Transit Engineering Business Class Leader

Transit Engineering Business Class Leader

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? Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. 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. 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.

HDR is seeking a Transit Engineering Business Class Leader to help lead the design and delivery of complex transit and multimodal transportation projects in North Carolina and assist with similar projects across the Southeastern US. This position will support rail transit, bus transit, bus rapid transit, high-capacity transit, transit centers, maintenance facilities, multimodal corridors, guideway / corridor design, and support civil infrastructure from early project development through final design and construction support. In this role, you will be a senior technical leader and trusted client partner. You will guide teams, support public agency clients, support business development strategies, lead engineering projects, mentor staff, and advance transit projects that enhance mobility, safety, reliability, and community outcomes.

In this role, you will be expected to:

• Serve as a trusted advisor and primary client liaison, building and maintaining relationships with transit agencies, departments of transportation, municipalities, metropolitan planning organizations, airports, and other public-sector clients.
• Lead business development and client engagement activities by identifying opportunities, developing client relationships, and supporting strategic growth across our transit practice.
• Strengthen the firm's market presence through industry involvement, thought leadership, pursuit strategy, market intelligence, and collaboration with technical, project, and client account leaders.
• Lead or support capture planning, proposals, statements of qualifications, technical approaches, scopes, fee estimates, and interview presentations that align client needs with practical, high-value solutions.
• Advise clients on project development, delivery strategies, phasing, constructability, funding, operations, and implementation considerations while coordinating across agency, operations, planning, maintenance, permitting, and stakeholder groups.
• Support the growth of the transit practice through client engagement, industry involvement, technical excellence, and the successful delivery of high-quality projects.
• Lead engineering development for transit corridors, rail alignments, bus priority treatments, dedicated transit lanes, stations, platforms, transit centers, park-and-ride facilities, mobility hubs, and maintenance facilities.
• Support rail and transit infrastructure design, including track alignment, guideway elements, special trackwork coordination, rail yard interfaces, street-running transit, and station-area civil improvements.
• Lead multidisciplinary transit and transportation projects from planning and preliminary engineering through final design and construction support, serving as the responsible engineer and technical leader for complex assignments.
• Coordinate technical work across planning, environmental, traffic, roadway, structures, drainage, utilities, systems, vehicle technology, architecture, urban design, and construction teams.
• Lead client meetings, executive briefings, technical workshops, and stakeholder engagement activities while translating complex technical issues into clear recommendations, risks, alternatives, and decision points.
• Manage project scope, schedule, budget, quality, and deliverables while coordinating civil, roadway, rail, traffic, utility, drainage, structural, environmental, systems, and construction disciplines.
• Guide civil design for roadway geometry, grading, drainage, utilities, profiles, cross sections, sidewalks, curb ramps, station access, and multimodal connections.
• Lead quality control reviews, interdisciplinary coordination reviews, constructability reviews, and value engineering evaluations.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 15 years of experience, including 5 years in North Carolina, in engineering management related to the transit and freight rail industries
• BS in Civil Engineering, Planning, or related field
• Professional Engineering Licensure (NC or ability to achieve within 6 months)
• Must be willing to travel on a routine basis; this travel will include NC office visits
• Working knowledge of common transportation engineering and project delivery tools
• A demonstrated track record of strong leadership skills and the ability to generate new business opportunities with transportation clientele in NC or Southeast Region, local candidates are preferred
• Must have effective verbal and written communication skills
• Must have critical thinking skills along with the ability to plan and conceptualize
• Experience with Federal Transit Administration-funded projects, including Capital Investment Grant projects
• Local industry presence with Engineering and Planning Organizations

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
• A minimum of 7 years experience
• Professional registration, license or certification may be required based on role
• Strong communication and listening skills
• Ability to handle multiple assignments
• Good leadership and organizational skills
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must

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 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.

Primary Location: United States-North Carolina-Charlotte

Other Locations: United States-North Carolina-Winston-Salem, United States-North Carolina-Raleigh, United States-North Carolina-Wilmington, United States-North Carolina-Asheville

Industry: Transit

Schedule: Full-time

Employee Status: Regular

Business Class: Transit Engineering

Job Posting: Jul 22, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity. We are an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.