11983BR
PRS Facility Location:
EMD HQ LaGrange, IL - 400
Job Purpose:
The Electrical Application Engineer is a highly accountable, execution-driven role responsible for the design and delivery of locomotive electrical application systems, with a primary focus on vehicle-level wiring, harnessing, and electrical integration. This role operates at the intersection of engineering design and real-world product execution, ensuring that electrical systems are not only functionally correct but also fully integrated, manufacturable, and aligned with customer requirements.
This position requires a hands-on "leader/doer" who takes full ownership of their work as a project lead, rather than executing predefined tasks. The engineer is responsible for driving efforts from early concept through final release, including developing wiring architectures, performing NX-based harness routing and packaging, and ensuring alignment across the full locomotive system.
A key expectation of this role is the ability to operate effectively with incomplete or evolving information. The successful candidate must proactively engage stakeholders, identify gaps, and translate ambiguity into clearly defined scope, assumptions, and actionable requirements that enable progress. This includes working across engineering, manufacturing, and sourcing teams to ensure designs are practical and executable at a production level.
The Electrical Application Engineer is ultimately responsible for ensuring that electrical application designs meet customer commitments, support manufacturing efficiency, and integrate seamlessly within the broader locomotive system, while maintaining clear ownership of schedule, quality, and deliverables.
Req ID:
11983BR
Company Description:
Progress Rail stands at the intersection of legacy and innovation-driving the future of rail with a pioneering spirit. Since its founding in 1983, the company has grown to become one of the world's largest and most trusted providers of railroad products, services, and technologies. Today, Progress Rail delivers a comprehensive portfolio of cost-effective solutions to railway customers around the globe. From the rails themselves to the EMD® locomotives that ride them, the company's products are in operation across more than 100 countries-powering progress and connecting communities. In 2006, Progress Rail joined Caterpillar Inc., further strengthening its ability to lead the rail industry with cutting-edge technology, unmatched expertise, and a commitment to excellence. At Progress Rail, the team is not just building the future of rail-they are making history every day.
Education / Training:
BSEE / BSME (or equivalent) required
Job Title:
Electrical Project Engineer
City:
La Grange
Key Job Elements:
Electrical Application Engineer
Own and lead electrical application work end-to-end, from initial concept through final release, with full accountability for scope, quality, and schedule.
Operate effectively in ambiguous situations, where requirements are not fully defined:
o Proactively identify gaps in information
o Engage stakeholders to align on needs and constraints
o Define clear scope, assumptions, and requirements to move work forward
Take initiative to drive progress, rather than waiting for direction, ensuring that work advances despite uncertainty or incomplete inputs.
Serve as the project lead for assigned work, managing priorities, timelines, risks, and deliverables aligned with customer orders and manufacturing schedules.
Perform hands-on electrical design using NX, including:
o Harness routing and packaging
o Electrical application layouts and integration
o Design updates and configuration changes
Translate customer specifications into practical, manufacturable designs, leveraging standard approaches where possible.
Develop clear, complete, and actionable design documentation, including drawings, application data, and visual work instructions that enable efficient manufacturing execution.
Coordinate across engineering, manufacturing, and sourcing teams, ensuring alignment and successful implementation.
Communicate clearly and proactively, providing visibility to stakeholders on status, risks, decisions, and required actions.
Support manufacturing as needed to resolve issues, clarify intent, and implement design improvements.
Lead or participate in design reviews, ensuring designs are complete, aligned, and ready for execution.
Travels as required.
Qualifications and Experience:
Skills and Abilities
Demonstrated ability to work with limited or evolving information and create structured, actionable plans
Strong ownership mindset with a track record of leading work independently and delivering results
Ability to define scope, requirements, and priorities in the absence of clear direction
Proficiency in NX or similar CAD tools, with experience in electrical system layout and harness design
Strong organizational and project management skills, including managing multiple priorities simultaneously
Clear and effective communicator, capable of aligning cross-functional stakeholders
Practical, execution-focused mindset with emphasis on clarity, accountability, and delivery
Technical Requirements
5-7 years experience with electrical application design and system integration in a product environment
Experience with Siemens Teamcenter data repository or similar
Experience in vehicle or industrial equipment applications preferred but not required
Familiarity with NX (preferred) or similar CAD tools
Experience with BOM development and product data systems (SAP or equivalent)
Proficiency with standard business tools (MS Office)
Essential and Physical Activities Functions:
Strength - Position typically involves work in an office environment with occasional visits to an industrial environment. Frequent sitting. Occasional standing and walking. Occasional light to medium-level lifting (up to 30 pounds);
Motion - Position regularly requires standard motions associated with working in an office environment;
Vision/Hearing Requirements - Frequent verbal communications, including both talking and hearing;
Work Environment - Position is typically located in an office environment with occasional visits to an industrial environment which may include a non-temperature-controlled environment, as well as exposure to noise (85+ decibels), occasional exposure to temperature changes, heavy machinery and other hazardous working conditions requiring the use of PPE;
Emotional Demands - Very high level of responsibility. Must be able to coordinate diverse aspects of a project. Requires significant interpersonal skills while sustaining very high standards;
Safety - This is not a safety sensitive position, but may occasionally require the use of Personal Protective Equipment during visits to industrial areas.
EEO:
Progress Rail is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities.
Benefits:
Compensation and benefits offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, job level, market location, job-related knowledge, skills, individual performance, and experience. Please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Progress Rail.**
Competitive Salary
401(k) plan with up to 6% company match (no waiting period with immediate vesting)
Medical/Dental/Vision/Life/Disability Insurance
Supplemental Accident, Critical Care, and Hospital Insurance available along with an HDHP and HSA with seed money
Flexible Spending Accounts
Paid Vacation
Paid Holidays
Paid Time-Off (PTO)
Employee Assistance Plan
Education Assistance Program
Employee Recognition Programs
Site specific Production and Incentive Plans
Site specific Step and Skill Level Wage Adjustment Plans
Site Specific Relocation and Sign-on Bonus Programs
*Benefits eligibility varies by job position, full-time/part-time and regular/temporary status. The provisions of the plan documents control such benefits.
**Subject to position, eligibility, and plan guidelines.
Job Category:
Engineering
Work Location Options:
LaGrange
State::
Illinois
Summary Pay Range:
$77,069.75 - $139,668.00
