Context
Systra is hiring an experienced Transit / Facilities Design Lead to support and grow our Ontario Rail & Transit business. This role is ideal for a senior architect with deep expertise in transit stations, maintenance and storage facilities, rail depots, and TPSS facilities, along with proven leadership in project delivery and pursuit support.
This role must have a strong civil and building background to support a major rail infrastructure project in Ontario. Also, it will be focused on comprehensive design review and defect identification across whole-station packages, ensuring compliance with Ontario building codes and project standards. The successful candidate will focus on reviewing multidisciplinary designs, identifying deficiencies, and providing structured feedback to stakeholders.
Missions/Main Duties
Project & Design Leadership
- Lead all phases of transit facility projects (planning/feasibility, concept, schematic, detailed design, and construction support) ensuring delivery meets scope, schedule, budget, and quality expectations.
- Serve as Architectural Lead and/or Project Manager for complex transit facilities, coordinating architectural design with civil, structural, MEP, systems, rail, operations, safety, and sustainability requirements.
- Ensure designs reflect transit operating needs, maintainability, passenger experience, safety/security, accessibility, and resilience.
Client Leadership & Stakeholder Management
- Act as a primary point of contact for clients and stakeholders, maintaining trusted relationships and responding effectively to feedback.
- Lead and participate in workshops, design reviews, value engineering, and stakeholder engagement activities (owners, operators, municipalities, Indigenous communities where applicable, constructors, and third parties).
Quality, Standards & Digital Delivery
- Champion design quality management and best practices, ensuring deliverables meet Parsons and client standards, applicable codes, and authority requirements.
- Lead BIM strategy and execution (model-based coordination, clash detection workflows, BIM execution planning), and identify gaps in team capability with action plans to close them.
Team Leadership
- Build, mentor, and develop high-performing teams; provide technical direction, coaching, and review of deliverables.
Profile/Skills
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Architecture (or related field) or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 20+ years of progressively responsible experience delivering transit/transportation facilities, such as stations, depots, maintenance facilities, operations buildings, and/or intermodal facilities.
- Registered Architect (or active progress toward registration) with a Canadian provincial association and OALA
- Demonstrated leadership delivering projects through feasibility to detailed design and construction support, coordinating multi-disciplinary teams.
- Strong knowledge of Canadian building codes, accessibility requirements, and life-safety principles as applied to complex public/infrastructure facilities.
- Proven experience with alternative delivery models (e.g., Design-Build, P3, Alliance/CM), including architect responsibilities during procurement and construction.
- Business development experience supporting pursuits (proposal writing, technical leadership, interviews, client strategy).
Preferred Qualifications
- Strong proficiency in BIM and design tools, such as Revit, AutoCAD, Navisworks, and related coordination workflows; familiarity with SketchUp and/or MicroStation is an asset.
- Experience developing BIM Execution Plans, digital QA/QC processes, and model-based coordination practices across disciplines.
- Familiarity with transit agency standards and stakeholder approvals typical to large public infrastructure programs.
Approx Salary Range: $150,000 - $175,000
