Principal Engineer – Electrical – Metro Stations
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Key skills for this role
About the Role
WSP seeks a Principal Electrical Engineer to lead rail/metro station electrical design in Riyadh. You will own LV power, lighting, and life-safety systems from concept through construction support.
Key Skills for This Role
Responsibilities
- Lead multi disciplinary station electrical design: LV/MV building distribution, protection/coordination, earthing & bonding, lightning protection, standby generators & UPS, lighting & controls, across underground, at grade, and elevated stations.
- Own the full design lifecycle: requirements capture, basis of design, load studies, selectivity/arc flash reviews, single lines, schematics, cable schedules, layouts, specs/BOQs, and employer’s requirements. Provide construction support as needed.
- Apply rail specific life safety standards in stations: e.g., NFPA 130 for fixed guideway transit (egress, fire protection, emergency ventilation & control/communications); coordinate with fire/life safety, ventilation and architectural teams.
- Design compliant emergency lighting to EN 1838/BS 5266 (escape route, open area, high risk task) and produce photometric calculations & layouts (Dialux/Relux).
- Engineer EMC & earthing interfaces to EN 50121 (railway EMC) and EN 50122 1 (earthing/bonding for fixed installations) and manage interfaces with signaling/telecom/PSD.
- Coordinate digitally in BIM (Revit/ Navisworks) with architecture, structural and MEP; run design reviews, clash prevention and interface matrices.
- Lead authority approvals (Saudi & UAE Civil Defence and utilities), support client/stakeholder workshops, value engineering and risk registers.
- Mentor and manage a team of designers; review deliverables, uphold QA/QC; contribute to proposal writing and level of effort estimates.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering
- Professional registration (e.g., CEng/PE) strongly preferred
- 12–18+ years in building/station electrical design with major rail/metro station projects; GCC experience strongly preferred
- Strong grasp of NFPA 130, EN 1838/BS 5266 (emergency lighting), EN 50121/EN 50122 (EMC/earthing), BS 7671/IET Wiring Regs or NEC, and typical rail authority requirements
- Fluency with ETAP/Amtech, Dialux/Relux, AutoCAD/Revit, and BIM coordination; familiarity with SCADA/BMS interfaces for station systems
- Excellent interface management, stakeholder communication and team leadership skills
Full Job Posting
Job Overview
- WSP Middle East is currently seeking a Principal Engineer – Electrical (Rail Stations) to join our team in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- The successful candidate will lead the electrical design and integration of rail/metro/train station fit out systems from concept through IFC, tender and construction support.
- You’ll own the LV power and lighting for stations, ancillary buildings and platforms, ensuring safety, reliability, maintainability and authority approval in KSA.
Responsibilities
- Lead multi disciplinary station electrical design: LV/MV building distribution, protection/coordination, earthing & bonding, lightning protection, standby generators & UPS, lighting & controls, across underground, at grade, and elevated stations.
- Own the full design lifecycle: requirements capture, basis of design, load studies, selectivity/arc flash reviews, single lines, schematics, cable schedules, layouts, specs/BOQs, and employer’s requirements. Provide construction support as needed.
- Apply rail specific life safety standards in stations: e.g., NFPA 130 for fixed guideway transit (egress, fire protection, emergency ventilation & control/communications); coordinate with fire/life safety, ventilation and architectural teams.
- Design compliant emergency lighting to EN 1838/BS 5266 (escape route, open area, high risk task) and produce photometric calculations & layouts (Dialux/Relux).
- Engineer EMC & earthing interfaces to EN 50121 (railway EMC) and EN 50122 1 (earthing/bonding for fixed installations) and manage interfaces with signaling/telecom/PSD.
- Coordinate digitally in BIM (Revit/ Navisworks) with architecture, structural and MEP; run design reviews, clash prevention and interface matrices.
- Lead authority approvals (Saudi & UAE Civil Defence and utilities), support client/stakeholder workshops, value engineering and risk registers.
- Mentor and manage a team of designers; review deliverables, uphold QA/QC; contribute to proposal writing and level of effort estimates.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
- Professional registration (e.g., CEng/PE) strongly preferred.
- 12–18+ years in building/station electrical design with major rail/metro station projects; GCC experience strongly preferred.
- Strong grasp of NFPA 130, EN 1838/BS 5266 (emergency lighting), EN 50121/EN 50122 (EMC/earthing), BS 7671/IET Wiring Regs or NEC, and typical rail authority requirements.
- Fluency with ETAP/Amtech, Dialux/Relux, AutoCAD/Revit, and BIM coordination; familiarity with SCADA/BMS interfaces for station systems.
- Excellent interface management, stakeholder communication and team leadership skills.
Nice to Have
- Experience integrating station electrical design with PSD, tunnel ventilation controls, SCS/OCS interfaces, and evacuation strategies per NFPA 130.
- Past authority liaison in KSA (RCRC/SDAIA utilities/Civil Defense).
- RAMS exposure (EN 50126/8/9) and cyber/physical security considerations for stations.
About WSP
- Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all.
- Join our close knit community of talented individuals who share your passion for making a positive impact.
- Our global team includes more than 69,000 employees, working together to make a difference in communities both close to home and around the world.
- With us, you can. Apply today.
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