Manager of Quality, Infrastructure Engineering

About the Role

The Quality Manager leads quality assurance activities for infrastructure, including audits, inspections, and performance analysis of maintenance and operational practices. The role evaluates the effectiveness of quality control processes, identifies risks and gaps, and drives improvements to ensure work is performed in accordance with established standards and best practices. The Quality Manager supports the development and interpretation of quality standards, policies, and procedures, and collaborates with internal stakeholders and third-party consultants to strengthen system reliability, ensure regulatory compliance, and advance continuous improvement across the MBTA.

This position sits within the Infrastructure Maintenance Quality Management team and reports to the leadership of Infrastructure Maintenance Quality Management. The Quality Manager supports quality oversight of infrastructure within Engineering and Maintenance, working closely with engineering, maintenance, and operations teams to ensure infrastructure is designed, maintained, and operated in accordance with established standards and best practices. This role does not have direct supervisory responsibility but plays a key role in influencing and improving quality outcomes across these functions.

Responsibilities

• Supports the overall goals, priorities, and strategic initiatives for all QA/QC Department Initiatives.
• Supports assigned QA/QC Department related engineering activities for planning, design, and construction work involving multiple consultants and contractors.
• Develops and maintains QA/QC technical requirements and criteria related to Infrastructure design, including but not limited to design criteria, standard specifications, and drawings. Reviews and assesses requests that may deviate from established QA/QC standards.
• Collaborates closely with Construction, Operations, and others to continuously validate and improve requirements based on current industry best practices.
• Establishes goals, priorities, and strategic initiatives for the delivery of QA/QC infrastructure maintenance requirements.
• Leads the development of metrics and other analytical tools to measure the performance of the departmental quality assurance and quality control programs.
• Ensures Infrastructure Department QA/QC processes, policies, and practices are interpreted and applied consistently and effectively; ensures accountability and compliance with all current MBTA’s policies and procedures, state and federal rules/regulations.
• Provides QA/QC Department related engineering support to Project Managers throughout the planning, design, and construction phase of capital projects. Support includes but is not limited to design reviews, construction submittal reviews, response to requests for information, preparation of field clarifications, and field inspection.
• Reads, interprets, and makes recommendations based upon technical documents, drawings, blueprints, maintenance manuals, specifications, schematics, and other sample tests.
• Provides QA/QC support to the department on matters as directed and requested; serves as staff on a variety of committees; prepares and presents reports, presentations, and other necessary correspondence.
• Reports on the performance of Quality Assurance Standards to MBTA senior managers and other stakeholders.
• Manages Suppliers to ensure suppliers meet on-time delivery, budget, and flawless launch for new projects.
• Performs Analysis of Root Cause, Pareto, Mean Time to Repair, and Mean Time between service-affecting failures.
• Assists in the Authority’s response to extraordinary situations including emergencies, derailments, accidents, serious service delays, and severe weather to ensure safety and security of riders, employees, and MBTA assets.
• Communicates effectively with customers, vendors, and employees.
• Performs all other duties and projects that may be assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Industrial Engineering, or a related field from an accredited institution.
• Five (5) years of engineering experience in the following industry: transportation, signals & communications, capital asset management, facilities management, and power or a related industry.
• One (1) year of managerial, supervisory, or leadership experience working with a diverse workforce.
• Knowledge of recent developments, current literature, and sources of information related to QA/QC innovations and trends in electrical/Signal/Communication/track/facility engineering design and development.
• Knowledge of engineering consulting services and methods including reports, studies, cost estimates, plans, and specifications.
• Knowledge of Federal, State, and local laws, codes, and regulations (FTA, DPU, FRA, DOT, OSHA).
• Effective organizational, analytical, quantitative, technical writing, multi-tasking, and time management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate and present effectively to a diverse group of stakeholders and customers.
• Proficient with use of MS Office and Excel.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other department staff, management, vendors, outside agencies, community groups, and the general public.

Substitutions:

• A High School Diploma or GED with an additional seven (7) years of directly related experience substitutes for the Bachelor’s degree requirement.
• An Associate’s degree from an accredited institution with an additional three (3) years of directly related experience substitutes for the Bachelor’s degree requirement.
• A Master’s degree in a related subject substitutes for two (2) years of general experience.
• A nationally recognized certification, or statewide/professional certification in a related field substitutes for one year of experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• A Master’s degree or higher from an accredited institution in a technical field related to Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technology, Railroad Engineering, or a related field.
• Ten (10) years of experience working in EPC (Engineering Procurement and Construction), EC (Engineering and Construction), or Assets integrity risk management.
• CQA/CQE Certified quality auditor, Certification in Quality Engineer/Quality System, or Lean/Six Sigma Certification.
• Federal or State Regulatory industry working experience in Quality and Reliability management.
• Extensive experience in project management, technical design, inspection, rating schemes such as NBIS, and rehabilitation experience on transit infrastructure projects.
• Incident investigation with strong problem-solving skills.
• Performed Inspections and evaluated the state of condition for capital assets.
• Experience with computerized work management software.

Job Conditions

• Ability to effectively read, comprehend, communicate, and respond to instructions, orders, signs, notices, inquiries, etc. in English.
• Be at least eighteen (18) years of age, except if participating in an approved high school internship/co-op program.
• Ability to commute to assigned work locations in the Boston, MA metro area, as required by the role.
• Ability to provide internal and external customers with courteous and professional experiences.
• Ability to work effectively, independently, and as part of a diverse workforce team.
• Ability to uphold the rights and interests of the MBTA while building and maintaining effective relationships with employees and co-workers.
• Ability to adhere to rules, regulations, collective bargaining agreements (if applicable), and policies of the MBTA, including the EEO, anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, and anti-retaliation policies.
• Have a satisfactory work record for the two (2) years immediately prior to the closing date of this posting (unless a current student or recent graduate), including overall employment, job performance, discipline, and safety records.
• Ability to pass a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check, comprehensive background screening, and/or medical Clinic screening, potentially including physical examination and drug and alcohol screenings.
• Ability to work all shifts and/or locations assigned, directed, or necessary for this position, including (for some transit/operations roles) up to twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week as necessary to accommodate severe weather conditions, emergencies, or any other circumstances that may potentially impact service or the safety of service.
• Intern/co-op staff must be enrolled full or part-time in an accredited educational program and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 for the entire duration of the internship/co-op. Additionally, interns/co-ops must have valid work authorization and a U.S. Social Security Number prior to starting pre-employment screenings/pre-boarding, working in their positions, and throughout the duration of their program.