Job description

The Technical Director (High-Speed Rail Engineering and Infrastructure) at Jacobs in Abu Dhabi leads the technical strategy, engineering vision, and multidisciplinary design integration for a major high-speed rail detailed design program. Operating within Jacobs’ global infrastructure and transportation engineering practice, the role focuses on delivering safe, innovative, and future-ready rail infrastructure solutions that contribute to sustainable mobility and improved connectivity. The position oversees complex engineering operations across a multidisciplinary rail engineering environment that includes civil structures, rail track systems, station infrastructure, rolling stock engineering, rail operations, digital engineering, signaling systems, and traction power systems. The Technical Director is responsible for establishing and directing the overall technical vision for the high-speed rail project from concept development through detailed design and project delivery while ensuring alignment with global engineering standards and regulatory requirements. The role requires extensive expertise in high-speed rail engineering disciplines including high-speed alignment design, rail track systems, signaling systems, train control technologies such as ETCS and CBTC, traction power supply systems, and integrated rail operations frameworks. The position leads diverse technical teams and coordinates complex engineering interfaces between design, construction, systems integration, and operations teams to ensure seamless project delivery across the infrastructure lifecycle. The Technical Director ensures all engineering outputs comply with international high-speed rail standards including EN, UIC, and FRA guidelines while maintaining strict adherence to safety regulations and performance requirements. The role includes reviewing and approving technical documentation, engineering design submissions, and project deliverables to ensure compliance with project objectives, quality standards, and regulatory frameworks. The position requires leading technical risk identification and mitigation strategies across engineering disciplines to minimize project risks and maintain engineering performance targets. Additionally, the Technical Director collaborates closely with government authorities, engineering consultants, construction contractors, and international project partners to ensure alignment of technical requirements and successful delivery of complex rail infrastructure programs. The role also contributes to procurement strategies including development of technical specifications and evaluation of major infrastructure systems and rolling stock packages. The Technical Director plays a key leadership role in driving digital engineering initiatives, sustainability practices, and innovation across the rail program while representing the project in executive technical forums, high-level stakeholder meetings, and strategic project reviews.