Railroad Carmen job description

This post includes 3 parts: duties list, job qualification and job description writing tips for Railroad Carmen in details. A complete job description concludes Railroad Carmen key duties/responsibilities, Railroad Carmen job qualifications (knowledge, education, skills, abilities, experience…KSA model) and other ones such as daily tasks, key activities, key/core competencies, job functions/purpose…

I. List of Railroad Carmen duties:

1. 
   Perform scheduled and on demand maintenance including: initial terminal air brake tests and other pre-trip maintenance; lubricate journals; clean and prepare surfaces for painting.
2. Work with shop machines, tools, vehicles, and equipment.
3. Troubleshoot and problem solve.
4. Communicate with others, verbally and in writing, technical information, job procedure recommendations, and other work-related information.
5. Read, understand, and interpret information.
6. Clean and supply work areas.
7. Provide on the job training to subordinates, coworkers, and trainees or apprentices.
8. Repair rolling stock structural components. Fabricate, cut, and perform rough finish operations on metal and wood replacement parts; fasten and assemble car parts by riveting, bolting, welding, and other methods.
9. Remove and replace defective components on rolling stock (trucks, shoes, coupler assemblies, air brake systems).
10. Safely and effectively operate the following; acetylene torches, non-power tools (pliers, wrenches, hammers), power tools (drills, power saws, grinders); electric and gas welding equipment.

II. List of Railroad Carmen qualifications

1. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
2. Must have a valid driver''s license.
3. Applicants receiving a conditional job offer must pass a color vision assessment to ensure that they are able to perform the essential functions of the job by adequately discerning different colors.
4. Applicants must have the ability to effectively and accurately understand, interpret, reference, evaluate, organize, and record non-technical and technical information.
5. Applicants must be able and willing to understand and apply safety rules, practice safe work habits, identify safety risks, and avoid potentially risky behaviors and situations.
6. Applicants must have the ability to communicate and work well both independently and with others.
7. Experience operating tools required to repair freight cars.
8. Ability to perform heavy physical labor.
9. Agree to all listed job requirements, e.g. pay, shift work, outdoor work, confined spaces, etc.
10. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States
11. Develop and maintain positive working relationships with coworkers, supervisors and/or customers and effectively handle conflict situations
12. Ability to speak English in a clear, concise manner in order to communicate with coworker(s) and supervisor(s)
13. Authorized to work in the United States without company sponsorship

III. Tips to write job description

1. Too-long job description:

Looking at a too-long job description can frighten the candidates off and drive the away. A job description, no matter how important the job is, should not be included in more than 3 pages. If one focuses on too many things at a time, he shall definitely lose focus on the main items and get overwhelmed by the remaining; So, keep it concisely.

2. Too-short job description:

While too-long can be a problem, too-short is more a problem. It will ruin the meaning of the job description. A too-short one means it lacks necessary details and therefore, the candidate will not be able to understand while reading it.

3. Listing unnecessary functions or job duties:

Just classifying these into the “others” category will save you a lot of effort and space. On the other hand, the job description will become more dilute and easy to be neglected.

4. Key functions

Not listing key functions as required for the job can be a fatal mistake to a job description.

5. Grammar and spelling

Poor grammar and having spelling errors can ruin the job description, too. Never think that as you are the employer, you may have the right to make grammar or spelling errors while requires other not to. A job description with such errors is easily to be mistaken as a fake or ghost ads; as a result, the candidate will turn away from it.

6. Not specific enough:

Be specific and concise; if you don’t address the specific, then what the job description is for. It is for the candidate to understand just exactly what he needs to do or needs to have. Lacking details can confuse the candidates very well.

7. Not having the job description reviewed by others:

This is also a common mistake. One may be subject to bias, but more than one, especially with the help of those external advisor, the job description can be more perfect.

8. Using buzzwords or abbreviations:

In fact, it is not necessary at all to use such in a job description.

9. Using slang or legal words:

Just use common wording to communicate with others and don’t do anything extraordinarily.

10. Not updating the job description:

The same job may require different duties and responsibilities in different times, so, you cannot use the same job description for 2 different times.