One word to describe yourself: Ambitious
Alma Mater: McGill University
Fast fact about yourself: Me and my wife are avid travelers. Our latest trip was to Egypt, where we visited the Pyramids of Giza—the last remaining wonder of the ancient world.
What’s your best experience on transit and what made it memorable? One of my best transit experiences was riding the high-speed train in Italy with my wife during our honeymoon, traveling from Venice in the north to Salerno in the south and visiting multiple cities along the way. This trip created lasting memories for both of us and deepened my appreciation for well-designed transit systems that connect people and places with ease and comfort. I am looking forward to using Alto, connecting Quebec City to Toronto in Canada.
Amin Asgarian has shown steady advancement in his career, evolving from a structural engineering specialist into managing complex, multidisciplinary infrastructure projects. He began as a structural engineer on diverse projects from mixed-use high-rises to water/wastewater facilities. He earned his Project Management Professional certification and became a certified project manager at AECOM after completing the firm’s global certification process. This dual expertise positioned him for technical management roles.
For more than 15 years, he has held roles as a licensed senior structural engineer and project manager, overseeing the full lifecycle of transit and rail infrastructure, and building projects across Canada, the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East. After earning his professional engineering license, he began to lead design phases on major infrastructure projects such as the Gordie Howe International Bridge project – Canada Port of Entry. He then transitioned into AECOM’s Advisory Services team to focus on transit infrastructure. His more recent projects have included part of Metrolinx’s Regional Express Rail Expansion and the Finch West Light-Rail Transit (LRT) project.
Currently, he serves as the technical compliance manager for the $2.5 billion Finch West LRT project in Toronto, Canada, with involvement through the design, construction and commissioning processes. Throughout these projects, he’s received growing responsibilities that entail structural design and review, leading multidisciplinary quality audits, supervising construction oversight teams and now overseeing cross-disciplinary compliance for a capital transit project. As part of his growth, he now leads a multidisciplinary team of over 50 engineers in managing the compliance review workstream, engaging with internal and external stakeholders, and working alongside the legal and commercial teams on change management and dispute resolution.
Colleagues recognize him for his proactive approach, eagerness to grow beyond his core responsibilities, participation in various professional development programs and ability to resolve complex issues. Committed to continuous improvement, he fosters a culture of technical excellence, mentoring and collaboration through regular knowledge-sharing initiatives.
As a structural engineer, Asgarian champions the use of technology to solve complex design challenges. He maintains active connections with academia and introduces emerging technologies to project teams by arranging knowledge-sharing sessions, webinars and software demonstrations. In his current role on the Finch West LRT project, he has drawn on his background in data analytics developed during his doctorate program to lead the integration of data-driven tracking and digital tools within the project’s compliance framework. This significantly enhanced efficiency, accountability and transparency across the design, construction and commissioning phases. His cross-disciplinary coordination has streamlined workflows, reduced work and accelerated review cycles, benefiting both internal teams and external stakeholders.
In line with his drive for continuous improvement, Asgarian engages in engineering and project management communities beyond his day-to-day responsibilities. He is a member of Professional Engineers Ontario – York Chapter, American Society of Civil Engineers, Canadian Society for Civil Engineering and Project Management Institute – Toronto Chapter. Through these organizations, he stays updated on industry developments and contributes to technical knowledge exchange and professional advocacy. He also maintains academic ties and serves as a seasonal instructor at Seneca College in Toronto, where he mentors the next generation of civil engineers and technologists, sharing insights from his academic and professional careers and preparing students for their transition into the industry.
His contributions were previously recognized with the Emerging Leader Award by Construction Canada in 2020. Colleagues say his growth extends across the technical and managerial realms and positions him for continued advancement in the industry.
Is there a specific experience that led you to where you are today?
