Technical Director – High-Speed Rail

About the role

We are looking for an experienced Technical Director to lead all technical activities on a major high‑speed rail project in the United Arab Emirates. The role covers the full project lifecycle – from design through construction, testing and commissioning – ensuring technical solutions meet contractual, safety, regulatory and performance requirements.

Key responsibilities

• Define and implement the overall technical strategy for the high‑speed rail programme.
• Coordinate and integrate civil works, track, signalling, telecommunications, power supply, overhead catenary, rolling stock and depot systems.
• Manage technical interfaces with consortium partners, designers, subcontractors, suppliers, the client, the Engineer and regulatory authorities.
• Oversee design development, multidisciplinary design validation, technical reviews and system integration.
• Lead system assurance activities, including RAMS, safety certification and regulatory approvals.
• Ensure compliance with contractual obligations, performance targets, whole‑life cost objectives and operational requirements.
• Identify, assess and mitigate technical risks, design changes, non‑conformities and opportunities.

Required profile

• Minimum 15 years of experience in rail or transportation infrastructure projects.
• Proven leadership of large, multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Strong knowledge of railway standards, safety regulations and certification processes.
• Experience managing complex technical interfaces in joint‑venture or consortium environments.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder‑management skills.

Required skills

• Multidisciplinary design validation
• Safety certification
• Testing and commissioning
• Regulatory approval processes
• Civil works engineering
• Rolling stock integration
• RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, Safety)
• Railway systems engineering
• System integration