Rail Service Worker Vehicle Maintenance Chief

Full Job Description

Metro Transit's Rail Division is seeking one outstanding people leader to fulfill the role of Rail Service Worker Vehicle Maintenance Chief, specially focus on the cleanliness and presentation of the Rail vehicle fleet (LRV).

These leadership and supervisory positions play a critical role in providing immediate, daily management of vehicle maintenance supervising the work, and managing the performance of craft workers and Leads within their respective groups.

In addition to specific technical skills, the ideal candidates must communicate effectively with a diverse employee work group, to proactively solve problems that impact service delivery, encourage a safety culture while inspiriting high standards of customer service excellence, as well as the ability to motivate employees through building respect and trust.

About Metro Transit’s Expanding Rail Division

King County Metro Transit's Rail Division manages and maintains Sound Transit's Link light rail service and City of Seattle’s streetcar system.

Link light rail currently spans a 41-mile route from SeaTac to Federal Way and a 6.6-mile route from Redmond to South Bellevue.

By the end of 2026, light rail is projected to expand to nearly 60 route miles, adding two new stations. Additional expansions to the Link system will be coming online for years to come.

Who May Apply
This recruitment is open to all qualified applicants. This recruitment will be used to fill one (1) full-time Career Service, Transit Chief - Rail Vehicle Maintenance. However, this recruitment may also be used to establish a list or pool of qualified candidates for any future openings in the same classification. Placement onto an eligibility list/pool is not a guarantee of placement into a future position. The pool/list may be used for up to six (6) OR twelve (12) months at the discretion of the hiring authority.

To apply, the following three items are required:

• Online King County application
• Responses to supplemental questions
• Letter of Interest indicating how you meet the qualifications and why you are interested in this position.
• Resume

This position may be considered safety sensitive. Applicants for these positions may be required to undergo a physical and drug testing prior to employment and after commencement of employment, will be subject to random, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, return to duty, and follow-up drug and alcohol testing in compliance with Federal DOT alcohol and controlled substance testing program protocols.

Requirements

Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. In this role, you will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices to all aspects of the work.

People leadership/supervision duties:

• Revise and update proper cleaning procedures
• Conduct task and employee evaluations to verify that RSWs and RUSWsare adhering to procedures, documenting areas for improvement in tools, processes, and documentation.

• Demonstrates positive leadership and role modeling to encourage and support staff, while managing employee performance and implementing corrective action where appropriate.
• Manage all daily employee operations.
• Creates an inclusive and welcoming environment, focusing on a culture of safety and care for one another.
• Ensures staff compliance with negotiated labor agreements, Rail, Transit Dept. and County policies and procedures.
• Participates in new employment hiring assignments, internal and external work groups, project teams and committees as required.
• Supervises subordinate personnel and represents Light Rail at disciplinary hearings as needed.
• Conducts staff training and develop training needs assessment to meet changing regulatory and operating requirements; update, track and maintain employee training and certification records, ensure training programs, delivery and supporting data conform with contractual and regulatory requirements.
• Manage employee absenteeism, vacation change requests, sick/injury leaves, and related ADA/FMLA/KCFML/WFLA processes and requirements for assigned employees; review and approve leave requests consistent with staffing needs, employee preferences where possible, and applicable County policy/procedures and bargaining agreements; review, correct and approve payroll; administer federal safety-sensitive drug and alcohol testing program for assigned employees.
• Interview and recommend selection of assigned staff; provide employees with training and development opportunities as available; counsel staff on effective customer relations and safety strategies; evaluate staff performance through record reviews and employee performance appraisals as necessary; counsel employees in performance improvement requirements when needed; conduct investigations into allegations of employee misconduct, harassment, negligence, policy/procedure violations, and similar assertions; determine appropriate follow-up actions including counseling, training and appropriate disciplinary actions in consultation with the Superintendent, Human Resources and Labor Relations as required.
• Ensure compliance with all Rail Vehicle Maintenance, ST and County policies and procedures governing safety-sensitive positions, employment, worker safety, and related areas, as well as with applicable local, state, and federal laws.

Communication duties:

• Serves as a department representative in interaction with other Link Light Rail departments and outside agencies.
• Serves as subject matter expert (SME) during incident investigation and prepare detail report for senior leadership.
• Provides report out to Superintendent, Section Manager, and our Sound Transit counterparts in the event of accident, incident or during the normal course of business activities as needed.

