Senior Rail Operations Planning Lead

About the role

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good. Your impact Join Jacobs’ US Northeast Transportation Planning team to help shape the future of rail transportation through strategic planning, operational excellence, and data-driven decision making. As the Senior Rail Operations Planning Lead, you will play a pivotal role in optimizing network performance, enhancing service reliability, and driving innovative solutions that improve the movement of people and goods across the rail system. In this role, you will lead the development and execution of operational plans that balance capacity, efficiency, safety, and customer commitments. You will partner with cross-functional stakeholders to evaluate service performance, identify opportunities for improvement, and implement strategies that strengthen operational resilience. Using data analytics, forecasting, and scenario modeling, you will translate complex operational challenges into actionable plans that deliver measurable results. The Senior Rail Operations Planning Lead will focus primarily on winning and delivering projects in the New York Metro region, however it is expected the Lead will contribute to pursuits and projects in New England as needed. The Rail Operations Planning lead will work with local, national and global rail leaders and transportation account managers to create a national and global rail operations center of excellence within Jacobs. Summary The position includes responsibility for project management, staff mentoring, and business development. The Rail Operations Planning Lead will work with the US NE Transportation Planning group and support a broad range of technical assignments.

Responsibilities

• Contributing to regional commuter rail strategies for rail and transit clients through project management and technical delivery oversight.
• Advancing an integrated approach to rail infrastructure design and service planning and overall responsibility for managing rail network simulation projects/tasks.
• Contributing to preliminary design and final design of rail infrastructure projects as appropriate, including intercity rail, regional/commuter rail, freight rail and high-speed rail, heavy metro and light rail in the east region and throughout the United States.
• Interfaces with clients including railroads, passenger rail agencies and modelers.
• Translates client goals into deliverable modeling tasks.
• Proposes solutions to new problems by adapting standard procedures or methods.
• Identifies, troubleshoots, and debugs model logic and/or service plan conflicts.
• Provides guidance to modelers/analysts.
• Interpret and advise on modeling logic and railroad operating rules as necessary.
• Verify modeling outputs results are realistic and client aligned.
• Ensures that all operations model results are communicated in clear, digestible reports and presentations.
• Coordinates and iterates with other rail planning disciplines including design teams.
• Performs work in accordance with agreed upon budget and schedule with little supervision.
• Participates in the growth of the US Northeast Transportation Planning team.

Requirements

• Bachelor degree.
• Substantial professional (post‑graduate) relevant experience.
• Familiarity with transit and railroad operations.
• Experience working in railroad transportation departments working on trains and in field management positions.

Qualifications

• Expertise in rail operations, transportation planning, network optimization, analytics, and stakeholder engagement.
• Familiarity with rolling stock and maintenance requirements including passenger and freight equipment.
• Familiarity with rail infrastructure such as track and signal systems.
• Experience with business development and client relations.
• Familiarity with passenger rail‑sponsoring agencies (DOTs, rail authorities, Amtrak, etc.).
• Familiarity with Federal Railroad Administration discretionary grant programs including the Corridor Identification and Development Program.
• Demonstrated leadership and communication skills requiring client interaction.