Train Crew - Sioux City, IA

Union Pacific•Rockwell City, IA

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Union Pacific Train Crew employees provide the safe and timely movement of customers’ freight. Railroad experience is not required; the company provides a 14-week training program combining classroom and on-the-job instruction. Attendance throughout training and successful completion of all exams are required for continued employment. After training, employees work in road or yard service according to their territory and seniority. Road crews may travel between locations and stay away from their home terminal; lodging is provided in those circumstances. Yard and local crews work with an engineer or by remote control to sort cars from inbound trains and build outbound trains. This seniority-based role may require coverage at other locations in the employee’s seniority area, which may be far from the hired location or home. Employees may be assigned to on-call work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and should expect variable hours and irregular days off, including nights, weekends, and holidays. Temporary furloughs are possible based on business volumes. In the first year, expected earnings are around $80,000 annually; the posting notes that median annual wages for employees with five years of service exceed $100,000. Employees may later apply for engine service and pursue qualification as a Class 1 Locomotive Engineer. The role requires compliance with railroad safety rules and regulations, including Federal Railroad Administration requirements, and is subject to drug and alcohol testing. Employees should plan to remain in their craft and work location for at least two years; changes are subject to business demands and may not be approved. The company states that compensated time off is generally unavailable during the first year except for paid sick days.

Requirements

Must be at least 18 years old.
Must have a valid driver’s license.
Must have a clean driving record during the past 36 months, without a suspension, revocation, cancellation, or denial of the license resulting from a drug- or alcohol-related incident.
Must not have been involved in diversion or probation, or pleaded guilty to a drug- or alcohol-related driving incident.
Must not have refused a drug or alcohol test related to operating a motor vehicle.
Must successfully complete an English-language assessment before proceeding to the interview stage.
Must successfully pass a Physical Ability Test before being considered for employment.
Must have normal color vision and the ability to detect and interpret visual color signals and displays, and to judge the speed of moving objects at close and distant ranges.
Must have adequate depth perception to assess the speed and distance of locomotives being moved in the service area.
Must be able to push, pull, lift, and carry objects weighing up to 85 pounds.
Must be able to frequently perform coordinated hand movements for grasping, placing, or moving objects.
Must be able to perform physically demanding tasks, including occasional bending, stooping, and kneeling.
Must be able to line a switch between tracks, climb a rail car side ladder, maintain balance while riding a rail car, walk up to five miles per shift on uneven terrain, and occasionally work at heights of 12 feet or more.
Must be able to detect unusual sounds and smells during inspections and testing and respond promptly.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without requiring company sponsorship.
Must be available for variable work hours, irregularly scheduled days off, and on-call work that may include nights, weekends, and holidays.
Must attend the full 14-week training program and successfully complete all exams during training.
Must plan to commit to the assigned craft and work location for at least two years; changes are subject to business demands and may not be approved.

Nice To Haves

Experience working second and/or third shifts.
Experience working outdoors in diverse weather conditions, including professional, personal, or volunteer experience.
Experience working with, on, and around heavy equipment in motion, including professional, personal, or volunteer experience.
Experience working in confined spaces and at different heights.

Responsibilities

Inspect equipment, locomotives, and rail cars to ensure they are safe to use or move in a train.
Couple equipment, align drawbars, operate remote-control locomotives, apply and release hand brakes, ride rail cars, and replace couplers or knuckles.
Communicate effectively with crews, yard controllers, and dispatchers using radios and/or hand signals.
Maintain accurate written and electronic documentation and prepare necessary materials.
Observe and comply with railroad safety and operating rules and regulations, including Federal Railroad Administration requirements.
Perform additional duties as assigned by a supervisor.
In yard and local service, sort cars from inbound trains and build outbound trains.

Benefits

Medical insurance, including prescription coverage.
Vision insurance.
Dental insurance.
Life insurance.
Disability insurance.
Wellness and Employee Assistance Programs.
401(k) retirement plan.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan with a 20% match up to 5%.
Educational Assistance, including online and in-person courses at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Metropolitan Community College with little to no out-of-pocket cost.
Lodging provided for road service crews required to stay away from their home terminal; lodging for coverage at other locations may depend on the applicable collective bargaining agreement.
Paid sick days; the posting says employees are likely not eligible for other compensated time off during their first year.