Senior Project Engineer

About the Positions

We’re seeking Senior Project Engineers to support large, complex heavy civil infrastructure programs, including highways, roads, bridges, and transit (bus and rail), delivered through both traditional and alternative delivery methods. You’ll provide engineering oversight for rail systems on a major passenger rail program, including traction power, overhead contact systems (OCS), and wayside communications. We’re looking for real depth in one or more of these areas, and for engineers who have followed systems from design review through testing, commissioning, and the start of passenger operations.

These are long-term, full-time, on-site positions located in Sacramento, CA, with 25% to 50% travel required.

Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Review design packages, technical studies, specifications, construction packages, and contractor submittals for the assigned discipline (such as load flow, short circuit, grounding, and protection studies for traction power; catenary layouts, wiring plans, and clearances for OCS; or network designs and radio coverage studies for communications), and track comments through to closure.
• Provide technical oversight of traction power and medium voltage systems, including traction power substations, paralleling and switching stations, utility interconnections, protective relaying, switchgear, and auxiliary and standby power.
• Provide technical oversight of 25kV AC OCS, including catenary, cantilevers, registration, auto-tensioning, sectioning facilities, neutral sections, and overlaps.
• Provide technical oversight of wayside communications systems, including fiber optic backbone and IP/MPLS networks, operations control center communications, maintenance and wayside radio, dispatch, public address, CCTV transport, and cybersecurity interfaces.
• Coordinate technical interfaces between systems disciplines (traction power, OCS, signaling, communications, and SCADA) and the civil, track, structures, stations, maintenance facility, rolling stock, and operations teams.
• Support approvals from utilities, regulators, and AHJs, including utility interconnections, energization authorizations, FCC licensing, frequency coordination, and responses to reviewer comments.
• Perform field inspections of installation progress, and verify that installed work conforms to approved drawings, specifications, governing standards, and safety requirements.
• Coordinate resolution of field issues, RFIs, design changes, field clarifications, and installation sequencing constraints.
• Prepare and review test strategies, procedures, and commissioning and energization programs, and witness Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), System Integration Testing (SIT), and dynamic testing.
• Support electrical safety, outage planning, and readiness for energization and operations.
• Support closeout of defects and punch list items, turnover documentation, revenue service demonstration, final acceptance of each system, and the start of passenger operations.

Attributes

• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent multi-tasking and organizational skills.
• Collaborative mindset that fosters teamwork, trust, and positive relationships.
• Natural curiosity, problem-solving abilities, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
• Credibility in the field and the confidence to hold a technical position with designers, contractors, and suppliers.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, telecommunications engineering, systems engineering, or civil engineering, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 10+ years of traction power, railway electrification, or rail communications engineering experience for large, complex, heavy civil passenger transit or DOT infrastructure programs.
• Experience following traction power, OCS, or communications systems across the full lifecycle, from design to commissioning and system acceptance.
• Experience reviewing engineering studies, calculations, specifications, and contractor submittals on major transportation programs.
• Experience coordinating technical interfaces with multidisciplinary engineering teams, contractors, utilities, and suppliers.
• Experience preparing or reviewing commissioning documentation and test procedures, and supporting FAT, SAT, and integrated testing.
• Experience supporting utility, regulatory, or AHJ approvals for rail or electrical systems.
• Technical grounding in railway electrification or railway communications systems, such as traction return, grounding and bonding, electrical clearances, fiber and IP networks, or radio systems.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite/Office 365 (e.g., Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in electrical engineering, telecommunications engineering, systems engineering, or civil engineering.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Background in 25kV AC traction power or high-speed catenary systems, including substation construction, utility interconnections, or pantograph-catenary dynamic testing.
• Background in railway operational communications, including wayside and maintenance radio, fiber optic transport, IP/MPLS, LTE, FRMCS, or other mission-critical communications.
• Experience with electrical SCADA, power monitoring, and system-wide power management platforms.
• Working knowledge of FRA, AREMA, EN 50119, and FCC requirements as they apply to railway electrification and communications.
• Experience in an owner’s representative, program management, or construction management capacity.

Compensation Details

Expected Salary: $120k-$200k/year ($58-$96/hour). Luster provides the salary range that the company in good faith believes it might offer for this position based on the successful candidate’s level and years of experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, education, certifications, licenses, geographic location, etc. Luster reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range depending on circumstances not related to any status protected by local, state, and/or federal law.

Just LOOK at the Benefits We Offer!

• Unlimited flexible time off
• Paid holidays
• Paid parental leave
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexible spending accounts (healthcare and dependent or elder care)
• Long-term disability insurance
• Short-term disability insurance
• Life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment
• 401(k) plan with guaranteed employer contribution
• Formal career planning and development program
• $2,500 annually toward professional development
• Wellness program with monthly wellness stipend
• Company cell phone or cell phone plan reimbursement
• Free personalized meal planning and nutrition support with a registered dietitian
• Free personal financial planning services
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discounts
• Employee referral bonus

Specific plan details and coverage for each benefit noted above will be provided upon offer. #IN-LNJS

If you wish to be considered for a position where there is not an active job posted, please search for our 'General Application' and apply. 

Luster is committed to creating an inclusive work environment with a diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to criminal history, race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. This employer participates in E-Verify. The employer will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with information from each new employee's I-9 to confirm work authorization.

All positions may be subject to a background check and drug test once a conditional offer of employment is made for any convictions directly related to its duties and responsibilities, in accordance with all applicable local, state, and/or federal regulations.

This job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position.

Luster does not accept unsolicited resumes from any third-party. In the absence of a signed agreement, Luster will not consider or agree to payment of any kind. Any unsolicited resumes presented to Luster personnel, including those submitted to Luster hiring managers, are deemed to be the property of Luster. 

Please email hiring@luster.com for accommodations necessary to complete the application process.