Principal Systems Engineer

Competitive salary package, 30 days of annual leave + excellent additional benefits.
Location: London - hybrid

Be Part of the Future of Rail

The railway in Britain is undergoing its most significant transformation in a generation, and Rail Delivery Group (RDG) is at the heart of this change. With the creation of Great British Railways (GBR), we are driving a new era of simpler, smarter, and more accessible ticketing; revolutionising how millions of people travel.

We are building a talent pool of experienced Systems Engineers who are interested in joining our Digital Ticketing Services (DTS) Team to help deliver and maintain cutting-edge national smart ticketing infrastructure projects, including ITSO on Mobile, Contactless (cEMV), Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG), and Barcode ticketing solutions.

By joining our talent pool, you will be the first to hear about unique opportunities to work on high-impact national programmes, where your expertise will shape the future of UK rail ticketing forever.

Why Join Our Talent Pool?

By submitting your details, you will:

• Be considered for future Systems Engineer roles as they become available.
• Stay informed about RDG’s latest developments and recruitment campaigns.
• Have early access to exciting projects in ITSO, Contactless (cEMV), Pay-As-You-Go, and Barcode ticketing domains.
• Join a high-impact team shaping the future of UK rail ticketing.

When a relevant role arises, our recruitment team will review your application and reach out if your profile matches our hiring needs.

Requirements

What We’re Looking For

• Experience in systems engineering, software development, or technical architecture in transport or public infrastructure projects.
• Strong knowledge of ITSO Smartcard Ticketing and broader smart ticketing technologies.
• Understanding of RSPS3002 and other national rail ticketing standards.
• Experience working with mobile technologies, focusing on solution design and implementation.
• Familiarity with APIs (RESTful, JSON tokens, and web service integration).
• Hands-on experience with technical documentation, including system data flow diagrams and interface control documents.
• Experience leading or mentoring technical teams.
• Ability to communicate technical requirements to non-technical audiences.
• Proficiency in MS Visio for technical architecture documentation.

Benefits

Why Work for RDG?

• We offer a highly competitive package, including:
• 75% off rail travel for personal and family use, plus international rail discounts
• 30 days annual leave (plus buy/sell options and additional leave for key life events)
• Season ticket loan to cover commuting costs
• Enhanced family leave with 30 weeks full pay for maternity, adoption, surrogacy, and shared parental leave
• Pension scheme with up to 11.58% employer contribution
• Private medical insurance (AXA PPP) including mental health and specialist care
• Discounted gym membership and access to wellbeing programmes

Apply Now & Shape the Future of UK Rail

We will keep your details on file and notify you when a suitable opportunity becomes available.

Please note that we are unable to consider applications from candidates who require visa sponsorship to work in the UK.