Bison Rail Systems is a railway systems engineering firm that works to move your world. Bison Rail Systems provides a unique opportunity to work in a flexible environment with a diverse team of professionals throughout the United States while encouraging growth and fueling passion. Consider joining the herd as an Associate CAD Engineer.
The Associate CAD Engineer supports the design and documentation of railway signaling systems. The Associate CAD Engineer creates CAD drawings for railway track layouts, signaling systems, civil structures, and electrical systems while ensuring compliance with industry standards, safety regulations, and client specifications.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Associates degree or Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, CAD Technology, Railroad Engineering, or related field.
• One (1) year of experience in CAD drafting in rail design or related field, ideally in passenger or freight rail environments.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Proficiency with CAD tools such as AutoCAD, MicroStation, Bentley OpenRail, or Civil 3D.
• Understanding of railroad signaling components, principles, and design practices.
• Ability to interpret and produce detailed engineering schematics and layouts.
• Ability to identify requirements and allocate and effectively use information, time and resources to satisfy objectives and priorities.
• Familiarity with document control processes and drawing version management systems.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative engineering team.
• Ability to communicate effectively and intelligently in person, via telephone, and in writing.
• Ability to deal effectively with others and establish working relationships among team members.
• Ability to identify and evaluate existing and potential problems and develop recommendations and courses of action to resolve the issues with the appropriate follow-up.
• Demonstrates responsibility, accountability and commitment to established vision, mission and goals.
• Ability to thoroughly and accurately complete complex work, focusing on all critical areas.
• Ability to manage time and multiple priorities to meet deadlines.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience working on ATC, PTC or CBTC railway signaling projects.
• Exposure to BIM tools or 3D modeling in transportation infrastructure.
• Knowledge of signal design standards such as AREMA or the Network Rail GRIP process.
• Field experience or familiarity with construction-phase support for rail projects.
• Experience with ProjectWise or similar document management systems.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Remaining in a stationary position, standing or sitting for prolonged periods.
• Communicating with others to exchange information.
• Repetitive motion with wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
• Sedentary work that primarily involves sitting/standing.
• Visual acuity to review and edit written documents for long periods of time.
• Light work involving moving objects up to 20 pounds.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Employee must:

• Pass a background check.
• Pass a drug screening i.e. a negative result.
• Provide a reliable Wi-Fi or equivalent internet access.

• Develop detailed 2D and 3D CAD drawings for railway track alignments, cross-sections, yard layouts, grade crossings, signaling systems, and supporting infrastructure.
• Prepare base maps, schematic drawings, and design models from engineering concepts, field surveys, and existing plans.
• Generate plans for mainline and siding track design, switches, interlockings, level crossings, and drainage elements.
• Collaborate with signaling, civil, and structural engineering teams to integrate CAD deliverables across all rail disciplines.
• Assist in the creation of plan/profile sheets, typical sections, and construction detail drawings.
• Interpret engineering specifications, design standards, and federal rail guidelines (e.g., AREMA, FRA).
• Support project engineers with technical documentation, design calculations, and bill of materials (BOM).
• Coordinate with external consultants, contractors, and clients to gather input and resolve design issues.
• Incorporate redlines, as-built information, and revisions based on field markups and engineer feedback.
• Utilize CAD platforms such as AutoCAD, Civil 3D, MicroStation, OpenRail, or Bentley Rail Track to produce design deliverables.
• Manage drawing files, version control, and design libraries according to project standards and using tools like ProjectWise or similar document management systems.
• Ensure adherence to internal CAD standards, quality control protocols, and file organization best practices.