Design Coordinator - Underground Structures (Rail)

AECOM, a global infrastructure consultancy, is seeking a Design Coordinator to join its rail team in Dubai, onsite. The role is full-time and focused on steering the design development of underground structures, think tunnels, shafts and retaining systems, so it aligns with project requirements, technical standards and stakeholder expectations. This is a fit for someone who has substantial underground structures experience and enjoys coordinating complex design work across multiple disciplines. Based in Dubai, the position sits at the heart of large-scale infrastructure programs where rail projects are shaping transport networks. The company has a long track record of delivering projects that affect communities and daily commutes, supported by a global team of planners, designers, engineers and program managers. If you excel coordinating multi-discipline design work and want to be part of a firm that works on ambitious, tangible projects, this could be the right move.

Guiding the tunnel design from plan to delivery

You’ll bring together inputs from civil, structural, geotechnical and MEP disciplines, making sure that interfaces are well managed and that the overall design stays true to the project’s specifications and standards. Your day-to-day will include reviewing design submissions for compliance, helping with value engineering and constructability reviews, and keeping the design schedule on track by tracking progress against milestones. You’ll frequently liaise with contractors, consultants and internal teams to resolve design issues and surface risks early so they can be mitigated.

What the role needs from you

Here’s what you’ll need to bring to the role

• An engineering degree is required
• Ten-plus years of hands-on experience in underground structures design coordination or a closely related field
• Proven ability to align design inputs from civil, structural, geotechnical and MEP teams and manage cross-discipline design interfaces

Nice-to-haves for the role

• Experience on large-scale infrastructure or rail projects
• Background involving value engineering and constructability reviews

Compensation and practical details

The position is full-time and onsite in Dubai, AE. As part of the onboarding process, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

AECOM offers a broad benefits package designed to meet diverse needs, including medical, dental and vision coverage, life and AD&D protection, disability benefits, paid time off and leaves of absence, flexible work options, well-being resources, an employee assistance program, business travel insurance, service recognition awards, a retirement savings plan and an employee stock purchase plan. The firm is a Fortune 500 company with revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025, and it emphasises equal opportunity and keeps all information confidential according to EEO guidelines. The work environment aims to support growth through award-winning training and development programs, with opportunities to contribute to projects that have a tangible impact around the world.

Tips to help you stand out in this application

Lead with your track record: place your 10+ years of underground structures design coordination at the very top of your resume, and spotlight projects that involved tunnels, shafts or retaining systems in rail or other large infrastructure programs.

Demonstrate the must-have skills with concrete examples: describe times you coordinated inputs from civil, structural, geotechnical and MEP teams, how you managed design interfaces, and how you kept design work aligned with milestones and standards.

Be ready to talk through risk and constructability: share specific situations where you identified design risks during development and how you mitigated them, along with a moment where you led a constructive review that improved outcomes.

Ask a focused question in your interview about multidisciplinary coordination: inquire about how the project currently handles cross-discipline interfaces and what tools or processes they use to track progress against the programme milestones.