External Interface Engineer

Context

The External Interface Engineer is responsible for planning, coordinating, and documenting all technical interfaces between the High-speed Rail (HSR) program and external stakeholders—including municipalities, utility providers, transport and rail authorities, highway agencies, regulators, and other third parties. This role ensures the coordination of all actions necessary for the identification and resolution of external interfaces, in accordance with the rules, standards and timelines applicable to the best practices of interface management, including obtaining timely approvals, coordinating design, construction and commissioning windows, and ensuring full compliance with applicable standards and permits, mitigating interface risks from design through testing and commissioning.

Missions/Main Duties

Interface Strategy and Planning

Develop and maintain the project’s External Interface Management Plan for an HSR environment, including interface matrices, RACI assignments, and communication protocols across the linear corridor and nodal assets (stations, facilities).

Manage, Support, Administrate and Control the Interface Lifecycle process from start to end, through technical identification, definition, resolution and verification / testing lifecycle,

Establish and control External Interface roadmap in accordance with the required deliverables dates and master, schedule, integrate external dependencies into the master schedule.

Ensure the interface documents align quality and technical project performance criteria.

 Stakeholder Liaison and Coordination

Act as the primary technical point of contact with external stakeholders such as (not limited to) municipalities, regional and national transport agencies, existing rail infrastructure managers, utility owners/operators, highway authorities, environmental and safety regulators, and adjacent project sponsors.

Lead recurring coordination meetings and technical reviews; secure inputs and approvals and ensure external requirements are captured, validated, and integrated into HSR designs.

 

 Risk, Change, and Issue Management

Contribute to the risk register.

Identify and actively contribute to the changes related to/affecting external interfaces and manage associated agreements. Escalate critical issues with recovery and contingency plans tied to key program milestones.

 

Documentation and Reporting

Maintain interface specifications, assumptions/decisions logs, and correspondence repositories.

Produce periodic reports on interface status, permits, risks, and program impacts for project leadership and governance bodies.

Ensure auditable traceability for regulatory and contractual obligations, including inputs to safety assurance and RAMS processes.

Profile/Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in civil, electrical, mechanical, or systems engineering (advanced degree preferred); professional licensure/chartership desirable.
• 7–12 years of experience on large, complex rail or HSR/major corridor infrastructure projects with demonstrable external interface or third‑party coordination responsibilities.
• Proven experience coordinating utility diversions, multi-agency approvals, and rail/highway/municipal interfaces.
• Familiarity with applicable HSR/rail standards and codes, roadway standards, utility requirements, and environmental regulations; experience contributing to safety assurance or RAMS is an asset.
• Strong stakeholder communication and negotiation skills; ability to lead technical workshops and drive decisions across organizations

 

Languages & Other Requirements:

• French and English: Good level in writing, reading and speaking,
• Proficient in using computer software: MS Office…

Skills and desirable personality:

• Analytical mind, curious and able to propose solutions
• Good communication skills
• Writing skills,

• Will of proposal,
• Reactivity to anticipate problems, propose solutions and evaluate risks.
• Responsible attitude,
• Attention to detail, organized manner and practical approach,

• Able and willing to be a team player,
• Able and willing to work with a range of different disciplines.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.