Senior Design Manager - Rail

About the role

Arup is seeking an experienced Design Manager to join our rail team in Seattle and support a portfolio of major rail and transit infrastructure programs across the western United States. You may act as a deputy to the design manager, supporting the design development of a complex project; package lead with ownership of a design package through procurement; or design manager for a small- to mid-sized project. This role is well suited to a collaborative professional looking to grow in a stimulating and challenging project environment while contributing to complex, high‑profile infrastructure programs.

Responsibilities

• Support the Project Management team in the planning and delivery of multidisciplinary design packages on major rail projects, including scope definition, scheduling, resourcing, and progress tracking.
• Work closely with the Arup Design Manager to communicate design progress and issues and escalate where required.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary design teams across multiple technical disciplines to support integrated design delivery and alignment with project objectives.
• Support the coordination of Arup‑specialist inputs (fire, facades, acoustics, security, assurance) into the design.
• Assist the Integration Manager in overseeing design interfaces, risks, and issues, tracking actions and supporting timely resolution of technical and coordination decisions.
• Lead the delivery of project drawings, reports and specifications to ensure production of deliverables to agreed timelines and within budget.
• Support package‑level design delivery, including coordination of design activities, procurement inputs, and construction interface support.
• Lead design coordination workshops and formal stage reviews with technical disciplines.
• Arrange, attend and record client and stakeholder design presentations.
• Facilitate collaboration between clients, contractors, and consultants, including participation in user groups and stakeholder meetings.
• Help monitor schedule, cost, and performance for assigned design packages, escalating risks and opportunities as appropriate.
• Coordinate communication and information flow across the design team to support efficient, well‑informed decision‑making.
• Support design quality management processes to ensure outputs meet agreed standards, contractual requirements, and client expectations.
• Verify formatting, language and grammar of high quality reports and presentations.
• Assist with design reporting, governance, and project controls activities in line with project and client requirements.
• Contribute to business development activities, including client engagement, marketing coordination, and support for bids and proposals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering or a related field, with 5–10 years of experience supporting the delivery of complex rail or transit projects in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Experience of design management and coordination on large infrastructure projects, with a passion for design and an appreciation of all disciplines’ roles within the design process.
• Strong understanding of rail and transit project delivery, including client drivers, governance, procurement approaches, and design‑build or alternative delivery methods.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and coordinate multidisciplinary design teams, fostering collaboration, effective decision‑making, and high‑quality design outcomes.
• Experience managing the review, production and submission of high-quality deliverables across many disciplines in a large project environment.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills, with experience engaging clients, stakeholders, and project teams throughout the design and delivery lifecycle.

Pay

• Seattle hiring range: $140,000 to $160,000 per year (commensurate with experience, educational background, and skill level; benefits not included).

Benefits

• Global profit share scheme (paid bi‑annually, dependent on firm’s financial performance).
• 401(k) plan with up to 10% company match.
• Flexible working options, including alternative schedules and the ability to work outside the office for a portion of your workweek.
• Comprehensive health and welfare benefits, plus paid time off.