Senior Manager, Mechanical Engineering - Locomotives - Canadian National Railway Company

Job Summary

The Senior Manager, Mechanical Engineering – Locomotives is the go-to technical expert for next generational technologies of locomotive , decarbonization & sustainability initiatives, developing detail specifications, documentation, and internal, external and regulatory requirements. The incumbent is expected to work with internal and external partners to define CN’s locomotive roadmap to establish a minimal number of locomotive configurations that maximizes safety, efforts to net zero on decarbonization, productivity, reliability and availability while minimizing cost. He or she is expected to communicate technical details surrounding locomotive engineering design and work closely with the Reliability team and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM). The incumbent oversees the work of the Manager, Mechanical Engineering – Locomotives.

Main Responsibilities

Locomotive specification documentation and roadmap

·       Define, maintain, and own CN’s locomotive of the future specifications with a key focus on safety, decarbonization & reliability.

·       Develop a fleet modernization / new technology adaption strategy that accounts for the necessary specification and component design life for all locomotives in conjunction with the Mechanical Reliability team

·       Work with Transportation and Safety leadership to account for crew requirements and identify changes needed to the locomotive fleet to drive targeted improvements

·       Participate in the development of detailed specifications for all locomotive and component purchases

·       Work with CN’s Financial Planning department on cost/benefit analyses and business cases to measure the financial impact of recommended locomotive modifications and specifications

Continuous Improvement through Vendor and Industry Focus

·       Work closely with the Sustainability, PSM Mechanical Reliability team and Fleet Leaders to understand the road map for decarbonization on CN’s locomotive fleet, and collaborate with OEMs to implement solutions.

·       Participate in discussions with locomotive vendors and other Class 1 railroads to identify and implement industry best practices

·       Support the Procurement and Supply Management organization in negotiations with locomotive vendors

·       Influence the product roadmap of CN’s vendors to ensure that its future needs are considered when planning products

·       Represent CN on industry committees and at conferences while promoting its vision of and approach to locomotive design and reliability

Leveraging Data to Improve Asset Utilization

·       Review and leverage data analysis to better understand how CN’s locomotive fleet is used and maintained in conjunction with Mechanical Reliability team

·       Use the insights gained through the data analysis to work with the OEMs to design longer lasting components 

·       Support Mechanical leadership on maintenance and inspection work scopes, reliability and root cause analysis, as required

Manage Assigned Staff

·       Establish employee objectives and carry out regular touch-base meetings

·       Provide mentorship, guidance, support, coaching and feedback to direct reports

·       Train and mentor new staff

·       Communicate company policies and goals to staff

·       Prepare and monitor development plan for staff 

Working Conditions

The work is primarily carried out in an office environment (70%). Travel is required across CN’s network, both within Canada and the US, when visiting field locations to carry out analyses as well as working with at OEM offices (30%). The incumbent works a normal work week, but will be subject to be on-call weeknights and weekends to handle time-sensitive issues around locomotive engineering.

Requirements

Experience

Industry experience

·       Minimum 10 years working with locomotives

o   Experience within another trade in the industry*

CN experience

·       Working at multiple levels within the organization

·       Operational experience within CN*

*Any experience for these above would be considered as an asset

Education/Certification/Designation

·       Bachelor’s degree in Engineering*

*Any designation for these above would be considered as an asset

General Skills and Competencies

·       Communicate with Impact

·       Lead a Culture of Safety and Sustainability

·       Collaborate with key internal stakeholders to enable higher productivity

·       Empower and Develop Self and Others

·       Engage with external stakeholders to achieve beneficial outcomes

·       Use Business Acumen to Drive Results

Technical Skills/Knowledge

·       Familiar with all regulatory requirements for both Transport Canada and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)

·       Knowledge of locomotive fleets across the industry

·       Basic understanding of locomotive fleet components

·       Knowledge of SAP