Railroad Maintenance job description

This post includes 3 parts: duties list, job qualification and job description writing tips for Railroad Maintenance in details. A complete job description concludes Railroad Maintenance key duties/responsibilities, Railroad Maintenance 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 Maintenance duties:

1. Supervises, manages and directs the signal staff in daily preventative maintenance, including all areas of signal and communication structures and facilities
2. Supervises, manages and directs and performs maintenance on all systems
3. Supervises, manages, directs, and performs right-of-way preventative maintenance of signal and communication assets.
4. Ensures that assets and services are protected with proper inspections, maintenance and repairs when needed, for all signal and communication infrastructure
5. Responds to and coordinates for emergency incidents on rail line; and provides assurance of proper signal inspections, maintenance and operational tests are in compliance.
6. Will be on call 24 hours/? days per week
7. Maintain a strong relationship with operations, understanding production schedules and the support required with machinery
8. Maintains certification in FRA rules
9. Responsible for ensuring that all equipment is in safe operating condition
10. Ensures compliance with FRA rules and contract documents; reviews inspection reporting

II. List of Railroad Maintenance qualifications

1. Must have more than 2 years of experience
2. Must be able to pass a background check
3. Must be able to pass a drug test
4. Must have a valid Driver’s license with a clean DMV report
5. Must be able to lift up to 50lbs on a regular basis throughout the day
6. Must have Welding experience
7. Must be able to read, write and speak English fluently to meet FRA requirements
8. Must have steel-toed boots

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.