Engineering Manager

Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation

• $180K *
Transportation
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of civil engineering experience in transportation infrastructure
  • Professional Engineer (PE) licensure in Virginia
  • Degree in civil engineering or related field
  • Experience managing complex engineering projects
  • Strong knowledge of transit engineering and facility design
  • Ability to communicate technical issues to diverse audiences
  • Experience with project cost estimation and risk management

Responsibilities

  • Lead engineering activities for rail and public transportation projects
  • Oversee the State Safety Oversight program for light rail systems
  • Manage engineering design and construction activities
  • Provide technical support to mitigate safety risks
  • Coordinate with stakeholders for project readiness and compliance
  • Supervise professional staff in engineering and design work
  • Ensure adherence to federal regulatory requirements

Benefits

  • Generous total compensation package
  • Eligibility for Exceptional Recruitment Incentives
  • Cash and leave bonuses for new external candidates
  • Leave bonuses for existing state employees
  • Hybrid work model with options in Richmond or Alexandria
Full Job Description
Engineering Manager

Job no:
Work type: Full-Time (Salaried)
Location: Alexandria, Virginia, Richmond (City), Virginia
Categories: Administrative Services, Architecture / Engineering

Title: Engineering Manager

State Role Title: Architect/Engineer II

Hiring Range: Up to $180,000

Pay Band:

Agency: Dept of Rail & Public Trans

Location: Dept of Rail & Public Trans

Agency Website: www.drpt.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

Please note this is a reposting and that previous applicants are encouraged to apply.

The Department of Rail & Public Transportation (DRPT) is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the role of Engineering Manager in the newly created Safety and Design division. The Division includes engineering design as well as the State Safety Oversight program, mandated by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) with funding provided by FTA and the Virginia's CMTF. The State Safety Oversight (SSO) program is exclusively focused on the 7.2 mile light rail system in Hampton Roads. In addition to the SSO program the Division includes a project design and engineering team who bring technical expertise on strategies to avoid or minimize safety risks associated with traffic roadway design and accelerate project delivery for DRPT-funded construction projects; staff focused on federal regulatory compliance and oversight, including in the areas of cybersecurity. Core division duties include overseeing the SSO program, providing oversight of engineering, final design and construction activities for a portfolio of major rail and transit projects funded by the Commonwealth of Virginia and providing technical support necessary to avoiding, preventing and mitigating safety incidents.

This position will lead and manage the agency's engineering activities supporting the planning, design, construction, safety and successful delivery of rail and public transportation capital projects funded or overseen by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Position duties include engineering and design oversight for transit, rail, roadway and multimodal projects; transit safety engineering and multimodal safety integration; construction project management, oversight and compliance; program support, capital readiness and stakeholder coordination; professional services and consultation contract management; and supervision of professional staff responsible for engineering and design work.

This hybrid position reports to the Chief of Safety and Design and may work out of either the Richmond, Virginia or Alexandria, Virginia office locations.

The Department of Rail and Public Transportation offers a generous total compensation package. Well qualified candidates will be eligible to negotiate Exceptional Recruitment Incentives. New external candidates of the Commonwealth will be eligible to negotiate cash and leave bonuses upon hire. Existing state employees will be eligible to negotiate leave bonuses upon hire.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Strong knowledge and professional experience with civil engineering principles and practices applicable to transportation infrastructure, including roadway, transit, railroad, multimodal, site/civil, drainage, utilities, traffic, accessibility, and construction.
  • Knowledge of and professional experience with transit engineering and facility design, including bus stops, passenger amenities, stations, transfer facilities, park-and-ride facilities, bus-rapid-transit facilities, operations and maintenance facilities, and pedestrian/bicycle access to transit.
  • Knowledge of roadway design and construction practices, including geometric design, traffic control, ADA/PROWAG, maintenance of traffic, drainage, utilities, constructability, inspection, quality assurance, and construction contract administration.
  • Demonstrated ability to review plans, specifications, estimates, schedules, engineering reports, design calculations, construction documents, and technical submittals and to identify risks or deficiencies.
  • Ability to provide practical engineering technical assistance to project sponsors with varying levels of internal engineering and project-management capacity.
  • Ability to manage multiple complex projects and priorities, communicate technical issues clearly to technical and nontechnical audiences, and develop concise recommendations for agency leadership.
  • Experience developing and validating project cost estimates, schedules, scope, risk, and project readiness.
  • Experience managing A/E and project/construction management consultants from procurement and scoping through contract and task-order closeout.
  • Experience leading or managing staff performing complex engineering duties
  • Professional Engineer (PE) licensure in Virginia.
  • Degree in civil engineering or a closely related engineering discipline, or equivalent combination of education and directly relevant transportation engineering experience consistent with Commonwealth requirements.

Additional Considerations

  • Familiarity with FTA- or FRA-funded capital projects and associated federal project-delivery requirements.
  • Familiarity with alternative project delivery methods such as design-build, construction manager at risk (CMAR/CM-at-Risk), or progressive design-build.
  • Familiarity with transportation safety programs, crash-data analysis, vulnerable road user improvements, or transit stop/station safety.
  • Familiarity with transit engineering and facility design, including bus stops, passenger amenities, stations, transfer facilities, park-and-ride facilities, bus rapid transit (BRT), operations and maintenance facilities, and pedestrian and bicycle access to transit.
  • Familiarity with the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (VUSBC) and its application to public facilities and transportation-related infrastructure.
  • Knowledge of railroad and rail-engineering concepts, railroad coordination, grade crossings, right-of-way constraints, and construction within active railroad environments.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and project management, scheduling, document-management, GIS, and engineering/design software sufficient to oversee modern transportation project delivery.
  • Project management or construction management credentials (such as PMP, CCM, or equivalent) are desirable but not required.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to "Your Application" in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

Contact Information

Name: Debbie Barnett

Phone: 804-389-5505

Email: [email protected]

Advertised: 01 Oct 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: 27 Oct 2026 Eastern Daylight Time

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