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Railroad Safety Inspector (Track)- DIRECT HIRE- SME
Department of Transportation
Federal Railroad Administration
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Summary
The position(s) are located in the Office of Railroad Safety, Track and Structures Division. The Track and Structures Division is responsible for executing and administering the track and structures safety programs to ensure maximum safety in railroad operations relevants to railroad track, track configuration, track components, rail integrity, bridge and structures, and railroad workplace safety.
Learn more about this agency
Summary
The position(s) are located in the Office of Railroad Safety, Track and Structures Division. The Track and Structures Division is responsible for executing and administering the track and structures safety programs to ensure maximum safety in railroad operations relevants to railroad track, track configuration, track components, rail integrity, bridge and structures, and railroad workplace safety.
Learn more about this agency
Overview
Help
Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
05/01/2026 to 07/30/2026
Salary $102,415 - $133,142 per year
Salaries for all areas are available on the OPM website at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2026/general-schedule/.
Pay scale & grade GS 12
Locations
Many vacancies in the following locations:
Los Angeles, CA
Denver, CO
Pueblo, CO
Atlanta, GA
Show morefewer locations (14)
Des Moines, IA
Baltimore, MD
Saint Louis, MI
New York, NY
Portland, OR
Columbia, SC
Appleton, WI
Appleton, WI
Brown County, WI
Calumet County, WI
Green Bay, WI
Outagamie County, WI
Portage, WI
Stevens Point, WI
Remote job No Telework eligible Yes-This position may be eligible for situational telework. Telework approval will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency's telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position. Travel Required 76% or greater - Travel is required. Relocation expenses reimbursed No Appointment type Permanent Work schedule Full-time - Full Time Service Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status No Security clearance Not Required Drug test Yes Position sensitivity and risk Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure Yes - The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 requires the applicant selected for this position to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter. Bargaining unit status Yes - This is a Bargaining unit position represented by AFGE 1084.
Announcement number FRA.DH-2026-0001 Control number 867582400
This job is open to
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The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.
Clarification from the agency
Applications will be accepted from any U.S. Citizen. Due to the potential of a high volume of applicants, not all applicants may receive consideration. Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position. The Rule of Many, Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.
Duties
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As a Railroad Safety Inspector (Track), you will:
The Ideal Candidate: This position is perfect for a mid-level professional with strong technical background in applying current Federal railroad safety standards, as well as strong analytical and communication skills. The candidate must have experience in conducting inspections. The candidate must be mission focused and have the ability to interface with all levels of railroad management as well as the rail labor unions.
PLEASE NOTE: This is an Open Continuous announcement. Applications will be reviewed and selections will be made at any time before the closing date. If your application is referred to the selecting official, you will be notified via USJOBS. All applicants will receive a final update once selections are complete.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Qualifications
To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the specialized experience requirements.
To be qualified for a Railroad Safety Inspector (Track), the Qualifications Standard states you MUST have demonstrated knowledge in the following areas:
For the GS-12, to qualify, your experience should include all of the above plus at least one year of specialize experience equal or equivalent to the GS-11, which includes the following:
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:
For all types of consideration, experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4
All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Additional information
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicants criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, FairChanceAct@dot.gov. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation
RAILROAD STOCK: Pursuant to 5 C.F.R. Parts 2635.403 and 6001.104, all FRA employees (or spouses or minor children of FRA employees) are specifically prohibited from holding railroad stock (including shares of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. which owns 100% of BNSF), whether held outright, in an IRA, or in a 401(k) or other plan. (Employees may hold a mutual fund which invests in railroad stocks, so long as the mutual fund does not invest more than 30% of its assets in such prohibited investments.) Employees having a prohibited financial interest must divest themselves of railroad stock within 90 days after their appointment to their positions. Neither the rule against holding railroad stock, nor the divestiture period, is in any way affected by the existence of re-employment rights which employees might have with railroad companies. Nor is there any monetary threshold for applicability of the rule against ownership of railroad stock; all dollar amounts are prohibited.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
For this announcement, applications will be reviewed to determine if the applicant meets the basic qualifications for this position. The applications of individuals who meet the basic qualifications will be assessed to validate that the applicant possesses the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) at the level of proficiency needed to perform the job successfully. Applicants who are found to possess the necessary KSAs to perform the job may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Benefits
Help
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required documents
Required Documents
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RESUME: In accordance with the OPM memorandum titled Merit Hiring Plan, dated May 29, 2025, resumes with a maximum of two (2) pages in length will be accepted as part of your application. These should be legible and in a readable font size. A determination of your eligibility and/or qualifications will be based only on those two (2) pages.
Your resume MUST contain specific information that can be used to make a qualification determination, including employment beginning and ending dates for each position, whether employment is Full-time or Part-time, or average number of hours worked per week, and position titles. If the position is/was in the Federal government, you will need to provide the position series and grade level. The resume should show relevant experience and education, as well as support the required specialized experience. For assistance with the resume builder, please visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to
DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency CTAP program (ICTAP), you must meet the standards for this vacancy and provide all of the following documents:
Qualified CTAP/ICTAP candidates receive priority and will be referred to the hiring manager.
For more information, please review the OPM Employees Guide to Career Transition.
Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position. Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents. Uploading documents to USA Jobs does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system. You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
Help
You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than 11:59 pm (EST) on the closing date of the announcement.
