WASHINGTON — “Safety inspector,” “safety specialist,” and “program analyst” are three job classifications Federal Railroad Administration officials say they have more than 100 slots for nationwide to fill as they search for qualified applicants.
In a recent statement from the FRA, about 20-percent of the job vacancies to be filled are related to the railroad industry’s implementation of positive train control, but all posts are tasked with ensuring rail safety.
The safety inspector position, for instance, has a posted pay band of $73,375 to $95,388 per year with seven positions in Connecticut and downstate New York and is responsible for enforcing operating rules and practices, conducting drug tests, and seeking “corrections for unsafe conditions.”
The program analyst position, however, has a pay band of $63,036 to $126,062 for work in Washington, D.C., on railroad safety information systems.
There is no excuse for anyone being out of work. The FRA needs 100 people. There are Help Wanted signs all over the place. Perhaps we need to revamp the welfare system so as to put some of these folks back to work. Last, but not least, HIRE VETERANS1
The pay ranges shown are the base range. Federal law provides for various location adjustments for defined geographic areas.
Pay seems low for those geographic areas, which have some of the highest cost of living. Or does this job have some type of COLA pay?
Are we (US taxpayers) not paying enough to attract good candidates?
If you work for FRA, you can’t own any shares of railroad stock (or Berkshire Hathaway!) , plus you must give up any seniority and reemployment rights you might have from having worked at a railroad.
Maybe some of the former CSX employees recently fired by Hunter Harrison would be interested in applying for these positions. They would certainly have railroad experience.
One wonders where they will get applicants with PTC experience considering its current limited operational status.