Lead Control Command and Signalling Engineer

The post-holder will provide competent and timely professional and technical expertise necessary to support RSSB’s delivery of standards projects that form part of the Control, Command Signalling Standards Committee (CCS SC) Strategy, covering new and existing control, command signalling (CCS) technologies.  You will analyse CCS system architectures and operations, develop research, formulate CCS system requirements & guidance, and support industry implementation to help RSSB stakeholders achieve their business objectives and fulfil their legal obligations. This requires the post-holder to:

• Develop the CCS requirements and guidance for the GB main line railway, covering topics such as:
  • Conventional Railway Signalling;
  • Train control and protection systems;
  • Train location and positioning systems;
  • Cyber security;
  • Information, communications and technology (ICT).-
• Lead and work with relevant engineering and operational specialists to develop CCS requirements, rationale and guidance in the context of the railway system covering:
  • Compatibility at European, national and route levels, as defined by the Railways (Interoperability) Regulations;
  • Safe integration, to support the rail industry approach to applying the common safety method for risk evaluation and assessment (CSM RA);
  • CCS technical systems.

• Lead and support the application of appropriate requirements capture techniques.
• Facilitate industry consensus on emerging requirements, rationale and guidance. The technical and interpersonal skills of the post-holder will help to determine the achievement of this endeavour.
• Support proposals to introduce, modify or withdraw requirements, and applications for deviations from standards.
• Author new and revised standards in accordance with the Standards Code and Manual and RSSB style guides, including Railway Group Standards and non-mandatory standards produced by RSSB, together with TSIs and ENs (to the extent that RSSB has a mandate to support their development).
• Peer review standards work produced by others.
• The post-holder will also support the delivery of industry projects, including RSSB research, covering new and existing CCS technologies. This requires the post-holder to:
  • Support the development of industry project proposals and specifications;
  • Support the delivery of project work through collaboration with suppliers and membership of industry committees;
  • Peer review project reports.

• The post holder will also provide specialist support within the CCC discipline for accreditation services provided by RSSB to the United Kingdom Accreditation Service.

Responsibilities

• Deliver CCS requirements, rationale and guidance that are complete, accurate, well written and compliant with the standards code and manual.
• Provide timely and comprehensive technical support to help RSSB deliver research and innovation.
• Provide timely and comprehensive technical support to RSSB members in line with reasonable requests.
• Influence an improved level of understanding within RSSB and across the wider industry of the role of requirements in supporting the achievement of technical compatibility and safe integration.
• Represent RSSB through membership of relevant industry committees, including technical committees and mirror groups facilitated by RSSB and others. Chair meetings as required.
• Identify opportunities for and support improved methodologies for developing requirements and research.
• Work in conjunction with Standards 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.
• Report progress and provide technical direction and advice to project managers, the CCC team and the Professional Head about progress made on individual projects.
• 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.

Key Challenges

• The post holder is required to exercise their detailed knowledge across a wide range of the CCS subsystem and the operational context in which it exists, such that they understand in detail the impact that the CCS subsystem has on the railway system.
• The post holder is required to apply their knowledge in an innovative way to solve challenging problems.
• The post holder shall support the industry in benefiting from RSSB’s work so that RSSB’s outputs have the impact that is intended.

Qualifications

• Science, mathematics or engineering qualification and/or a professional qualification (e.g. I.Eng or C.Eng).
• Experience in the transport sector.
• Experience of document revision and change control work processes.
• Understanding of the whole railway system and an ability to apply specialist knowledge to the system.
• Understanding of current and emerging technologies as applied to rail.
• Understanding of relevant interoperability and safety legislation and standards.
• Understanding of requirements, rationale and guidance in the context of the standards code and manual.
• Good analytical skills and the ability to apply them in the context of the railway system.
• The ability to learn quickly and think abstractly.
• Ability to work collaboratively with industry to ensure effective fit for purpose standards.
• Excellent levels of accuracy and timeliness.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Good writing skills and ability to understand technical documents.
• Good presentation and chairing skills for stakeholder meetings.
• Strong presentation skills including the ability to present at technical conferences and seminars.
• Competence in MS Project, Excel, Word and PowerPoint
• Ability to apply systems engineering thinking to solve challenging whole railway system problems.
• Experience or knowledge of mathematical or operational modelling (e.g. dynamic or mechanical systems) (Desirable).
• Excellent 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 decision (Desirable).
• Membership of a relevant professional institution (Desirable).
• Leadership and coaching skills (Desirable).
• Ability to undertake horizon scanning to be proactive in capitalising on the implementation of new technology (Desirable).

Apply here