Senior Systems Engineer

About the role

Parallel Systems is building autonomous, battery-electric rail vehicles to modernize freight transportation. We are looking for a hands-on Senior Systems Engineer to interface with customers and end users to define the product. You'll architect the system and use best Systems Engineering practices to define requirements, lead design reviews, and execute validation campaigns.

This position straddles the vehicle hardware and the end user command and control software. You will have a critical role in integrating to existing train control systems, and will participate in crafting the next generation of advanced autonomous rail operations.

Responsibilities

• Define high level needs, goals, and objectives based on business and customer desires
• Develop product plans and roadmaps and guide team execution to those plans
• Lead trade studies to determine best implementation of product
• Develop system architecture, concepts of operation, and requirements
• Decompose system level requirements to subsystems requirements with all engineering disciples (mechanical, electrical, system/software)
• Manage and maintain requirements traceability from system requirements through validation evidence using a structured requirements database
• Develop interface control documents (ICD)
• Develop compliance matrix, verification and validation plan, integration plan and design verification test (DVT) plan/procedure
• Lead and perform Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
• Provide feedback across the design lifecycle to improve testability, reliability, and system robustness
• Provide technical guidance for engineering best practices

Success in This Role

• After 30 Days: Understand the vehicle architecture, command and control software, railroad operating environment, subsystem interfaces, and existing requirements. Identify the highest-priority gaps in requirements, traceability, integration, and validation.
• After 60 Days: Own key system and subsystem requirements and interfaces. Lead cross-functional design reviews, improve requirements traceability, and begin driving trade studies and integration issue
• After 90 Days: Independently lead systems engineering for a major vehicle or operational capability. Establish clear requirements, interfaces, risks, and verification plans, and drive integration and validation to produce structured, audit-ready evidence.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Controls, Aerospace, Computer Science, or related field
• 5+ years of experience working on complex hardware systems
• Direct experience testing electromechanical systems that integrate hardware, firmware, and software interfaces
• Strong foundation in electromechanical fundamentals and system integration
• Experience with system and subsystem validation such as acceptance testing, environmental validation, integration testing, and deployment testing
• Experience with existing railroad operations and train control software
• Demonstrated ability to create structured, audit-ready documentation for safety and compliance purposes

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with classical systems engineering practices including requirements management, functional architecture, and DFMEA
• Experience managing or administering a requirements database and maintaining verification traceability
• Experience integrating hardware and software systems in a regulated or safety-critical environment
• Track record of implementing process improvements across engineering or manufacturing systems
• Experience with Python or similar programming languages
• Familiarity with CAD tools such as SolidWorks

Pay and benefits

We are committed to providing fair and transparent compensation in accordance with applicable laws. Salary ranges are listed below and reflect the expected range for new hires in this role, based on factors such as skills, experience, qualifications, and location. Final compensation may vary and will be determined during the interview process. The target hiring range for this position is listed below.

Target Salary Range

$163,000—$180,000 USD