Principal Systems Engineer

UK-London

Job ID: 2021-1413

Position Type: Fixed-Term Full-Time

FTC Duration: 2 years

Post End Date: 23/01/2022

Overview

As a Principal Systems Engineer you will provide professional and technical expertise to support RSSB’s delivery of standards and related projects where specialist knowledge of operational technology, cyber security, data and railway operating systems is required. You will lead engineering and operational specialists in developing requirements, rationale and guidance for the railway system covering compatibility at European, national and route levels, safe integration in support of the common safety method for risk evaluation and assessment (CSM RA) and railway operational technology, systems and data. Operational technology, systems and data includes variously the hardware, firmware, software, data and security of applications such as railway signalling, train control and protection systems, traffic management, SCADA, remote infrastructure monitoring, train running systems (including TOPS, TRUST and derivatives), asset recording and configuration management systems, and Telematics National Technical Specification Notices.

You will author new and revised standards, including Railway Group Standards and Rail Industry Standards, lead on revisions to National Technical Specification Notices and support development of European and International standards (through collaboration with BSI, CEN, CENELEC, ISO and IEC).

Responsibilities

• Lead and support the application of system modelling, analysis and requirements capture techniques and facilitate industry consensus on emerging requirements, rationale and guidance across a wide range of railway operational systems and the context in which they exist, including the detailed impact that these systems have on the railway system.
• Provide timely and comprehensive technical support to help RSSB deliver research. Identify opportunities for and implement improved methodologies for developing requirements and research.
• Provide timely and comprehensive technical support to RSSB members in line with reasonable requests.
• Ensure that the means of achieving improvements (for example safety, technical and/or economic) are sought through the identification of technical opportunities and by monitoring technical development and international best practice.
• Represent RSSB and the wider rail industry through membership of relevant industry committees, including technical committees and mirror groups facilitated by RSSB, BSI, CEN/CENELEC and others. Chair industry meetings as required.
• Work in conjunction with the Standards Technical & Regulatory Policy department to ensure that the solutions developed, or documents drafted, comply with the relevant decision making criteria for the environment in which they are made.
• Inspire and support the industry in benefiting from RSSB’s work so that RSSB’s output have the impact that is intended.
• Provide direction, advice and coaching to develop colleagues.
• Resolve technical issues for matters referred by colleagues where you have specific competency.
• Peer review standards work produced by others.
• Report to the Professional Head of CCS&C technical issues for resolution and subsequent action.
• Report progress and provide technical direction and advice to project managers and the Professional Head of CCS&C on progress made on individual projects.
• Act as Professional Head of CCS&C on an interim basis, as required.

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• A science, mathematics or engineering qualification and experience or a professional qualification (e.g. I.Eng or C.Eng).
• Experience in the transport sector and knowledge of railway systems and railway operations.
• Experience in the management of safety-related, or safety-critical systems.
• Experience with document revision/change control work processes.
• An understanding of current and emerging programmable electronic system technologies as applied to railway control, command and signalling, technologies.
• Knowledge of cyber security risks and controls for operational technology.
• Knowledge of, relevant interoperability and safety legislation and standards.
• Effective analytical skills and the ability to apply them in the context of the railway system.
• An ability to learn quickly and think abstractly.
• An ability to work collaboratively with industry to ensure effective fit for purpose standards.
• Excellent levels of accuracy.
• Effective communication and interpersonal and presentation skills.
• Effective writing skills and ability to understand technical documents.
• Analytical skills with the ability to assimilate information and abstract ideas.
• Effective chairing skills for stakeholder meetings.
• Effective facilitation skills with experience and ease of working with senior rail professionals, technical committees and stakeholders at all levels to explain the results of your work, support their understanding and inform their decisions.
• Leadership and coaching skills.
• A commitment to RSSB’s values and customer service.

Desirable criteria

• An understanding of the whole railway system and an ability to apply specialist knowledge to the system.
• Experience in the assurance of safety-related, or safety-critical systems.
• An understanding of requirements, rationale and guidance in the context of the Railway Group Standards Code and Manual.
• An ability to undertake horizon scanning to be proactive in capitalising on the implementation of new technology.
• A high level of competence in MS Project, Excel, Word and PowerPoint
• An ability to apply systems engineering thinking to solve challenging whole railway system problems.

Early applications are encouraged, as we may close this vacancy before the advertised deadline if sufficient numbers of applications are received.