Job Description:

Lead Project Engineer – Track Systems Integration

High Speed Two Ltd (HS2)

Location             Birmingham or London (Hybrid Working – Typically 3 Days Office / 2 Days Home)

💰 Salary:        £85,000 - £92,400 (Birmingham) + 12% Pension + Healthcare + 25 Days Holiday

🚄 Programme:            HS2 Phase One – Rail Systems (Lot 3 – Open Route North)

📈 Progression:            Head of Engineering (£110,000–£120,000+ Package)

Lead the Engineering Integration of Track across Britain's New High-Speed Railway

Are you an Engineering Manager, Lead Project Engineer, Design Manager, Designated Project Engineer (DPE) or Systems Integration Engineer looking to work on one of Europe's largest rail infrastructure programmes?

HS2 is seeking a Lead Project Engineer, Track Systems to provide technical leadership and engineering assurance across one of the most complex sections of the new high-speed railway.

Working client-side, you'll become the intelligent client, ensuring Track Systems are successfully integrated with signalling, OLE, civils, structures, stations and the wider railway. This is not a detailed design role, it's about engineering assurance, systems integration and technical leadership.

The Opportunity

You'll support delivery of Lot 3 – Open Route North, a £566m Rail Systems contract comprising approximately 70km of high-speed railway and around 140km of installed track.

The role offers exposure to: Slab Track, High-Speed Switches & Crossings & tracks, Signalling, Overhead Line Electrification (OLE), Stations, Structures & Civils, Railway Systems Integration.

You'll work across the full project lifecycle: design, construction, testing and commissioning, ensuring contractors deliver safe, compliant and fully integrated railway systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide engineering leadership and technical assurance across Track Systems.
• Review contractor designs, technical submissions and engineering deliverables.
• Coordinate interfaces between Track, OLE, Signalling, Civils, Structures and Stations.
• Lead engineering reviews and technical stage gate assurance.
• Identify engineering risks and support technical change management.
• Support Principal Designer (CDM) and NEC Supervisor responsibilities.
• Work with Project Managers and Commercial teams on engineering issues, Early Warnings and Compensation Events.
• Provide technical guidance to contractors and resolve multidisciplinary engineering challenges.
• Support engineering governance, reporting and continuous improvement.

About You

You could currently be working as a: Lead Project Engineer, Engineering Manager, Design Manager, Designated Project Engineer (DPE), Senior Project Engineer, Systems Integration Engineer .

Whilst Track or Permanent Way experience is beneficial, you don't need to be a Track specialist.

We're looking for someone with broad railway engineering experience who understands how Track integrates with signalling, OLE, civils, structures and the wider railway.

Essential Experience

• Major rail infrastructure project experience.
• Engineering leadership within multidisciplinary railway projects.
• Experience managing engineering interfaces and technical assurance.
• Ability to review contractor designs and technical submissions.
• Strong understanding of engineering risk, change control and systems integration.
• Experience working within Design & Build environments.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Knowledge of NEC contracts.
• Engineering degree or equivalent experience.

Desirable Experience

• Track or Permanent Way engineering.
• Designated Project Engineer (DPE) experience.
• Slab Track or Switches & Crossings knowledge.
• HS2, Network Rail, Crossrail, East West Rail or other major rail programmes.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng).
• Principal Designer or NEC Supervisor experience.

Why Join HS2?

This is a rare opportunity to influence the delivery of Britain's new high-speed railway before it enters operation.

You'll work on one of the UK's most technically challenging infrastructure programmes, providing engineering leadership across multidisciplinary rail systems whilst enjoying outstanding long-term career prospects, hybrid working and a clear pathway into Head of Engineering.

If you're looking to move beyond traditional design into a highly influential client-side engineering role, we'd love to hear from you.