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Rail and rail systems engineer - Electrical, Mechanical or Building Services

Rail and rail systems engineer - Electrical, Mechanical or Building Services

Engineering and manufacturing

Level 5 - Higher Technical Occupation

Helping maintain railway tracks and equipment.

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Reference: OCC0495A

Status: assignment_turned_inApproved occupation

SOC 2020 code: 8239 Other drivers and transport operatives n.e.c.

SOC 2020 sub unit groups:

  • 2121/05 Transportation engineers
  • 2123/03 Railway signalling engineers
  • 5236/00 Rail and rolling stock builders and repairers

Technical Education Products

ST0495:

Rail and rail systems engineer - Electrical, Mechanical or Building Services

(Level 5)

Approved for delivery

Employers involved in creating the standard:

Network Rail, Alstom Transport UK Limited, DEG Signal Ltd, Hitachi Rail Europe Ltd, Northern Rail, Siemens Mobility, Thales, Transport for London, Amey, Arup, Babcock International Group, Bombardier, Morson, Northern Rail, Siemens Rail Automation Holdings Ltd, VolkerRail Ltd

Summary

A Rail and Rail Systems Engineer works as part of a multi-disciplinary team, but with personal responsibility and accountability for projects related to their specialist area. They can work in multiple railway worksites or in technical offices. They have a strong understanding of how the railway works as a whole and are able to assess the impact of their work and its interfaces with other teams. This includes an understanding of conventional rail or high speed rail, or both. They are responsible for the provision of rail specific technical engineering knowledge relating to a specific aspect of the railway. Specialist areas include rail specific civil engineering, rail track, rail signalling and control, rail systems & integration, rail traction and rolling stock, rail telecommunications, network and digital and rail electrical, mechanical and building services. The overarching role of all Rail & Rail Systems Engineers is to ensure the railway runs smoothly on a day to day basis and to provide rail specific engineering knowledge across their own organisation to ensure this is the case. This includes supporting work relating to the integrated safe design, construction, installation, maintenance, renewal, or decommissioning of assets and equipment, to provide a safe and reliable railway.

Employers involved in creating the standard:

Network Rail, Alstom Transport UK Limited, DEG Signal Ltd, Hitachi Rail Europe Ltd, Northern Rail, Siemens Mobility, Thales, Transport for London, Amey, Arup, Babcock International Group, Bombardier, Morson, Northern Rail, Siemens Rail Automation Holdings Ltd, VolkerRail Ltd

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Mid Green occupation

Typical job titles include:

Approvals and Certification Engineer
Asset Engineer
Lead Signal Design Engineer
Rail Building Services Engineer
Rail Civil Engineer
Rail Electrification Engineer
Rail Mechanical Engineer
Rail Project Engineer
Rail Systems Integration Engineer
Signalling & Control Systems Engineer
Telecomms Engineer
Track Engineer
Traction and Rolling Stock Engineer

Keywords:

Engineering
Rail Systems
Railway
Railway Engineering
Systems
Tracks
Train

Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)

K1: Safe and Professional working practices including rail specific legislation, regulation (e.g. Common Safety Method Risk Assessment(CSM RA)), industry procedures, safety and quality requirements, risk management and environmental impact of rail construction work and rail equipment. Aware of the need for compliance with corporate policies including sustainability, ethics, equality and diversity, and how to constructively challenge non-compliance.
K2: The scientific, technical, engineering, mathematical and design principles and practices relating to their area of expertise in the context of how the railway works as an integrated, complex system, including an appreciation of all specialisms. Awareness of the application of rail standards and means of compliance, incl. documentation management.
K3: How to contribute effectively to the delivery of rail specific engineering solutions, applying project management principles, asset, risk and quality management and assurance systems, processes and techniques. Cognisant of new technological developments and innovation in rail and the impact on future operation of the railway.
K4: How strategic decisions are made including financial planning, budget control, commercial impacts, contractual obligations, supply chain management and resource constraints within a railway / regulated industry.
K5: Problem solving and continuous improvement tools / techniques in a railway context.
K6: How teams work effectively; supporting individuals/teams to contribute to high performance within a safety critical sector and understanding how the specialist rail areas link together and their dependencies.
K7: How to attract, recruit, develop and retain people including organisational change theory and performance management techniques within the safety critical rail sector.
K8: Approaches to partner, stakeholder and supplier relationship management within the rail industry and collaborative working techniques including negotiation, influencing, and effective networking within a railway / regulated industry.
K20: Thermal imaging, electrical clearance, wiring, bonding and construction processes relating to rail equipment
K21: High and low voltage distribution systems, earthing and bonding, isolation and switching, protection and control systems, power generation and circuit analysis.
K22: Electrical (e.g. low voltage distribution systems, emergency power supply systems) and mechanical (e.g. heating, ventilation, water, gas supply systems). Interface with track assets and bonding/connections

