Senior Systems Engineer
Role details
Job location
Tech stack
Job description
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 Maintenance 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.
What You'll Be Doing: 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 County of Santa Clara FFWCP recognizes VTA as a business that creates supportive workplaces for employees and their families.
Family-friendly workplaces improve health outcomes and job satisfaction for employees and increase work productivity and retention for employers. Employers can create a family-friendly workplace by meeting and exceeding state and federal employment laws relating to parental leave, lactation accommodation, and work/family balance.
Essential Job Functions
Typical Tasks
- Selects, trains, supervises, and assigns work to professional and technical engineering staff;
- Oversees the work of staff, consultants, and contractors;
- Provides expertise for systems integration of vehicles, track, overhead electrification, traction power, signals, communications equipment, and fare vending machines;
- Evaluates systems, equipment, and operations for safety, cost effectiveness, efficiency, and reliability;
- Develops and reviews specifications and prepares budget estimates for vehicles, systems, and components;
- Develops and designs changes to upgrade systems and equipment;
- Monitors performance of critical components and systems and provides data on failure trends;
- Participates in accident investigation to determine cause and damage to systems and recommends corrective action;
- Develops or assists in developing programs and procedures for quality assurance, testing, major overhaul and rebuild, or systems and equipment;
- Ensures coordination of construction work by others within or near the right-of-way with the operations of the rail system;
- Establishes and maintains control of equipment and technical documents;
- Maintains contacts with other agencies, suppliers, and consultants;
- Prepares and presents oral and written reports;
- Performs related work as required., + Supervise systems engineering functions;
- Evaluate and monitor work and performance of others;
- Analyze engineering problems and work out effective solutions;
- Make accurate engineering computations;
- Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing;
- Write accurate and concise engineering reports, analyses, specifications, and procedures;
- Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those encountered in the course of work., All updates regarding your application-including notices for testing and interviews-will be sent via email. Be sure to select email as your preferred method of communication and maintain a valid, up-to-date email address. Applicants are also responsible for keeping their phone numbers and mailing addresses current in their online profiles., While you are welcome to upload a resume, it does not substitute for completing the online application in full. Be sure that your application accurately reflects the education and experience necessary for the position.
Applications are reviewed throughout the recruitment process to determine whether candidates meet the minimum qualifications. Meeting these minimums or advancing through any stage does not guarantee further consideration. Any misrepresentation or falsification of qualifications, experience, education, or training may result in disqualification and/or exclusion from future employment opportunities with VTA.
This classification is represented by Transportation Authority Engineers and Architects Association (TAEA). Wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment are governed by the applicable collective bargaining agreement between VTA and the union.
Tentative Examinations: Oral Panel: Week of April 27 - May 1, 2026
Conditions of Employment Final candidates must successfully complete a Live scan background check, reference checks, verification of education or certifications, and a criminal history review before appointment.
Requirements
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., Sufficient education, training, and professional engineering experience on electrified rail systems which demonstrates the ability to perform the above tasks and possession of the following knowledge and abilities.
Registration as a professional electrical or mechanical engineer in the State of California, at the time of appointment., + Design and construction of electrified rail systems and components;
- Principles of supervision and training;
- Systems and component testing;
- Principles of quality assurance and quality control;
- Investigative techniques;
- Operations and maintenance of rail transit vehicles and equipment;
- Federal, State and local safety and other legal requirements;
- Maintenance requirements and practices of rail vehicles, wayside equipment and systems;
- Specialized tools and equipment used in the maintenance of rail systems and equipment., + I currently hold an active California PE license in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering
- I have passed the California PE examination in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering and am awaiting issuance of the license
- I do not meet this requirement
03
If you currently hold an active California PE License in Electrical or Mechanical, please list your license number and expiration date. If you have passed the California PE Examination and are waiting for your license number, indicate "N/A" and answer the next question.
Benefits & conditions
If you have passed the California PE examination but have not yet received your license number, please provide:
- Date the PE examination was passed; 2) Date application for licensure was submitted to the California Board; 3) Current status of your licensure application; and 4) Anticipated date of license issuance. If you currently hold an active California PE License, indicate "N/A".
05
Describe a time you used maintenance, reliability, or performance data to assess the health of a rail system (or similar complex system). In your response, explain: 1) What data sources you used (e.g., failures, work orders, delays, inspections, condition monitoring, trending); 2) How you determined whether the issue was isolated or systemic; 3) What analysis method(s) you used; 4) What recommendations you provided to management; and 5) What actions were taken and what results were achieved.
06
Provide an example of a complex technical problem involving a rail vehicle or rail infrastructure system (such as traction power, OCS, propulsion, controls, or related systems) that you helped resolve. In your response, please describe: 1) The symptoms and operational impact; 2) Your troubleshooting and root-cause process; 3) How you coordinated with maintenance, operations, vendors, or contractors; 4) The corrective action implemented; and 5) How you validated the solution and prevented recurrence.
07
Describe a project you managed that involved system modification, component replacement, upgrade implementation, or construction/interface work in an active operating environment. In your response, please include: 1) Project scope, schedule, and budget responsibilities; 2) Key risks (safety, service impacts, materials, vendors, regulatory/compliance, outage co-ordination); 3) How you managed stakeholders and competing priorities; 4) How you handled scope changes or unexpected issues; and 5) Final outcome (schedule, cost, performance, lessons learned).
- Required Question
Employer Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