If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office via email at: Transjobs@dot.gov
Agency contact information
Automated Staffing Office
Phone 000-000-0000 Fax 000-000-0000 Email TRANSJOBS@dot.gov Address DOT, FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION
Submit Application and Documents Online
1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
Washington, District of Columbia 20590
United States
Next steps
You may check your application status by logging into USAJobs.com (Select "My USAJobs" and click "Applications". Within two weeks of the closing date, a Human Resources Specialist may evaluate your application. If evaluated, qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager. If you are selected for an interview, the hiring agency will contact you directly. Once the position is filled, we will notify all applicants of their final status.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Criminal history inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
Financial suitability New employee probationary period
Privacy Act Reasonable accommodation policy
Selective Service Signature and false statements
Social security number request
Required Documents
Help
RESUME: In accordance with the OPM memorandum titled Merit Hiring Plan, dated May 29, 2025, resumes with a maximum of two (2) pages in length will be accepted as part of your application. These should be legible and in a readable font size. A determination of your eligibility and/or qualifications will be based only on those two (2) pages.
Your resume MUST contain specific information that can be used to make a qualification determination, including employment beginning and ending dates for each position, whether employment is Full-time or Part-time, or average number of hours worked per week, and position titles. If the position is/was in the Federal government, you will need to provide the position series and grade level. The resume should show relevant experience and education, as well as support the required specialized experience. For assistance with the resume builder, please visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to
DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency CTAP program (ICTAP), you must meet the standards for this vacancy and provide all of the following documents:
Qualified CTAP/ICTAP candidates receive priority and will be referred to the hiring manager.
For more information, please review the OPM Employees Guide to Career Transition.
Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position. Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents. Uploading documents to USA Jobs does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system. You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
Help
You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than 11:59 pm (EST) on the closing date of the announcement.
If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office via email at: Transjobs@dot.gov
Expand Hide how to apply
Agency contact information
Automated Staffing Office
Phone 000-000-0000 Fax 000-000-0000 Email TRANSJOBS@dot.gov Address DOT, FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION
Submit Application and Documents Online
1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
Washington, District of Columbia 20590
United States
Next steps
You may check your application status by logging into USAJobs.com (Select "My USAJobs" and click "Applications". Within two weeks of the closing date, a Human Resources Specialist may evaluate your application. If evaluated, qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager. If you are selected for an interview, the hiring agency will contact you directly. Once the position is filled, we will notify all applicants of their final status.
Expand Hide next steps
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Criminal history inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
Financial suitability New employee probationary period
Privacy Act Reasonable accommodation policy
Selective Service Signature and false statements
Social security number request
Additional locations
Des Moines, IA
Baltimore, MD
Saint Louis, MI
New York, NY
Portland, OR
Columbia, SC
Appleton, WI
Appleton, WI
Brown County, WI
Calumet County, WI
Green Bay, WI
Outagamie County, WI
Portage, WI
Stevens Point, WI
Federal Railroad Administration
The Federal Railroad Administration's mission is to enable the safe, reliable, and efficient movement of people and goods for a strong America, now and in the future.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) promulgates and enforces rail safety regulations; consolidates government support of rail transportation activities; administers financial assistance programs; conducts research and development in support of improved railroad safety and efficiency, and national transportation policy, including improved intercity passenger service.
The U.S. Department of Transportation strives to ensure that equity, transparency, accountability, collaboration, and communication permeate all that we do for the betterment of the Department, the traveling public, and our nation. As such, DOT values a workforce of persons who promote a culture of belonging by respecting the personal dignity and worth of each individual and fostering a positive environment where all feel safe and welcome. If these commitments coincide with your personal ideals and professional aspirations, please consider joining the DOT family.
Agency contact information
Automated Staffing Office
Phone 000-000-0000 Fax 000-000-0000 Email TRANSJOBS@dot.gov Address DOT, FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION
Submit Application and Documents Online
1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
Washington, District of Columbia 20590
United States
Summary
The position(s) are located in the Office of Railroad Safety, Track and Structures Division. The Track and Structures Division is responsible for executing and administering the track and structures safety programs to ensure maximum safety in railroad operations relevants to railroad track, track configuration, track components, rail integrity, bridge and structures, and railroad workplace safety.
Learn more about this agency
Overview
Help
Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
05/01/2026 to 07/30/2026
Salary $102,415 - $133,142 per year
Salaries for all areas are available on the OPM website at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2026/general-schedule/.
Pay scale & grade GS 12
Locations
Many vacancies in the following locations:
Los Angeles, CA
Denver, CO
Pueblo, CO
Atlanta, GA
Show morefewer locations (14)
Des Moines, IA
Baltimore, MD
Saint Louis, MI
New York, NY
Portland, OR
Columbia, SC
Appleton, WI
Appleton, WI
Brown County, WI
Calumet County, WI
Green Bay, WI
Outagamie County, WI
Portage, WI
Stevens Point, WI
Remote job No Telework eligible Yes-This position may be eligible for situational telework. Telework approval will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency's telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position. Travel Required 76% or greater - Travel is required. Relocation expenses reimbursed No Appointment type Permanent Work schedule Full-time - Full Time Service Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status No Security clearance Not Required Drug test Yes Position sensitivity and risk Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure Yes - The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 requires the applicant selected for this position to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter. Bargaining unit status Yes - This is a Bargaining unit position represented by AFGE 1084.
Announcement number FRA.DH-2026-0001 Control number 867582400
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