Associate Director, Engineering & Maintenance

About us

Network Rail Consulting (NRC) is the international consultancy arm of Network Rail – the owner and operator of Britain’s mainline rail system. We have been active in the North American, Australian and the Middle East markets since 2013 and have successfully delivered more than 150 consultancy contracts for government, public and privately owned organizations.

Through our consulting services in the United States (US), we are assisting both public agencies and private clients in the transportation sector to accelerate transformation efforts, make step-changes in major program delivery, and achieve leaps forward in areas such as asset management & maintenance, major projects, railway operations, strategic planning and advisory.

Our work is driven forward by our values: agile, always safe, care about people, collaborative, impartial and passionate.

The Opportunity with NRC

We are looking for an Associate Director, Engineering & Maintenance to join our team in Boston, MA, USA.

As the Associate Director, Engineering & Maintenance, you will lead a team of specialists, with the goal of providing transit and railroad agencies with sustainable outcomes, tailored to meet the unique requirements of their asset system. To be successful, you will have an in-depth understanding of the wider railroad and/or transit system which enables you to communicate effectively, and with confidence about industry best practices.

You will be able to demonstrate an ability to analyze complex asset and organizational problems, and lead the creation of client focused solutions, reflective of their specific needs by using your depth of industry experience and knowledge of managing assets throughout their full lifecycle, and being able to demonstrate an ability to apply the tools and techniques which enable asset life to be maximized whilst maintaining appropriate levels of safe asset performance.

Key Accountabilities

•          Develop and maintain strong relationships with client organizations, acting as a trusted advisor on engineering and maintenance practices.
•           Provide technical leadership across engineering and maintenance disciplines, with particular expertise in infrastructure assets such as track and related systems.
•       Act as Project Manager or technical lead for consulting assignments, managing scope, schedule, budget, and delivery to ensure successful outcomes for clients.
•        Support clients in diagnosing asset performance and reliability issues, identifying root causes and developing practical improvement initiatives, including trialing and implementing innovative techniques to improve asset reliability and performance.
•       Advise clients on maintenance strategies, engineering standards, and asset lifecycle management aligned with industry best practices.
•        Lead and support the development of asset management plans incorporating maintenance, renewal, and capital investment activities.
•       Provide engineering assurance and technical oversight for client programs, including review of standards, processes, and engineering decisions.
•       Support clients in the implementation of improvement initiatives, including change management activities such as development of training materials, delivery of training sessions, and providing practical on-site mentoring to support adoption of new processes, standards, and ways of working.
•           Support the development of business cases and investment strategies to improve asset performance, reliability, and safety.
•           Contribute to the delivery of consulting projects including report writing, business case development, risk management, and client presentations.
•           Contribute to business development activities including preparation of proposals, client engagement, and identification of new opportunities.
•       Mentor and develop junior consultants, contributing to NRC’s technical capability and knowledge sharing

Job Skills, Experience & Qualifications

To be successful in this role, you should have:

•          Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related discipline, or equivalent experience.
•       Professional Engineer (PE), Chartered Engineer (CEng), or equivalent professional registration.
•       Membership in a relevant professional organization (e.g., PWI, ICE, IAM, IRSE, ASCE, AREMA, APTA or equivalent).
•       Extensive experience in railway engineering and maintenance environments, ideally with strong exposure to infrastructure assets such as track.
•           Demonstrated experience improving asset performance, reliability, and maintenance outcomes.
•        Experience working across asset lifecycle activities including maintenance, renewal planning, and capital investment prioritization.
•        Ability to analyze complex engineering or organizational challenges and develop practical, client-focused solutions.
•        Experience engaging with stakeholders across operational, engineering, and executive levels.
•        Knowledge of engineering assurance, safety management systems, and risk assessment processes.
•        Experience working with asset data and Enterprise Asset Management Systems (e.g., Maximo, Ellipse, Trapeze), including interpretation of data trends and asset performance analysis.
•           Strong written and verbal communication skills, including report writing and technical presentations.

Desirable

•          Experience working with transit agencies or railroad operators in North America.
•       Knowledge of ISO 55000 asset management frameworks.
•          Experience conducting incident investigations or applying structured problem-solving techniques (e.g., LEAN, root cause analysis).
•        Experience contributing to engineering standards, procedures, or asset management frameworks.

For the right person, this role presents a fantastic opportunity to develop their career, joining an established and passionate team with ambitious plans to grow.

We offer benefits such as:

• Competitive compensation packages
• Healthcare insurance premiums (100% paid for by us)
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• 401K with employer matching contributions
• Flexible working opportunities

Apply

If you are a proven leader in asset management and maintenance with a passion for delivering flawless outcomes, we invite you to apply for this exciting opportunity. Join our team at Network Rail Consulting and be part of our journey to shape the future of rail systems.

Network Rail Consulting is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of age, race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, or veteran status.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.