Job Description

Business Unit:

Cubic Transportation Systems

Company Details:

When you join Cubic, you become part of a company that creates and delivers technology solutions in transportation to make people’s lives easier by simplifying their daily journeys, and defense capabilities to help promote mission success and safety for those who serve their nation. Led by our talented teams around the world, Cubic is committed to solving global issues through innovation and service to our customers and partners.

We have a top-tier portfolio of businesses, including Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS) and Cubic Defense (CD). Explore more on Cubic.com.

Job Details:

The Director, Systems Engineering plays a pivotal leadership role in shaping the architecture, design, and delivery of complex, mission-critical transportation systems that serve millions of travelers globally.

This role provides strategic direction for Systems Engineering across Cubic’s global operations, driving innovation, scalability, and reliability across hardware, software, and cloud platforms. The ideal leader blends strong technical acumen with visionary leadership and cross-functional collaboration to ensure our systems deliver excellence, safety, and efficiency to our customers.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy

• Lead and inspire a multidisciplinary global team of system architects, engineers, and technical managers, fostering a culture of innovation, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
• Define and execute Cubic’s systems engineering strategy, ensuring alignment with the company’s long-term technology roadmap and business growth objectives.
• Partner with product and technology leaders to drive decisions that balance engineering rigor, innovation, and customer value.
• Represent Systems Engineering in executive discussions, providing data-driven insights and influencing key business and investment decisions.
• Develop leadership and technical depth within the team through structured mentorship, training, and knowledge-sharing programs.

Systems Architecture & Integration

• Lead the definition and design of complex system architectures that integrate hardware, software, and communications subsystems into cohesive solutions.
• Ensure systems meet stringent standards for safety, reliability, and performance within transportation and smart mobility domains.
• Oversee requirements engineering, modeling, and traceability from concept to deployment.
• Champion architectural best practices, configuration management, and design reviews across programs.

Lifecycle Management & Quality Excellence

• Establish and own engineering processes for requirements definition, verification, and validation throughout the full lifecycle.
• Drive continuous improvement and process maturity (CMMI/ISO compliance) to support scalability and global delivery.
• Define system-level KPIs and performance benchmarks to measure efficiency, reliability, and maintainability.

Cloud & Digital Infrastructure

• Lead modernization of system architectures toward scalable cloud-native platforms (AWS, Azure) supporting global transit systems.
• Oversee design and deployment of secure, cost-effective, and compliant cloud infrastructure aligned with Cubic’s digital transformation goals.
• Ensure operational readiness through robust documentation, monitoring, and disaster-recovery planning.

Stakeholder Management & Governance

• Collaborate with global engineering, program management, and operations teams to ensure seamless delivery and alignment to customer needs.
• Engage with external partners and vendors to evaluate technologies, negotiate contracts, and ensure delivery excellence.
• Provide transparent, data-based updates to executive leadership on progress, risks, and mitigation strategies.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
• Minimum 15 years of progressive systems engineering experience, including at least 5 years in senior technical leadership roles.
• Proven record of delivering complex, multi-disciplinary systems within transportation, defense, or safety-critical domains.
• Deep understanding of systems engineering principles, lifecycle management, and compliance with industry standards.
• Expertise in modern system design, cloud integration (AWS, Azure), and automation frameworks.
• Strong stakeholder management, financial acumen, and program governance skills.
• Demonstrated success building and scaling high-performing engineering organizations.

Leadership Scope & Impact

• Defines and executes strategic direction for global Systems Engineering across Cubic Transportation Systems.
• Accountable for operational performance, quality, and delivery of large, complex engineering programs.
• Partners closely with Product, Software, and Infrastructure leaders to shape the future of Cubic’s technology platforms.
• Interacts with senior executives, major customers, and global stakeholders on matters of strategic importance.
• Decisions at this level have multi-year business and financial impact across functions and geographies.

Additional Job Description

The Engineering function is responsible for all engineering activities within a firm to ensure that business objectives are met. Includes the creation, development, design, and improvement of products, equipment, facilities, services, standards, and procedures in all engineering fields.

Engineering > Systems
The Systems Engineering area is responsible for integrating hardware and/or software frameworks, systems and/or product design functions or designing underlying architecture for use in one or more product offerings.

Role Knowledge and Application
Participates with senior management to establish strategic plans and objectives. Makes final decisions on implementation and ensures operational effectiveness. Effectively cascades functional strategy and contributes to development of organizational policies. Accountable for actions that impact function or multiple department budgets. Takes ownership of profit and loss (P&L) responsibilities as aligned with the role, overseeing financial performance, budgeting, and resource allocation to drive revenue growth and maximize profitability.

Complexity and Problem-Solving
Works on complex issues where problems are not clearly defined and where fundamental principles do not fully apply. Translates business segment strategy into functional plans and guides execution. Participates in corporate development of methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for projects, programs, and people. Ensures budgets and schedules meet corporate requirements.

Supervision
Directs the activities of a functional area or multiple integrated departments through lower management. Leads team(s) to develop new methods and solve complex matters.

Collaboration and Interaction
Interacts with senior management, executives, and/or major customers which frequently involves negotiating matters of significance to the organization. Reconciles multiple stakeholder views to drive business results.

Discretion and Impact
Contributes to development of strategies of a function or multi departments. Erroneous decisions will have a critical long term (typically up to five years) impact on the overall success of function or multi departments.

Recommended Background and Experience
The education/experience information should only be used for requisitions/external postings in accordance with local regulations

Typically requires a minimum of 15 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 12 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 8 years experience; or equivalent experience. Significant barriers to entry (e.g., top management review, approval) exist at this level.

Worker Type:

Employee