Project Manager, Overhead Contact System

Description

The company is hiring a Project Manager for its Overhead Contact System (OCS) in Sacramento, CA. This role is onsite.

You will lead delivery of 25kV AC railway electrification infrastructure on a large transportation project, from design through procurement, installation, testing, commissioning, energization and handover to operations.

The OCS scope includes catenary, registration equipment, cantilever assemblies, auto-tensioning, sectioning and paralleling, switching, neutral sections, overlap zones, grounding and bonding, traction return and OCS monitoring.

You report to the Rail Systems Lead and are accountable for scope, schedule, budget, risk, contractor performance and milestones across OCS work packages, while managing interfaces with the other disciplines and teams on the project.

Travel is 25% to 50% of your time along the project alignment throughout the Central Valley, California.

The company is a Fortune 500 global infrastructure firm with over 50,000 staff and revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025.

Responsibilities

• Own scope, schedule, budget, risk, contractor performance and delivery milestones for OCS work packages.
• Support OCS delivery from design through to operational handover.
• Manage handoffs with communications, track, structures, stations and depots, operations and maintenance, plus traction power and signaling.
• Support delivery of catenary, contact and messenger wire, cantilever assemblies, registration equipment and auto-tensioning.
• Support delivery of sectioning and paralleling, switching, neutral sections, overlap zones, grounding, bonding, traction return and OCS monitoring.
• Lead railway electrical safety, outage planning, energization readiness and operational readiness programs.
• Coordinate with utilities, railroad operators, local jurisdictions, regulators and Authorities Having Jurisdiction on approvals for energization, railway operations and electrification.
• Coordinate responses to technical reviews, stakeholder comments and system acceptance requirements.
• Provide technical oversight of contractor installation and system implementation.
• Resolve technical issues, field changes, interface problems and construction constraints.
• Review installation, testing and energization readiness across OCS work packages.
• Lead Factory Acceptance Testing, Site Acceptance Testing, integrated testing, dynamic testing and energization programs.
• Manage testing interfaces with rolling stock and operations systems, along with traction power, signaling and communications.
• Help close defects and punch lists, and support operational readiness and entry into revenue service.
• Support executive reporting, forecasting, change management, stakeholder engagement and governance.

Requirements

• Minimum: a BA or BS plus 8 years of relevant experience, or equivalent demonstrated experience and/or education.
• Preferred: a degree in Electrical Engineering, Railway Engineering, Systems Engineering or a related engineering field, or equivalent on-the-job experience.
• Preferred: experience delivering 25kV AC OCS systems from design through commissioning and operational service.
• Preferred: experience leading multidisciplinary teams, contractors, suppliers and consultants.
• Preferred: strong working knowledge of railway electrification, OCS interfaces, grounding and bonding, traction return and railway operations.
• Preferred: experience coordinating OCS delivery with traction power, signaling, track, structures and rolling stock.
• Preferred: experience leading outage planning, energization readiness and railway electrical safety programs.
• Preferred: experience managing approvals with utilities, railroad operators, regulators and Authorities Having Jurisdiction.
• Preferred: experience leading Factory Acceptance Testing, Site Acceptance Testing, integrated testing and energization programs.
• Preferred: excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Preferred: experience on high-speed rail projects operating above 125 mph (200 km/h).
• Preferred: experience delivering high-speed catenary systems and electrification infrastructure.
• Preferred: experience with EN 50119, AREMA, FRA and railway electrification standards.
• Preferred: experience supporting dynamic testing and pantograph-catenary interaction testing.
• Preferred: experience supporting entry into revenue service on an electrified passenger railway.
• Preferred: experience overseeing contracts exceeding $250 million.
• Preferred: PE, PMP, CEng, APM or equivalent professional certification.
• Preferred: experience with OCS monitoring systems and electrification asset condition management.
• Preferred: at least 10 years delivering railway electrification or OCS infrastructure projects.
• Preferred: at least 10 years of project management on transportation, railway, utility or infrastructure programs.

Conditions

Onsite role in Sacramento, CA.

Travel of 25% to 50% along the project alignment throughout the Central Valley, California.

Visa sponsorship is provided.

Relocation is provided.

New hires must attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at a company office as a condition of employment, as part of its secure hiring process.

Equal opportunity employer; applicant information is kept confidential under EEO guidelines.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D and disability benefits, depending on employment status.
• Paid time off and leaves of absence.
• Voluntary benefits, perks and flexible work options.
• Well-being resources and an employee assistance program.
• Business travel insurance and service recognition awards.
• Retirement savings plan and employee stock purchase plan.
• Training and development programs for technical and leadership skills.