Rail project engineer

Rail project engineers maintain a safe, cost-effective, high-quality, and environmentally responsible approach across the technical projects in railway companies. They provide project management advice on all construction projects including testing, commissioning and site supervision. They audit contractors for safety, environment and quality of design, process and performance as to ensure that all projects follow in-house standards and relevant legislation.

The following job titles also refer to rail project engineer:

railway project engineer
engineering project manager
railway engineering project manager
rail engineering project manager
rail engineering specialist
engineer in railway projects
project engineer in railways

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as rail project engineer. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Rail project engineer is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to rail project engineer.

railway station manager
rail operations manager
airport planning engineer
aviation surveillance and code coordination manager
packaging production manager

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of rail project engineer. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of rail project engineer with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of rail project engineer.

Rail construction engineering: Thoroughly understand the nature of rail construction engineering; understand safety requirements and related security standards and procedures, to ensure that designs optimise constructability and maintainability.
Rail design engineering: Thoroughly understand the nature of rail design engineering including electrical, civil and mechanical components. Understand principles of engineering contract management and project management.
Statistics: The study of statistical theory, methods and practices such as collection, organisation, analysis, interpretation and presentation of data. It deals with all aspects of data including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments in order to forecast and plan work-related activities.
Railway framework legislation: Know and apply railway framework legislation where requirements for railways in the EU are established. Know legislation that applies to the field of cross-border freight transit.

These skills are necessary for the role of rail project engineer.

Assess railway operations: Review and study existing railroad equipment, facilities, systems and processes in order to improve railway safety and efficiency, increase quality, and reduce costs.
Audit contractors: Examine and document different industry contractors, in order to determine whether they comply with regulations and standards in relation to safety, environment and quality of design, construction and testing, etc.
Ensure compliance with environmental legislation: Monitor activities and perform tasks ensuring compliance with standards involving environmental protection and sustainability, and amend activities in the case of changes in environmental legislation. Ensure that the processes are compliant with environment regulations and best practices.
Prepare railway technical studies: Prepare studies and designs of the railway systems which include analyses of materials, structural strength, construction processes, calculations, schematics, specifications and cost estimates. Examine railway system and facility studies prepared by contractor in order to ensure compliance with the stations, roadways, drainage systems, and other railway structures.
Follow ethical code of conduct in transport services: Carry out transport services according to accepted principles of right and wrong. This includes principles of fairness, transparency, and impartiality.
Perform risk analysis: Identify and assess factors that may jeopardise the success of a project or threaten the organisation’s functioning. Implement procedures to avoid or minimise their impact.
Give instructions to staff: Give instructions to subordinates by employing various communication techniques. Adjust communication style to the target audience in order to convey instructions as intended.
Manage budgets: Plan, monitor and report on the budget.
Maintain relationship with customers: Build a lasting and meaningful relationship with customers in order to ensure satisfaction and fidelity by providing accurate and friendly advice and support, by delivering quality products and services and by supplying after-sales information and service.
Manage railway construction projects: Manage the overall planning, coordination, and control of a project from inception to completion; this includes maintaining contact with different types of equipment, materials and subcontractors, as related to the railway system, throughout the project.
Design customised maps: Design maps taking into account the customer’s specifications and requirements.
Monitor work site: Regularly ensure that working conditions on site meet health and safety requirements; ensure that the proposed work will not pose a threat to the physical integrity of others.
Maintain relationship with suppliers: Build a lasting and meaningful relationship with suppliers and service providers in order to establish a positive, profitable and enduring collaboration, co-operation and contract negotiation.
Comply with legal regulations: Ensure you are properly informed of the legal regulations that govern a specific activity and adhere to its rules, policies and laws.
Use different communication channels: Make use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information.
Manage tender processes: Organise the process of writing and designing proposals or bids for tenders.
Carry out navigational calculations: Solve mathematical problems to achieve safe navigation.
Liaise with rail experts: Communicate and cooperate with bridge, geotechnical, materials experts, architects, etc.
Comprehend financial business terminology: Grasp the meaning of basic financial concepts and terms used in businesses and financial institutions or organisations.
Promote environmental awareness: Calculate the carbon footprint of business processes and other practices in order to promote sustainability and to raise awareness for the environmental impact.
Write technical reports: Compose technical customer reports understandable for people without technical background.
Promote innovative infrastructure design: Throughout the coordination of an engineering project, promote the development of infrastructure that is innovative and sustainable, in line with the latest developments in the field.
Apply technical communication skills: Explain technical details to non-technical customers, stakeholders, or any other interested parties in a clear and concise manner.
Have computer literacy: Utilise computers, IT equipment and modern day technology in an efficient way.
Make numerical calculations: Work with numbers and perform complex calculations. An understanding of the basics of maths is crucial.
Maintain financial records: Keep track of and finalise all formal documents representing the financial transactions of a business or project.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of rail project engineer. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of rail project engineer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Work in a rail transport team: Work confidently within a group in rail transport services, in which each individual has their own responsibility in working towards a common goal such as a good interaction with the customers, railway safety, and rolling stock maintenance.

2142 – Civil engineers

 

 

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References

1. Rail project engineer – ESCO