Senior Controls Engineer

Job description

How will you make a difference? As the Senior Controls Design Engineer, you will serveas the lead technical contributor within a controls engineering team responsible for the Trip Optimizer Energy Management/Cruise Control system for heavy haul freight locomotives. The role combines hands-on controls development with technical leadership in prioritizing and executing work across product enhancements, field support, and long-term product evolution.

What do we want to know about you?

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or other engineering discipline with a controls or dynamic systems focus
• Demonstrated proficiency in model-based control system design and development using MATLAB/Simulink Minimum
• 8 years of engineering experience Willingness and ability to travel up to 10% of the time

Desired Characteristics

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Experience with feedback control systems, dynamic system modeling, or estimation techniques. Demonstrated ability to coordinate technical activities, establish priorities, and balance field support, product enhancements, and long-term engineering objectives. Experience mentoring engineers and providing technical leadership through collaboration, design reviews, and knowledge sharing. Experience investigating field issues, performing root-cause analysis, and implementing corrective actions.

Experience analyzing operational, test, or field data to evaluate control system performance and identify improvement opportunities. Familiarity with locomotive systems, train operations, vehicle dynamics, or rail transportation systems. Master's degree or advanced study in controls, robotics, autonomous systems, estimation, optimization, or dynamic system modeling. What will your typical day look like? Lead the design of train control algorithms and system functionality, including control strategies, estimation methods, performance analysis, and technical specifications for freight train cruise control and train handling applications.

Develop, implement, and validate control system solutions using MATLAB/Simulink and related engineering tools, supporting simulation, validation, testing, and release of control system functionality. Coordinate technical activities within a team of controls engineers, helping establish priorities, remove obstacles, and maintain steady progress across field issue resolution, new feature development, and long-term product evolution.

Analyze field performance data, investigate reported issues, determine root causes, and drive effective corrective actions. Collaborate with systems, software, and product teams to deliver robust and practical solutions. Provide technical guidance and mentorship to other engineers through design reviews, collaborative problem solving, and knowledge sharing. Contribute to the long-term technical roadmap for train control capabilities and continuous product improvement.

What about the physical demands of the job?

Willingness and ability to travel up to 10% of the time to the Railroad yards and field You can expect to lift

• Ability to get on and off of a locomotive
• Handle tools, plug in cables, and operate a Portable Test Unit (PTU) Very rarely, but on occasion, you may be asked to work 12-hour or longer shifts, often overnight You may also be asked to perform other duties outside of your function or trade, for which adequate training will be provided if necessary. #LI-AM1