Assistant Vice President, Track Design Lead

This Opportunity

WSP is currently initiating a search for an Assistant Vice President, Track Design Lead to join our Transit & Rail Team. The selected candidate will support the planning, design, and delivery of rail modernization projects, to include Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) and its extensive supporting track design, capital construction projects for major transit clients across the New York metropolitan region.

This position will be based out of the greater New York City/New Jersey Area
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This position blends hands-on track design leadership with technical signal-systems, field inspection experience and third-party design coordination, ensuring all project work is delivered in full alignment with design intent, contract requirements, and operational standards. As Track Design Lead, you will provide strategic direction for all track design aspects of transit and railroad projects, guiding the engineering process from initial planning through construction support and ongoing maintenance.

You will coordinate and supervise multidisciplinary teams in coordination with program leadership—including design engineers, contractors, and client stakeholders—to achieve seamless integration of signal, communications, traction power, and track systems.

The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented, proactive professional with a strong background in all elements of track design to include systems design coordination, cost estimation, and stakeholder management. You will play a key role in delivering high-profile rail-system upgrades and modernization efforts that enhance the safety, reliability, and performance of the region’s transit network. In addition, this position will be integral to establishing and maintaining strong client relationships, actively marketing WSP’s expertise and services to regional transit agencies and local railroads.

• Act as a leader for all phases of project delivery for track design and installation—from planning and design coordination, facilitating construction and supporting testing, and commissioning.
• Provide design leadership and direction for all track design facets of transit and railroad design projects and pursuits.
• Coordinate and lead engineering efforts on rail infrastructure projects ranging from planning and design to construction support and maintenance.
• Establish and maintain strong, effective relationships with external clients and market WSP services to transit agencies and local railroads.
• Sustain the growth of younger engineers by assigning appropriate technical tasks and promoting a culture of growing technical excellence.
• Supervise and integrate multidisciplinary rail teams.
• Provide technical design support for field activities to ensure work is executed safely, on schedule, within budget, and in accordance with contract specifications and agency requirements.
• Lead the development of solutions for unforeseen field conditions and coordinate design revisions or contract modifications as necessary.
• Support the PMC team to manage and oversee contractor deliverables, cost estimates, and change orders, supporting negotiations, claims resolution, and progress payment reviews.
• Prepare detailed reports, presentations, and documentation for internal and client review, ensuring transparent communication and timely issue resolution.
• Identify and apply industry best practices, lessons learned, and innovative tools to enhance project efficiency and system performance.
• Enforce safety standards and promote a strong safety culture across all project sites.
• Encourage knowledge-sharing and continuous improvement across teams to strengthen technical and delivery excellence.
• Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, or closely related discipline.
• 10+ years of experience in track design.
• Professional registration (P.E. License).
• Proven ability to deliver railroad and transit design projects in the role of lead designer or specialist.
• Demonstrated communications skills, both verbal and written. This includes the ability to present design concepts and principles in verbal and written form…