Work planning/forecasting duties:

• Monitors and assists in developing annual budget for the related areas of responsibility.
• Develops and recommends procedures, processes, goals, and efficiencies for the operation of area of responsibility.
• Prepares various reports and data as needed for LRV details, and other cleaning related tasks

Daily work management and oversight:

• Plans, schedules, assigns work, and supervises employees and the cleaning of light rail vehicles, related equipment and/or facilities and coordinates the daily activities of a rail car maintenance and repair facility.
• Coordinates car assignments, pull-in, pull out, and exchanges.
• Monitors usage of tools and equipment, and chemicals.
• Ensures compliance with safety regulations, performs safety training, and supervises safe work practices; investigates industrial injuries.
• Observes and reports on the condition of transit property and rail vehicles; assures compliance with provisions of equipment warranties.
• Operates company assigned vehicles.
• Makes estimates of labor, time, costs, and materials.
• Prepares written reports, documents defects and repairs on inspection forms, work orders, or specialized software; performs related data input and retrieval.
• Leverage technical expertise to review work orders, ensuring accurate billing of labor, parts, and notes, and verifying that all information aligns with the completed work and standards.
• Monitor shop records, including work orders, warranty/rebuild part information, completed work, and materials used; enter and extract data in automated vehicle maintenance systems; monitor complete work assignments for quality assurance and proper operation.
• Monitor, manage and oversee the safety program for assigned work areas; establish and maintain a safe working environment; oversee and ensure the proper use, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials in compliance with federal, state, and agency regulations and requirements.
• Direct and ensure timely and appropriate response to service disruptions, weather emergencies, and critical incidents; coordinate response with Superintendent, Link Control Center, and other internal and external agencies as appropriate; investigate and prepare response to customer complaints regarding vehicle maintenance operations, services, and staff.
• Identify, evaluate and recommend service, quality, workplace, and business process improvements; monitor daily labor costs and modify operations when necessary to achieve performance improvement targets while maintaining established vehicle maintenance and transit service levels.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• One (1) or more years of experience supervising or leading and coaching employees.

• Three (3) or more years of experience in different types of cleaning techniques on exterior and interior of vehicles.

• Demonstrated experience effectively using business applications, such as Microsoft Office suite (Excel, Word, and Outlook).

• Demonstrated experience communicating effectively orally and in writing including listening and giving and receiving feedback.

Applicants will also need to have the ability to perform the following:

• Use common office equipment and software applications.
• Problem solve and attain mutually beneficial solutions.
• Work in a diverse workforce and prioritize safety, respect, and care for employees in a unionized setting.
• Prioritize building relationships and trust with employees and be excited and motivated to manage our diverse employee team.
• Promote an equitable, diverse, and inclusive work environment and support diversity and inclusion goals.

Desired Qualifications:

• Two (2) or more years of experience supervising or leading employees.
• Experience using different cleaning techniques for the interior and exterior of light rail vehicles.
• Experience with maintenance management information systems (MMIS) used to manage light rail vehicle fleet maintenance, repairs, overhaul, and parts ordering.
• Experience with industrial and general safety rules and regulations regarding maintenance shops and hazardous materials handling (storage and disposal).
• Experience using maintenance and cleaning equipment and tools for light rail vehicles.
• Experience planning and scheduling the work of a shop for optimum production.
• Experience interpreting and applying rules, regulations, union contract provisions, policies and procedures.

Necessary Special Requirements:

• Work requires remaining available for work 24 hours as on call during rotational assignments.
• Willingness and availability to work varying shifts on weekdays, nights, weekends, and holidays as required for shift assignment and consistent with negotiated agreements.
• Work may require reporting for extended duty during adverse weather events and other emergencies.

Work Environment:
Work is performed in an industrial setting where the worker is exposed to or near heavy operating machinery, high voltage, adverse weather conditions, uneven surfaces; catwalks/metal grating, noxious or toxic gasses and chemicals. The noise level is quiet to occasionally loud. Hearing protection and eye protection are required in some areas, and hard hats and other appropriate personal protective equipment may be required on occasion.

Additional Information

Application & Selection Process
An online employment application, resume, cover letter and answers to the supplemental questions are required.

Applicants meeting qualifications will be screened based on clarity, completeness, and content of their application materials. The most competitive applicants will have their application materials blind reviewed and possibly be invited for interviews. Employment offers will be finalized only after candidates have successfully completed physical examination, drug screens and drug and alcohol background checks. Reference checks and a complete driving record review will also be conducted prior to any final offer of employment.

Work Schedule
Availability on Day, Swing and Graveyard shifts. Assignment determined by Superintendent.
May be required to work extended and/or flexible work hours to respond to service needs. These positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and are not over-time eligible.

Union Representation/Job Code/Pay Grade
PROTEC17, 874080 (Transit Chief -Rail Veh Maint.), Grade 69

Work Location
Employees may report to any of the following locations: Rail Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF) Central at 3407 Airport Way S, Seattle WA 98134, OMF East 1925 120th Ave NE Bellevue WA 98005, or any additional locations that may open in the future.

To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact: Skyler Jones at: skjones@kingcounty.gov.



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Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles--we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

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