Signal maintainer job description

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

1. Perform advanced, quality railroad signal maintenance work in accordance with accepted professional practices, including the general code of operating rules, to ensure optimum performance of railroad signal systems and public and personal safety.
2. Respond to trouble calls reported on railroad crossing failures.
3. Evaluate patterns of railroad signal system failures and site engineering activities. Make appropriate corrections and/or recommend appropriate system improvements in a manner that optimizes available resources.
4. Comply with company policy and Federal and State rules and regulations governing work activities including those issued by Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
5. Complete required documentation including work reports and hours of service logs in an accurate and timely manner.
6. Maintain awareness of customers' requirements. Notify Signal Supervisor, Lead Maintainer or Manager of present and future concerns of our customers.
7. Work together to promote teamwork with fellow Signal Maintainers, construction crews and coworkers by communicating mutual concerns and providing appropriate relief.
8. Perform other related duties and overtime as required.
9. Encourage and perpetuate a culture of TEAMWORK, safety and respect for every employee.
10. Apply and adhere to the Quality Systems and Processes that allow the delivery of quality products and services to both internal and external customers.
11. Develop and maintain professional development activities to continually improve technical, supervisory and human relations skills.

II. List of Signal maintainer qualifications

1.      High School Diploma or GED.

2.      Preferred: Successful completion of Classroom Signal Training which was sponsored by a qualified organization.

3.      Preferred: Associate Degree in Electronics or equivalent technical background gained through military or on-the-job training.

4.      Preferred: Previous maintenance experience.

5.      3 years' railroad maintenance and signal crew experience on a construction crew of which at least six months must be in relief maintenance activities.

6.      Previous experience repairing and troubleshooting switch machines, electric lock mechanisms, ATS inductors, coded track circuits, event recorders, testing relays, interlocking plants, ABS and CTC signal systems.

7.      Possess a valid driver's license and have an acceptable driving record

8.      Currently have or must be able to obtain a Commercial Driver's License within sixty days of employment.

9.      Pass pre-employment drug screen and ongoing drug and alcohol screening as required by federal regulatory agencies

10.  Must have working knowledge of motion sensors and predictors.

11.  AFTAC and AFO, DCand AC/DC type warning devices and circuits.

12.  Must have pole climbing experience.

13.  Knowledge and skills that represent a high degree of proficiency in the signaling craft.

14.  Working knowledge of public and personal safety.

15.  Have self-motivation, organization, trouble-shooting and planning skills

16.  Show initiative and able to work effectively with little direction

17.  Positively adapt to changes in responsibilities when changes occur

18.  Work effectively with little direction

19.  Work effectively with others including general public, customers, safety officials and coworkers.

20.  Ability to perform under stress when confronted with critical, emergency, unusual or dangerous situations or situations in which sustained attention is a make or break aspect of the job.

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.