Senior RAMS Lead
At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?
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Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.
We believe transportation is more than movement, it’s the foundation of connected, thriving communities. As part of HDR’s Transportation Business Group, you’ll help shape the systems that move people and goods safely, efficiently, and sustainably. From designing resilient highways and iconic bridges to advancing transit, passenger and freight rail, aviation, federal transportation ports and marine infrastructure, your work will directly support economic vitality, public safety, sustainable and resilient communities and quality of life. We bring together planners, engineers, architects, construction management staff, environmental, strategic communications, economists, management consultants and specialists across disciplines to solve complex mobility challenges with innovation, technical excellence, and a deep understanding of community needs. Whether you're modernizing aging infrastructure or pioneering next-generation transportation solutions, your contributions will help define the future of mobility. This isn’t just a job, it’s a chance to lead progress, drive meaningful impact, and leave a legacy of smarter, more connected transportation networks. We are all employee-owners at HDR, which is the foundation of our collaborative culture that connects employees around the world.
We are seeking a Senior RAMS Lead, with a proven skillset in RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Safety) to join our rapidly growing Rail and Transit Systems Team. Reporting to the Section Lead Systems, Operations and Maintenance, you will be part of the larger North America Rail and Transit Systems Team, working closely with our Systems Assurance / RAMS and Systems Integration team members, project managers and engineering disciplines on a variety of projects in Canada and the US, delivering technical advisory and delivery of transit projects like Ontario Line, TTC Western Yard, and more.
Responsibilities
The successful candidate will apply RAMS processes, and appropriate methods and techniques within projects according to client requirements; applicable Rules, Regulations, and Standards; support the compliance of RAMS processes; gathering and/or establishing RAMS requirements for designs and supporting interface management activities; perform design verifications / studies to confirm RAMS requirements conformance.
Additional areas the candidate will be lead and/or support include:
- Safety and security certification processes in accordance with:
- CENELEC railway standards
- FTA Safety and Security Certification guidance
- Develop and manage:
- System Safety and Security Program Plans (SSSPP)
- System Safety and Security Certification Program Plans (SSSCPP)
- Act as the primary interface with regulators, certification bodies, and Independent Safety Assessors (ISA)
- Independent safety assessment activities, including audits, technical reviews, and certification evidence evaluation.
- Preparation and maintenance of Safety Cases in compliance with standards including EN 50126 / EN 50129.
- Ensuring safety arguments are structured, evidenced, traceable, and defensible throughout design, construction, testing, and commissioning.
- Coordinating safety assurance documentation across disciplines and contractors.
- Establishing, implementing, and maintaining the Hazard Management Process.Hazard identification and risk analyses, including:
- Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA)
- Operational Safety and Hazard Analysis (OSHA)
- Interface Hazard Analysis (IHA)
- Subsystem/System Safety Hazard Analysis (SSHA / SHA)
- Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA)
- Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)
- Managing hazard logs, risk acceptance, mitigation tracking, and residual risk closure.
- Conduct and review Grade Crossing Hazard Analyses, including compliance with:
- TCRP 69
- Transport Canada Grade Crossing Standards
- Developing and validating Reliability Block Diagrams (RBDs) and system models.
- Performing RAM analyses to support:
- System availability targets
- Operational performance
- Maintenance strategies
- Leading FRACAS (Failure Reporting, Analysis and Corrective Action System) and Reliability Growth Analysis.
- Supporting spares planning, maintenance optimization, and obsolescence management strategies.
- Standards, Compliance & Technical Governance
- Providing technical authority and guidance for the application of:
- EN 50126 / 50128 / 50129
- IEC 62278 / 62279 / IEC 62267
- IEC 61508
- Relevant MIL‑STD safety and reliability standards
- NFPA 130
- FTA, AREMA, CMREA, and other applicable North American transit standards
- Ensuring consistent application of SIL concepts and SIL allocation across system and subsystem levels.
- Compliance assessments and gap analyses against applicable standards.
- Systems Assurance Project Management activities, including scope, schedule, risk, and deliverables.
- Coordinating RAMS and safety activities across multiple contractors and suppliers.
- Providing expert technical input to senior leadership, clients, and regulatory authorities.
- Supporting design reviews, hazard workshops, test readiness reviews, and commissioning activities.
- Experience working directly with transit authorities and regulatory agencies.
- Excellent leadership, negotiation, and communication skills.
- Ability to operate effectively as both a technical authority and project leader.
- Preparing project security requirements that support the design development process, and contributing to the authorship of deliverables according to program needs
- Reviewing and understanding contractual performance RAMS and security requirements
- Performing reliability prediction modelling of railway vehicles and wayside systems and apportioning RAM requirements to lower subsystem levels accordingly through the application of various techniques, such as Reliability Block Diagram and Failure Modes Effects and Criticality Analysis
- Performing independent ‘peer review” reliability calculations and maintenance calculations to verify product design
- Defining maintenance and LCC strategy to ensure design reliability and optimize maintenance costs
- Reviewing suppliers’ RAMS documentation and addressing non-compliances with the support of the project team
- Developing RAMS demonstration plans and FRACAS plans and procedures in cooperation with Project Management and the field teams
- Ensure that Systems Assurance/RAMS processes are being followed throughout the project lifecycle by all involved stakeholders
- Demonstrated experience/knowledge in
- LRT and subway system development, construction, and safety/security certification
- Independent Safety Assessor (ISA) roles or equivalent independent assurance functions
- Strong knowledge of:
- RAM modelling, FRACAS, and reliability growth
- Safety case development and regulatory submission
- Asset management, configuration management, and lifecycle assurance
Perform various analyses as described in the EN50126 V-Cycle model or as required by MIL-STD-882.
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering
- A minimum of 20 years of experience
- Requires professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered. Example: Professional Engineer (PE or P.Eng) license.
- Extensive experience in project execution
- Proficient computer skills in Microsoft Office as well as standard design software.
- Must be comfortable being viewed as a technical expert in engineering analysis and design and have proven background of technical leadership on these types of projects
- An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture
What We Believe
HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.
Our Commitment
As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.
Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.