S1: Keep themselves and others safe by demonstrating safe working practices. Reinforce and comply with rail specific statutory regulations and organisational safety requirements, including competence and safe access to work locations. Undertake risk assessments and hazard reviews using awareness of railway as an integrated system.
S2: Apply a range of technical skill sets within their area of expertise or discipline in order to support railway research, development, design, procurement, logistics, planning, delivery, quality assurance, inspection, testing, installation, commissioning, maintenance, life cycle management, decommissioning and environmental compliance
S3: Deliver Rail & Rail Systems Engineering solutions effectively including planning, resource allocation, and management and delivery to the required specification. Contribute to change and risk management processes including contingency arrangement. Works in a team or alone to analyse, interpret and evaluate data and present the results clearly and concisely.
S4: Provide input to technical, business planning, finance and commercial meetings. Ability to deliver workplace presentations which may include complex rail technical data to small and medium size internal and external audiences which may include peers, direct reports, manager and clients.
S5: Use creative thinking and problem solving techniques to challenge rail and rail systems engineering assumptions, make new proposals and build on existing ideas. Use evidence-based approach for a safety critical sector; contributing to continuous improvement.
S6: Lead and support single discipline teams. Able to work effectively and collaboratively, individually and as part of a team. Identifies appropriate mentorship / coaching required for oneself, and supports the development of others through mentoring and coaching. Able to manage organisational change and apply change management processes within a railway / regulated industry.
S7: Manage relationships with a range of stakeholders. Able to apply collaborative working techniques. Being aware of their actions and the impact they may have on others rail specialists, maintaining effective relationships with colleagues, clients, suppliers and the public.
S18: Undertake standards review, operational practice, approvals and assessment of relevant asset types in line with technical knowledge.

B1: Communication and influencing skills, choosing an appropriate means for the audience and the situation, checking for understanding and considering and building on ideas of others. Has regular communication with peers, direct reports, managers, and external stakeholders aligned to operating within a railway / regulated industry.
B2: Professionalism, dependability, determination, consistency, resilience, honesty and integrity. Accepts and exercises personal responsibility within a safety critical sector. Demonstrates respect for others and acts ethically at all times. Contributes to sustainable development. Is committed to the industry and its professional standards.
B3: A self-disciplined, self-motivated and motivational approach to work, managing time effectively to ensure levels of commitment are understood and delivered.
B4: Safe working practice, without close supervision, to approved rail industry standards. Identifies and takes responsibility for own obligations for health, safety and welfare issues. Challenges, escalates and responds to unsafe practices.
B5: Collaborative working, being aware of their actions and the impact they may have on others, maintaining effective relationships with rail colleagues, clients, suppliers and the public. Demonstrates effective team working, sets an example, and is fair, consistent and impartial. Shares knowledge openly.
B6: A focus on quality, promoting a culture of continuous improvement.
B7: Continuous Professional Development; receptive to giving and receiving constructive feedback, willing to learn new skills and learn from mistakes. Identifies, undertakes and records CPD necessary to maintain and enhance competence. Maintains and extends a sound theoretical approach to the application of technology in engineering practice. Stays abreast of the technological developments that can affect the rail industry.

Occupational Progression

This occupational progression map shows technical occupations that have transferable knowledge and skills.

In this map, the focused occupation is highlighted in yellow. The arrows indicate where transferable knowledge and skills exist between two occupations. This map shows some of the strongest progression links between the focused occupation and other occupations.

It is anticipated that individuals would be required to undertake further learning or training to progress to and from occupations. To find out more about an occupation featured in the progression map, including the learning options available, click the occupation.

Progression decisions have been reached by comparing the knowledge and skills statements between occupational standards, combined with individualised learner movement data.

Technical Occupations

Levels 2-3

Higher Technical Occupations

Levels 4-5

Professional Occupations

Levels 6-7

This is the focused occupation.
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Level 5

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Progression link from focused occupation.
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Level 6

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Progression link from focused occupation.
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Level 7

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Engineering and manufacturing