Supervisor, Rail Transportation

Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority•Austin, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Supervisor, Rail Transportation reports directly to the Manager of Transportation and serves as the tactical authority for CapMetro T&E crew supervision. The role standardizes practices across four Transportation Shift Supervisors, audits hours-of-service compliance across shifts, oversees operational testing and crew qualification compliance, and promotes consistent, safe, and compliant floor supervision and crew-calling practices systemwide. The Supervisor is an escalation point for matters beyond shift-level authority, coordinates supervisors’ time between floor supervision and crew-calling, and acts as a second reviewer when discipline and crew-assignment responsibilities could create a conflict of interest. When peer coverage is unavailable or insufficient, the Supervisor may provide floor supervision or crew-calling coverage and deputize for the Supervisor of Transportation as needed. The position supports regulatory compliance, audits, inspections, investigations, safety management, and consistent customer service. It also directs and manages department personnel, including planning and assigning work, coordinating vendors and consultants, participating in personnel actions and hiring, and overseeing training and performance evaluations. Work takes place in office, yard, and field environments, with exposure to inclement weather. The role requires travel to yard and field locations, variable and rotating shifts, and availability as an on-call escalation point for emergencies and major service disruptions. This is an onsite, FTA safety-sensitive and security-sensitive position. Visa sponsorship is unavailable; applicants must already be authorized to work in the United States.

Requirements

Eight years of progressively responsible experience in railroad or rail transit T&E crew operations, including direct floor-supervision or crew-calling experience.
Must be Rules Qualified and have been a certified Engineer and Conductor, and must be DSLE qualified.
Two years of lead, supervisory, or standards-development experience, including developing or enforcing operating standards, hours-of-service compliance practices, or training programs.
Knowledge of railroad or rail transit T&E crew operations, including floor supervision, ride checks, efficiency testing, and crew-calling or crew-board management.
Working knowledge of hours-of-service regulations (49 CFR Part 228) and applicable FRA, FTA, and TxDOT requirements governing T&E crew supervision.
Ability to identify and mitigate conflicts of interest between discipline and crew-assignment functions and apply practical safeguards.
Ability to coach and hold Transportation Shift Supervisors accountable for consistent standards without performing their day-to-day duties directly.
Strong interpersonal and leadership skills and ability to communicate across a politically, economically, and culturally diverse workforce.
Strong problem-solving and organizational skills, including the ability to assess cross-shift operational issues and develop standardized solutions.
Ability to stand, walk, and travel to yard and field locations as needed throughout the workday.
Ability to work varying shifts, days, nights, weekends, holidays, and rotating shifts; availability as an on-call escalation point for incidents outside normal operating hours.
Ability to safely operate a motor vehicle and use telephone or radio/headset equipment.
Ability to lift and move materials weighing up to 20 pounds, work at a computer terminal for several hours a day, and function amid constant interruptions.
Regular and predictable attendance at the assigned work location.
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States; visa sponsorship is not available.
Participation in the employer's prohibited-substances testing program is a condition of employment; the role is subject to random drug and alcohol testing.
The position is subject to annual background checks.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Transportation, Business Administration, or a related field; an equivalent combination of directly related education, training, and experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

Establish, maintain, and enforce standardized floor-supervision and crew-calling practices across the four Transportation Shift Supervisors, including ride checks, efficiency testing, operational testing, and cross-training.
Audit and track hours-of-service compliance under 49 CFR Part 228 across all shift teams, and escalate concerning patterns.
Coordinate how Shift Supervisors allocate time between floor supervision and crew-calling duties to ensure peak crew-change windows are adequately staffed.
Serve as a second reviewer of crew-assignment decisions made immediately after a disciplinary action by the same Shift Supervisor, safeguarding against actual or perceived conflicts of interest.
Serve as the escalation point for rule interpretation questions, cross-shift staffing conflicts, and operational issues beyond shift-level authority; promote consistent application of operating rules and directives.
Deputize for the Supervisor of Transportation on crew-supervision matters during absences and provide tactical, cross-shift direction during major service disruptions.
Oversee operational testing and inspections under CapMetro's Operations Testing Program and 49 CFR Part 217, monitoring quality, frequency, documentation, trends, and corrective actions.
Reinforce customer-service expectations and consistent, professional passenger communication during normal operations and disruptions.
Ensure T&E crew-supervision practices comply with applicable FRA requirements, including hours of service, crew qualifications, documentation, and applicable FTA, TxDOT, and agency requirements.
Participate in and support FRA and agency audits, inspections, and investigations, including review of records, statements, operational data, and hours-of-service corrective action plans.
Promote a safety-first culture by reinforcing accountability, encouraging hazard identification and reporting, and incorporating safety into supervisory decisions.
Review shift-level supervision and crew-calling reports to identify recurring issues, staffing concerns, and compliance trends; coordinate with the Manager of Transportation on trends, training needs, and hours-of-service matters.
Monitor engineer and conductor qualification and certification status under 49 CFR Parts 240 and 242, identify deficiencies, and coordinate corrective actions with Transportation management and Safety and Training.
Support CapMetro's Safety Management Systems process by ensuring staff follow safety and security policies and report safety and security concerns.
Perform other rail-related duties as assigned.
Plan, schedule, delegate, and oversee employee work assignments; authorize and coordinate work with vendors and consultants; conduct personnel actions, including hiring and interviewing; and oversee hiring, training, assignments, and performance evaluations.