance is performed at prescheduled cycles every 10,000, 30,000, 60,000, and 120,000 miles to ensure optimal performance, efficiency, safety and reliability. Running Repair/Corrective Maintenance repairs items identified by Operators during the daily operation of an LRV. The normal service life of VTA's light rail vehicle fleet is about 30 years and the major vehicle components are overhauled in a 3‑phase program to achieve this lifespan.

After 120,000 miles, contacts and the air system, including brake boxes and subcomponents, are overhauled. After 240,000 miles, major components including the motor alternator, gear box, traction motor, pantographs, coupler assembly, trucks, sub‑assemblies, and axle bearing assemblies are overhauled. The air conditioning system, car body paint and furnishings, major electronic components, roof resistors and PC boards are overhauled every 7 to 10 years as needed.

Under direction, the Senior Systems Engineer plans, organizes, and directs varied and difficult electrified rail engineering work performed by staff and consultants, and provides technical assistance in systems engineering to rail operating managers.

The ideal candidate is a collaborative, solutions-oriented engineer with strong experience in rail transit systems and a passion for improving system performance. They bring a solid foundation in engineering design, troubleshooting, and project delivery, and are comfortable working in a public agency or other highly regulated environment.

The strongest candidates will have deep expertise in either rail vehicles or electrified rail infrastructure, including traction power, overhead catenary systems, and related components. They will also have strong knowledge of maintenance practices, data analysis, and reliability improvement methods.

This person is an effective communicator and project leader who can manage multiple priorities, work across disciplines, and build productive relationships with operations staff, contractors, and regulatory stakeholders.

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority employs more than 2,000 people dedicated to providing solutions that move Silicon…