Building on my foundation as a structural engineer, the pivotal point in my career was contributing to large-scale capital transit projects—like GO Expansion (heavy rail) and Finch West LRT. These experiences immersed me in a dynamic, multidisciplinary environment and gave me the opportunity to collaborate with professionals across all disciplines, including engineers, project delivery team and commercial and legal teams.
Contributing not only on the technical side but also to broader project delivery—such as stakeholder engagement, commissioning, closeout and contractual matters such as change and variation process—gave me a holistic view of infrastructure development and deepened my commitment to delivering impactful, integrated and resilient transit solutions.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
What I enjoy most about my job is working closely with a multidisciplinary team of professionals. My role at AECOM gives me exposure to all facets of major infrastructure projects, allowing me to see the bigger picture and understand how different components come together. I take pride in contributing to solutions that are technically sound, commercially viable and contractually robust. This diverse collaboration keeps the work dynamic, fosters continuous learning and challenges me to grow both as an engineer and as a project leader with a vision.
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
Although each project brings its own challenges, one consistent theme that I have encountered in my projects is developing the soft skills essential for effective leadership. Managing people, resolving conflicts and balancing diverse personalities and expectations across internal teams and external stakeholders is complex and yet deeply rewarding. It requires emotional intelligence, adaptability and clear communication. Navigating these dynamics is complex, especially within large multidisciplinary teams. These skills are invaluable, both in the workplace and in everyday life. I actively strive to strengthen them through reflection, mentorship and the continuous learning culture supported at AECOM.
What is the accomplishment you’re most proud of and why?
The accomplishment I’m most proud of is leading the technical delivery and compliance management of the Finch West LRT project—an essential infrastructure initiative that enhances transit safety, resilience and sustainability. My role involved managing multidisciplinary teams, ensuring regulatory compliance and engaging with diverse internal and external stakeholders. I’m grateful to AECOM for the opportunity, as this experience significantly advanced my professional growth. What makes it especially meaningful is the project’s real-world impact: delivering a reliable, environmentally sustainable transit system that supports community mobility and socio-economic development. It deepened my passion for combining technical expertise with leadership to create lasting, resilient infrastructure that serves both people and our planet.
What is an accomplishment you would like to work towards in your career?
An accomplishment I’m working toward is advancing into senior leadership to contribute to infrastructure projects with lasting social and environmental impact. I aim to broaden my experience through diverse, challenging projects and deepen my involvement in business development and major program management. This will help me gain a strategic perspective on aligning technical delivery with broader organizational and community goals. Long term, I aspire to be a visionary leader who empowers multidisciplinary teams and drives projects that strengthen communities, promote sustainability and leave a meaningful, enduring legacy through resilient, future-ready infrastructure.
What is your best advice/tip/best practice you can share from your area of expertise?
One of the best practices I’ve learned in delivering complex infrastructure projects is the importance of proactive communication and early cross-disciplinary coordination. In large-scale transit work, technical excellence alone isn’t enough. Success depends on engaging the right stakeholders early, clearly defining requirements and continuously aligning expectations.
Building strong relationships and anticipating challenges are key to resilient, compliant delivery. Ultimately, the best outcomes come from a balance of technical precision, collaborative mindset and the ability to navigate complexity with clarity and purpose.
About the Author
Megan Perrero
Editor in Chief
Megan Perrero is a national award-winning B2B journalist and lover of all things transit. Currently, she is the Editor in Chief of Mass Transit magazine, where she develops and leads a multi-channel editorial strategy while reporting on the North American public transit industry.
Prior to her position with Mass Transit, Perrero was the senior communications and external relations specialist for the Shared-Use Mobility Center, where she was responsible for helping develop internal/external communications, plan the National Shared Mobility Summit and manage brand strategy and marketing campaigns.
Perrero serves as the board secretary for Latinos In Transit and is a member of the American Public Transportation Association Marketing and Communications Committee. She holds a bachelor’s degree in multimedia journalism with a concentration in magazine writing and a minor in public relations from Columbia College Chicago.