Field Engineer, Traction Power and Medium Voltage

The role

The Field Engineer serves as a field representative for the installation, testing, energization, commissioning, and acceptance of traction power and electrical infrastructure on the California High-Speed Rail Program. This person provides technical oversight and verifies that electrical work conforms to approved drawings, specifications, and railway standards.

What you will do

• Provide field technical oversight of traction power, medium voltage, and auxiliary power installation activities
• Verify conformance of installed electrical work with approved drawings, specifications, railway standards, and Program requirements
• Review field conditions and support resolution of technical issues affecting installation, testing, commissioning, and energization
• Coordinate field interfaces between traction power, OCS, signaling, communications, SCADA, track, civil works, stations, and utility contractors
• Provide field oversight for substations, switching and paralleling stations, and utility interconnection facilities
• Provide field oversight for power transformers, switchgear, protective relay systems, and traction power SCADA
• Provide field oversight for distribution networks, cable routes, duct banks, and equipment shelters
• Verify grounding and bonding installation, traction return continuity, and electrical clearance requirements
• Support and witness Factory Acceptance Testing and Site Acceptance Testing for electrical equipment and components
• Document deficiencies, track corrective actions, and drive closure

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Railway Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline, or demonstrable on-the-job work experience
• Minimum of ten (10) years of traction power, electrical infrastructure, utility, or medium voltage experience
• Demonstrated experience supporting electrical systems through installation, testing, commissioning, energization, and acceptance
• Strong working knowledge of traction power systems, medium voltage distribution, substations, protective relays, switchgear, and transformers
• Working knowledge of grounding and bonding, traction return systems, and railway electrical safety requirements
• Experience supporting field delivery activities on major transportation, utility, or energy infrastructure projects
• Experience witnessing Factory Acceptance Testing, Site Acceptance Testing, protective relay testing, and electrical commissioning programs
• Experience reviewing electrical test records, as-built documentation, and turnover packages supporting system acceptance
• Demonstrated ability to document deficiencies and drive corrective action closure in a field environment
• Strong communication, coordination, and stakeholder engagement skills
• Availability for domestic and international travel of approximately 50 percent

Nice to have

• Experience on high-speed rail projects operating above 125 mph (200 km/h)
• Experience with 25kV AC traction power systems and traction power substations
• Experience supporting substation construction, wayside equipment installation, and corridor-wide power distribution
• Experience supporting utility interconnection, energization planning, and outage coordination
• Experience with electrical SCADA systems and power monitoring systems
• Familiarity with FRA requirements, NFPA 70E, IEEE, and railway electrical standards
• Experience supporting integrated testing between traction power, OCS, signaling, and control center systems
• Professional Engineer (PE) licensure or equivalent professional certification

About the company

Burns Engineering provides professional engineering design and project management services for transportation, facilities, and infrastructure projects. Burns is an ENR Top 500 Firm and an MEP Giant.