Your success is a train ride away! As we move America’s workforce toward the future, Amtrak connects businesses and communities across the country. We employ more than 20,000 diverse, energetic professionals in a variety of career fields throughout the United States. The safety of our passengers, our employees, the public and our operating environment is our priority, and the success of our railroad is due to our employees.   Are you ready to join our team? Our values of ‘Do the Right Thing, Excel Together and Put Customers First’ are at the heart of what matters most to us, and our Core Capabilities, ‘Building Trust, Accountability, Effective Communication, Customer Focus, and Proactive Safety & Security’ are what every employee needs to know and do to be most impactful at Amtrak. By living the Amtrak values, focusing on our capabilities, and actively embracing and fostering diverse ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives, together we will honor our past and make Amtrak a company of the future.     SUMMARY OF DUTIES: Sr. Principal Technologist is an expert/lead technical role. They provide production system operations and maintenance (O&M) support for end‐users, applications, infrastructure, platforms, or network services, serving as an escalation point for the most complex issues. Works on one or more projects of high complexity as the technology subject matter expert and/or technical leader/consultant in multiple disciplines. When involved with a project team, leads complex system analysis and design activity, acts in a consultative manner and provides technical subject matter expertise, system implementation, administration, and technical support. Works on the most complex tasks and projects or supports issues that involve the highest degree of risk and impact enterprise‐wide performance. Makes use of the individual's expert knowledge within one or more areas of specialty.                                                                                                ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Oversees technical efforts to troubleshoot existing information systems, application, middleware, or networks to identify errors or deficiencies. Evaluates team's proposed solutions and alternatives against decision criteria.  Leads the resolution of support issues escalated by senior operations, development personnel or service provider personnel. Guides vendors during the problem resolution process as needed.  Provides technical expertise across business functions. Identifies opportunities to improve business processes via new technologies.   Researches and analyzes advanced technology trends within area of expertise. Identifies emerging trends and initiates research projects for team members. Leads the assessment of emerging technologies. Recommends new products or tools for the organization. Oversees cost‐benefit and risk analysis and presents options to Sr. Management teams.  Partners with leadership to define and communicate long‐term technology strategy and planning for the enterprise.  Leads in the development and analysis of source selection strategies.  Works with service providers to ensure that their in‐scope technical solutions are consistent with the enterprise business strategy and architecture.  Serves as a technical consultant, trusted advisor and may be an escalation point (Tier 3) for issues. Provides project managers with technical consultation and advice, enabling quick response to inquiries related to the program/project.  Provides technical analyses to help define, assess and monitor the technical aspects of the program/project or services.  Designs innovative solutions using new technologies. Implements short‐term alternatives when appropriate. Reviews proposed designs at key milestone events and approves additional efforts. Oversees technical efforts to troubleshoot existing information systems, application, middleware,  or networks to identify errors or deficiencies. Evaluates team's proposed solutions and alternatives against decision criteria.  Leads the resolution of support issues escalated by senior operations, development personnel or service provider personnel. Guides vendors during the problem resolution process as needed.  Provides technical expertise across business functions. Identifies opportunities to improve business processes via new technologies.  Represents Amtrak in relevant industry forums   MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering or related field, with 9+ years of experience or 13+ years of relevant technical work experience and preferably in a leadership or Subject Matter Expert capacity to satisfy education and experience requirements.  ITIL Certification or equivalent Cisco Certifications  Microsoft Certifications Network Systems Experience   MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Must possess strong communication and interpersonal skills, work well with others in an integrated team environment, and must be self‐motivated   Must possess working experience utilizing the ITIL Framework for Incident, Change, Problem and Release Management      PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:  Master’s Degree in Engineering, Computer Science or other related field   MCSE, CCNP (or equivalent)     WORK ENVRIORNMENT:  Work is performed onsite in an office environment  May require travel up to 25% of the time   Requires on-call status  After hours and periodic shift work may occasionally be required    COMMUNICATIONS AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS:  Must have excellent oral and written communication skills.    The salary/hourly range is $135,800-$176,040. Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, internal equity, etc. Depending on an employee’s assigned worksite or location, Amtrak may consider a geo-pay differential to be applied to the employee’s base salary. Amtrak may offer additional incentive and pay programs to recognize and reward our employees, including a short-term incentive bonus based upon factors such as individual and company performance that is commensurate with the level of the position and/or long-term incentive plan compensation. In addition to your salary, Amtrak offers a comprehensive benefit package that includes health, dental, and vision plans; health savings accounts; wellness programs; flexible spending accounts; 401K retirement plan with employer match; life insurance; short and long term disability insurance; paid time off; back-up care; adoption assistance; surrogacy assistance; reimbursement of education expenses; Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility; Railroad Retirement sickness and retirement benefits; and rail pass privileges. Learn more about our benefits offerings here.   Requisition ID:164044 Posting Location(s):District of Columbia Work Arrangement:06-Onsite Click here for more information about work arrangements at Amtrak.  Job Family/Function:Information Technology  Relocation Offered:No  Travel Requirements:Up to 25%  You power our progress through your performance.   We want your work at Amtrak to be more than a job. We want your career at Amtrak to be a fulfilling experience where you find challenging work, rewarding opportunities, respect among colleagues, and attractive compensation. Amtrak maintains a culture that values high performance and recognizes individual employee contributions.  Amtrak is committed to a safe workplace free of drugs and alcohol. All Amtrak positions requires a pre-employment background check that includes prior employment verification, a criminal history check and a pre-employment drug screen.  Candidates who test positive for marijuana will be disqualified, regardless of any state or local statute, ordinance, regulation, or other law that legalizes or decriminalizes the use or possession of marijuana, whether for medical, recreational, or other use. Amtrak's pre-employment drug testing program is administered in accordance with DOT regulations and applicable law.   In accordance with DOT regulations (49 CFR § 40.25), Amtrak is required to obtain prior drug and alcohol testing records for applicants/employees intending to perform safety-sensitive duties for covered Department of Transportation positions. If an applicant/employee refuses to provide written consent for Amtrak to obtain these records, the individual will not be permitted to perform safety-sensitive functions.   In accordance with federal law governing security checks of covered individuals for providers of public transportation (Title 6 U.S.C. §1143), Amtrak is required to screen applicants for any permanent or interim disqualifying criminal offenses.  Note that any education requirement listed above may be deemed satisfied if you have an equivalent combination of education, training and experience. Amtrak is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race/color, to include traits historically associated with race, including but not limited to, hair texture and hairstyles such as braids, locks and twists, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions, such as lactation), national origin/ethnicity, disability (intellectual, mental and physical), veteran status, marital status, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, genetic information, citizenship or any other personal characteristics protected by law..