Principal Systems Engineer

You’ll connect Queensland. We’ll connect you to an amazing career.  

Our team of over 7,500 and our customers are central to everything we do, we have a proud history as a safe and reliable railway operator, with a commitment to ensuring that our operating systems reflect the highest standards. Queensland Rail inspires innovative thought, passionate motivation, teamwork, and forward thinking, where our people can achieve their own career aspirations.

Why Queensland Rail?

We will provide you with an exciting and diverse career opportunity to join a company that continues to strive in the delivery of a modern and world-class railway provider, you will be able to lead and apply your innovative thoughts to enhance our rail network. For this role we also offer: 

• Highly competitive salary plus a generous superannuation contribution
• Opportunity to be part of the planning and preparation for the 2032 Olympics
• Collaborative and engaged workplace and team environment
• Genuine work life balance
• Free Citytrain travel to and from work and access to other free or discounted SEQ rail travel
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) providing employees with holistic and contemporary health and wellbeing programs.
• Professional development and leadership opportunities

About this role:

In this Principal Systems Engineer role, you will support the ETCS Engineering Manager – Major Projects in the delivery of European Train Control Systems (ETCS) engineering activities. You will provide technical leadership and support within a multi-disciplinary and multi-party environment, ensuring ETCS solutions are safe, compliant, and operationally effective. You will also support consistent engineering outcomes across a range of projects and contribute to the successful integration of the ETCS into the Queensland Rail network.

You can expect some of your responsibilities to include:

• Apply systems engineering governance frameworks and support the project in delivering outcomes

• Manage the identification and undertaking of all ETCS related systems and subsystems to ensure a safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable network.
• Develop and manage the system to satisfy the Queensland Rail change management and review Safety and Environment Management System (SEMS), standards, specification and procedures where required
• Develop key safety strategies and associated plans targeted at improved project delivery outcomes.
• Review new and existing system designs and make recommendations for improving or altering the systems
• Undertake systems engineering activities through the project lifecycle – delivering all necessary content and artefacts including customer needs and required functionality, system specifications, concept of operations and assurance.
• Implement technical management activities including technical planning, technical risk management, and system configuration management
• Plan and deliver verification and validation (V&V) activities, including compliance matrices, reviews and reporting.
• Manage interfaces, integration and cross discipline alignment to support safe and compliant design outcomes.
• Contribute to assurance and regulatory evidence, including audits, safety certification and overall fitness for purpose.
• Support Transition to Operations (TTO) and Operational Readiness (OR) activities.

This is a permanent role with a PT5 salary.

Purpose That Counts – Some of the responsibilities of the role:

• Lead and develop engineering professionals in project-based teams to ensure delivery of effective and commercially valuable systems engineering solutions
• Provide expert systems engineering services to complete projects against specified Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
• Maximise commercial outcomes for Queensland Rail by coaching and supporting teams to effectively manage stakeholder relations
• Lead and coach individuals and teams in delivering commercial outcomes
• Certify, as a professional engineer, systems engineering works and monitor and manage compliance of the team with the requirements of professional practice and/or the Quality Management System to provide consistent output of systems engineering services

People Who Count - What you can bring to the role:

• High level of skill in leading and developing a team of professional engineers and technical officers.
• High level of skill in the delivery of business focused technical/ professional systems engineering solutions that deliver commercial value in at least one area of systems engineering practice: design, analysis and evaluation, asset management, infrastructure maintenance, construction and supervision, inspection/assessment/auditing, commissioning and research and development.
• High level of skill in delivering commercial advantage and outcomes through business improvements, technology development and innovation.
• High level of skill in meeting statutory, regulatory and policy obligations

Progress that Counts 

Joining Queensland Rail means being part of an exciting future where you'll welcome millions of international passengers for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.              

Key legacy projects such as The Wave and Cross River Rail will transform the SE QLD network and doubling passenger journeys over the next decade.

The Wave will include a heavy passenger rail line from Beerwah to Birtinya, connecting with a metro-style service to allow journeys to the Sunshine Coast Airport via Mountain Creek and Maroochydore CBD. This will introduce a modern public transport system that will be accessible to all on the Sunshine Coast.

To support this growth and enhance customer experiences, we're committed to key initiatives, including building three new Gold Coastline stations, implementing the $5.75 billion Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail Project, introducing 65 new Next Generation Rolling Stock trains, improving station accessibility at eight main stations, boosting North Coast Line capacity and upgrading Central Station.   

 
Your journey matters. Make it with us. 

 
There has never been a more exciting time to join Queensland Rail. We offer boundless opportunities to support your career today and for your future. 
 

Apply for our Principal Systems Engineer role via our website by clicking the apply button before 11.59pm, Tuesday, June 9th, 2026. To read the position description click HERE
 
Applicants for roles at Queensland Rail may undergo pre-employment alcohol and drug testing if they advance in the recruitment process. The selection process may include psychometric assessments, pre-employment health checks and background screenings, which could involve criminal history and credit checks.  

To learn more about this career opportunity, please contact James Conlan via email at qrcareers@qr.com.au  

We’re a team of thousands and we’re proud of our individual journeys and stories. And as we grow, we need more diverse backgrounds and perspectives than ever before. We are committed to facilitating a barrier-free recruitment process and work environment. If you require any accommodations, we welcome you to let us know so we can work with you to participate fully in our recruitment experience.