Main Purpose;
Working within a team of other engineers led by the Principal the senior engineer should be able to competently discharge duties and lead other more junior members through their knowledge of both Group and Company Standards whilst following technical work instructions. The engineer should also be a team player and leader where required to support the team’s Principal Engineer to coordinate the work load and continue to develop their own skill set in more complex track design including switch and crossing design with other associated design tasks.

Knowledge & Qualifications;

· Academic qualifications should be as a minimum HNC level or Bachelors / Bachelors with Honours degree, it would be advantageous to have a / or Masters.

· Professional qualifications should ideally as a minimum be incorporated / chartered or working towards either status. Regardless of qualification the engineer should be a member of a professional organisation such as ICE / IMECHE or the PWI.

· Full understanding of the Grip For Track process and normal Network Rail GRIP process

· PTS trained to lead survey work out on site. Experience as a COSS/IWA or SWL would also be advantageous.

· Proficient knowledge of Grip 3, 4 and 5. Earlier and later Grip stage knowledge may also be beneficial

· Is proficient in the application of both Group and Company Standards, has an working knowledge of ROGS, TSI’s and PAN’s.

· Can duly read, review and comment on project remits, work scopes and technical documents including PRS’s, CRT’s and RRD’s

· Can formally prepare, review and issue TQ’s and RFI’s to clients

· Has a proficient understanding of the association between geometric elements and the relationship between curvature, cant and deficiency to develop compliant track alignments for the required speed.

· Understands to a proficient level the relationship between vertical curves and gradients also with respect to the horizontal geometry and vertical acceleration to develop compliant track alignments.

· Has a frim understanding of the principles behind switch and crossing design ranging from simple standard turnouts to more complex curved and canted layouts. This should also include an appreciation of the S&C track design good practice guide

· Has a proficient knowledge of Bentley Microstation, PRT, ClearRoute 2, SD Calculator, Track-Ex and Microsoft Office. An appreciation or even working knowledge of Micro Drainage and creation of basic formula in Excel would also be an advantage

· An appreciation of 3D modelling relative to Permanent Way working in the ProjectWise environment. This may include but not limited to the creation of templates to create extruded rail, sleeper and ballast alignments.

· A basic knowledge is also advantageous in the making of a wire frame model from a 3D topographical survey to create surface to allow the cutting of cross sections to existing and proposed alignments at critical locations

· A working understanding of multi-disciplinary railway knowledge with respect to the interfaces between track and others including but not limited to signalling, OLE and civils

· Has a working knowledge on CDM 2015 its correct application and communication across a project. Fully understands and promotes safe by design through project work at all times

· Knowledge in the use of GEOGIS, OMNICOM and Lidar surveys would also be of benefit

· Has an appreciation of track quality and its implication on maintenance issues

· Has a proficient knowledge of common plain line track componentry and basic S&C componentry with respect to design, construction and maintenance issues.

· Has a working knowledge of formation, drainage and track stiffness with respect to the current standards and best working practice

· Has been signed off as an approved CRE for both plain line and S&C schemes with a demonstrable record for both single discipline and mutli-discipline type projects with varying degrees of complexity

Responsibilities;

· Duties include marking out the extents of the site from a defined datum point, gauging all structures using a laser sweep, platform gauge or other approved method. The senior engineer should have sufficient experience to delegate under mentorship if required gauging based activities on site. Componentry knowledge and track fault analysis should be at least a working knowledge to independently assess the condition of the existing track taking the appropriate measurements of head and side wear. It would be advantageous if this covered S&C inspections.

· The Senior Engineer should also be responsible for leading site works including the correct briefings of staff, carrying out adequate checks to make sure the appropriate equipment is brought to site with an in-date calibration certificate. Where site works involve multiply disciplines the lead Permanent Way engineer should cross check that there is a clear coordinated approach to collecting data to allow accurate design work to be undertaken

· Can work to the required detail within the Grip process unsupervised on plain line and S&C schemes. Can supervise, check and approve work done by others for their level of experience and competence. This also includes the production and checking of the appropriate documentation to support submissions in line with the projects requirements.

· Can lead more junior members of the team with the development of schemes within the Grip stages with relevance to their level of competence and ability

· Experienced to work without supervision on complex plain line schemes including interfaces with platforms and general structures. Develop twin track co-planar schemes with applied cant with reference to surrounding infrastructure such as tunnels. Where possible impresses upon junior engineers the importance to design parallel, co-planar and level alignments unless topography, structures or cost prohibits this

· Is competent to work without supervision on complex S&C layouts to produce schemes that employ best practice and where possible are fully compliant based on standard preferred geometries. Where this is not achievable they will be responsible for showing all mitigating measures to prove all non-compliances have been minimised using reasoned engineering judgement.

· Is proficient at creating models from outputs from PRT using the correct preferences and seed files to draw out in Microstation the horizontal and vertical track alignments. Taking the projects scope of works can then display using the appropriate scales and sized drawing frame a correctly annotated set of models (Hoz & Vert). The drawing(s) should have sufficient detail appropriate for that Grip Stage and to communicate the scope requirements.

· The designer should also be competent in highlighting the relevant and significant risks in the correct manner on the drawing and in a risk register

· The designer should also be able to provide when and where required at critical locations appropriate cross sections to show relationships between existing track, proposed track and surrounding infrastructure both above and below ground level. This may include but not limited to structures, drainage and changes in formation cross fall

· The senior engineer should also be responsible for checking and approving of ClearRoute inputs and outputs. When necessary may also have to run ClearRoute. The checker must also have a good understanding of ClearRoute settings and the affect changing these will have on results. It would be preferable to have attended the ClearRoute course

· The designer should also be able to show the relationship between the proposed track formation and any existing or proposed drainage and where necessary address the impacts. This should also include highlighting any associated impacts on any earthworks

· The drawing(s) submitted by the designer should also show how in principal any alterations to the existing track alignment where necessary or new track alignments can be stressed within both plain line and S&C schemes.

· The designer should also be responsible for the proving of any proposed alignments through the use of outputs from Track-Ex to demonstrate that where possible both side wear and RCF have been minimised. Where appropriate mitigation measures should be taken and demonstrated using the appropriate graphs and tables. Alignment quality should also be highlighted through the production of SD’s in tabular format noting any that do not fall within the correct bands

· The designer should also be competent in the writing of Form A’s, B’s and associated reports such as gauging, track quality, asset condition, drainage and risk assessments for buffer stops within the context of plain line or simple S&C schemes.

· The senior engineer should also be responsible for the day to day running of a project in close coordination with the project manager to raise issues, changes and request for information both technical and non-technical. In meetings and design reviews should be able to communicate in a clear and concise manner the design work carried out and logic behind it.

· Good communication skills to allow for a clear and concise briefs to be given to colleagues, project managers and clients as and when required.

· The engineer at all levels should be client focused to meet deadlines and deliver to a pre-set budget and where possible exceed the client expectations

Safety Responsibility;

· To meet / comply with protocol on Target Zero, CDM, Alcohol and Drugs, Fatigue Management and Risks Assessments

· To maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle to be able to work within a railway environment

· To maintain the PTS log book and rule book with any other required competencies

· To adhere to the Network Rail Lifesaving Rules

· To attend quarterly technical and team / safety briefs