Jobs › T.Y. Lin International

Electrical Engineer (Design), Rail + Transit

T.Y. Lin International · Chicago, IL · $90,000–$133,200 a year · Full time

Posted Sep 16, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about an electrical design package you owned from concept through construction on a transit project.

What they are checking: Whether they have taken real ownership of full design packages, as the posting expects.

Tell me about a technically difficult problem you solved on a project. What made it hard?

What they are checking: Whether they thrive on technical challenges rather than repetitive design, as the posting says.

How do you mentor or learn from others on a design team?

What they are checking: Engagement with technical mentorship, which the posting says shapes strong engineers.

What would you do

How do you handle an older station where existing drawings don't match field conditions?

What they are checking: Practical judgment on modernization and rehabilitation projects, which the posting stresses.

During construction, a contractor submits an RFI suggesting a change that would save money but alter your design. What do you do?

What they are checking: Construction phase support that weighs cost savings against safety and reliability.

About the work

How do you approach electrical design when the work must happen in an active transit system that can't shut down?

What they are checking: Understanding of staging, outages and safety when working around live rail operations.

What's different about designing station power, lighting and life safety systems for transit versus a typical building?

What they are checking: Transit-specific knowledge such as emergency systems, standards and harsh environments.

Walk me through how you size a service and distribution system for a new station building.

What they are checking: Core power design skill using load calculations and code requirements.

How do you coordinate your electrical design with traction power, communications and signals teams?

What they are checking: Multidisciplinary coordination that prevents conflicts in complex transit systems.

What NEC and NFPA 130 requirements come up most in your transit work?

What they are checking: Code knowledge specific to fixed guideway transit and passenger rail systems.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by T.Y. Lin International.

TYLin is a globally recognized, full-service infrastructure consulting firm committed to providing innovative, cost-effective, constructible designs for the global infrastructure market. With over 3,000 employees throughout the Americas, Asia, and Europe, the firm provides support on projects of varying size and complexity. Together, we enhance conventional designs with smarter, more resilient systems. We provide people with better mobility. We steward precious resources by finding more sustainable solutions. Job Summary At TYLin, we believe exceptional engineers are built through exposure to challenging projects, meaningful responsibility, and strong technical mentorship. We are seeking an experienced Electrical Engineer to join our growing Chicago team, focused on the design and delivery of complex rail and transit infrastructure projects across the Chicago region and beyond. This is not a role for someone looking to simply produce repetitive designs. We are looking for an engineer who thrives in technically demanding environments - someone who enjoys solving problems within active transit systems, navigating modernization and rehabilitation programs, and taking ownership of sophisticated electrical design packages from concept through construction. You will play a central role in the design and delivery of electrical systems that support the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of transit networks. This opportunity is ideal for an ambitious engineer who wants to deepen their technical expertise, become a recognized design leader, and position themselves for future leadership opportunities within one of North America's leading transportation engineering practices. The projects are highly visible, technically complex, and directly impact the transit systems that millions of people rely upon every day. Responsibilities & Qualifications What You'll Work On You will support the design and delivery of electrical systems for a wide range of rail and transit infrastructure projects, including: • Heavy rail and rapid transit systems • Commuter rail corridors and facilities • Transit stations and passenger facilities • Rail maintenance and storage facilities • Traction power and power distribution infrastructure • Signal and communications support facilities • Transit modernization and state-of-good-repair programs • Major station renovations and accessibility improvements • New transit expansions and capacity enhancement projects This role will expose you to technically challenging transit infrastructure work, including: • Low- and medium-voltage power distribution systems • Station electrical systems and passenger facility power • Lighting design and photometric analysis • Emergency power and backup power systems • Electrical rooms, substations, and support facilities • Equipment power coordination for signaling, communications, and operational systems • Facility modernization within active transit environments • Multidisciplinary coordination across civil, structural, architectural, systems, and rail disciplines What You'll Do • Lead and support detailed electrical design for rail and transit infrastructure projects • Take ownership of design production, including development of construction drawings, specifications, and technical documentation • Develop electrical layouts, single-line diagrams, power distribution systems, and equipment connection details • Perform electrical load calculations, equipment sizing, and system studies • Support lighting design and photometric analysis for stations, facilities, and operational environments • Coordinate closely with transit systems, civil, structural, architectural, and mechanical engineering teams • Participate in field investigations, site assessments, and construction support activities • Support transit agency clients through design development, stakeholder coordination, and project delivery • Help mentor and support junior engineers and designers, contributing to the technical growth of the team • Serve as a trusted technical contributor capable of independently advancing complex design tasks and delivering high-quality work What We're Seeking • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering • Professional Engineer (PE) license required • Approximately 5-10+ years of relevant electrical engineering experience • Experience designing electrical systems for transportation, transit, rail, infrastructure, institutional, or large public-sector projects • Strong experience with power distribution systems, single-line diagrams, and electrical infrastructure design • Experience supporting station, facility, or transportation infrastructure projects is highly desirable • Experience with transit facilities, maintenance facilities, rail infrastructure, or transportation agencies is a major plus • Familiarity with emergency power systems, service upgrades, and facility modernization projects • Strong working knowledge of NEC and applicable industry standards • Proficiency with AutoCAD and Revit • Experience using AGi32 for lighting calculations and photometric analysis • Ability to work independently, proactively solve problems, and confidently take ownership of technical deliverables The Type of Engineer Who Will Thrive Here This role is best suited for someone who is: • Highly organized and detail-oriented • Technically driven and motivated by engineering excellence • Comfortable operating independently and taking initiative • Energized by complex transit infrastructure challenges rather than repetitive production work • Interested in becoming a future technical lead, discipline manager, or project leader • A strong communicator who enjoys collaborating across multidisciplinary teams • Naturally proactive, accountable, and capable of driving work forward without waiting for direction • Excited by the opportunity to help modernize and expand critical public transportation systems Why Join TYLin? This is an opportunity to accelerate your career by working on some of the most ambitious rail and transit infrastructure programs in Chicago and across North America. You will gain exposure to technically demanding, multidisciplinary transit projects, collaborate with highly experienced transportation engineers, and develop the kind of real-world design expertise that positions engineers for long-term leadership success. If you are looking for a role where you can take ownership, sharpen your technical capabilities, mentor others, and help shape the future of public transportation through complex and meaningful infrastructure projects, we would like to hear from you. Additional Information TYLin is committed to pay equity. As part of that commitment, we have provided the base compensation range of  $90,000 - $133,200 annually for this position and local market. We recognize that each candidate brings a unique set of skills, experience, education and competencies to the table that will be reflected in our offer .  TYLin is proud to offer exciting career development opportunities . TYLin offers a comprehensive total rewards package. Our benefits may include extensive medical, disability and life insurance coverage, continuing education benefits, paid time off, employee assistance program and a retirement savings plan with company matching contributions. We encourage all candidates to explore our total rewards offering. Collaboration, mission-driven focus, discipline, and leadership skills developed through military service benefit us all. Whether you are a Veteran, Guardsman or Reservist, a Military Spouse or you are planning to transition to civilian life in the near future, we welcome and value your application. TYLin is an equal opportunity employer, and we prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type as protected by federal, provincial, state or local laws. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. The company and its employees are required to comply with all local health authority, legal or lawful client requirements.

Apply at T.Y. Lin International