Foreman

Cypress Rail Solutions LLC•Grand Forks, ND

25d•$30 - $40

About The Position

Cypress Rail Solutions is hiring a Foreman to lead railcar repair operations and a team of skilled repair technicians. This hands-on leadership role ensures freight railcars, including tank cars, are repaired, maintained, and inspected safely, efficiently, and in accordance with applicable standards. The Foreman plans daily work, assigns and coordinates repairs, verifies workmanship, and coaches the team while ensuring work meets AAR, FRA, customer, and company requirements. The role supports shop productivity and high-quality standards, with a focus on employee safety. It is suited to an experienced railcar repair professional ready to take ownership of shop-floor performance and help develop railcar technicians. Successful performance includes supporting zero recordable and lost-time incidents, achieving a first-pass yield of at least 98% and rework of 2% or less, meeting on-time completion targets of at least 95%, managing labor hours and overtime, and supporting training, engagement, and attendance expectations. The work takes place in an industrial railcar repair environment, indoors or outdoors and in varying weather conditions. It may involve noise, vibration, temperature extremes, heights, uneven surfaces, smoke, dust, paint, confined spaces, welding, and moving machinery. Required PPE and respiratory protection must be worn for designated work. The position requires standing, walking, climbing, bending, coordination and dexterity, and lifting up to 50 pounds. A physical examination, drug testing, professional references, and a background check are part of the pre-employment process. The job description may change, and other duties may be assigned.

Requirements

Five or more years of experience in railcar repair or heavy industrial maintenance.
At least two years of experience in a lead, foreman, or supervisory role.
Strong knowledge of AAR railcar repair practices and familiarity with FRA requirements applicable to freight and tank cars.
Proficiency with FCAW, SMAW, and GMAW welding processes, as well as torch and plasma cutting.
Demonstrated commitment to workplace safety, including experience with JHAs, PPE requirements, and stop-work authority.
Ability to lead employees, assign work, provide coaching, and hold team members accountable for safety, quality, and productivity.
Comfort using electronic work orders, production-tracking systems, Microsoft Office, and other shop systems.
Strong organizational, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Ability to read and understand work instructions, technical documentation, safety requirements, repair standards, and mechanical drawings.
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and perform work in an industrial railcar repair environment.
High school diploma, GED, or higher.
Ability to complete company-required safety, regulatory, and job-specific training.
Must pass a mandatory pre-employment drug test, undergo a physical examination, provide professional references, and complete a background check.

Nice To Haves

Continued professional and leadership development is offered as an opportunity.

Responsibilities

Plan and prioritize daily workloads across multiple repair bays to meet schedule, quality, productivity, and cost expectations.
Assign work orders to technicians and balance employee skills, workload, and shift resources to maximize efficiency and throughput.
Oversee and perform railcar repairs, including structural and weld repairs, valve and fitting replacement, running gear work, liners, coatings, and tank car leak and pressure testing.
Verify completed repairs and workmanship for compliance with AAR Field and Shop Manuals, FRA regulations, customer specifications, and company requirements.
Model and enforce safety policies and procedures, including PPE, confined-space requirements, fall protection, hot work, and stop-work authority.
Lead, coach, train, and develop technicians; provide regular feedback on performance, safety, quality, and productivity.
Coordinate with Inventory and Purchasing to ensure parts, consumables, equipment, and tools are available and staged.
Maintain electronic work orders, production records, quality documentation, work status boards, and related shop records.
Facilitate shift handoffs and communicate work status, priorities, and outstanding issues.
Identify and escalate potential safety, schedule, quality, staffing, or production concerns.
Monitor labor utilization, repair time, rework, overtime, and other performance measures.
Maintain an organized work environment and perform other duties as assigned.
Support safety, quality, schedule, cost/productivity, and people performance indicators, including training completion and engagement and attendance expectations.