[Hiring] Supervisory Railroad Accident Investigator @Railroad Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Inv

Role Description

These positions are located in the Railroad Investigations Division, Office of Railroad Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Investigations (RPH). The Railroad Investigations Division investigates accidents & incidents involving passenger & freight railroads, commuter rail transit systems, & other fixed guideway systems. The incumbent will serve as a Branch Chief supervising a team of Railroad Accident Investigators.

As a Supervisory Railroad Accident Investigator, GS-2121-15, you will perform the following major duties:

• Assist with the oversight of investigative projects including but not limited to reviewing reports and other work products of the staff; responsible for overall timeliness and quality of products, including technical accuracy and adequacy, investigative approach, issue identification based upon facts, thoroughness of analysis, and general presentation of such products.
• Manage personnel, providing authoritative advice and guidance; assigns tasks to investigative staff; identifies and assesses the significant aspects of each investigation; participates in the identification and selection of safety issues; and plans, develops and initiates the investigative procedures, and the evidence to be preserved and its public dissemination.
• Assign work to subordinates based on priorities, selective consideration of the difficulty and requirements of assignments, and the capabilities of employees. Evaluates work performance of subordinates and appraises staff performance.
• Assure that major emphasis of railroad investigations are of timeliness and quality, and that the investigation results achieve tangible safety improvements.
• Participate in all planning meetings related to the investigation and the final report product and reviews drafts of the final report for technical accuracy, ensuring necessary changes are made and that all applicable safety issues are identified and addressed.
• Initiate, maintain, and exchange information with other federal agencies and international organizations, industry, labor, trade, and other interested officials through meetings, conferences, seminars, letters, reports, studies, briefings, and other similar methods.

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in the federal service.
• Experience in rail accident investigation protocols, procedures, and methodology as they relate to railroad design, human performance factors, railroad operational factors, survival factors, equipment and structural factors.
• Identifying safety issues and developing safety recommendations.
• Reviewing reports for technical accuracy.
• Knowledge of the railroad industry, including economic and operating considerations and equipment.
• Knowledge of the general safety and health principles and practices applicable to the railroad industry.
• Knowledge of railroad accident investigation techniques.
• Skill in written and oral communication.

Requirements

• Practical knowledge of the typical reactions of different hazardous commodities to various environmental conditions and of safe procedures for containing or controlling fires, leaks, or explosions of these materials.
• Knowledge of the construction, testing, and retesting of containers used to ship hazardous materials by rail.
• Knowledge of Federal regulations and standards governing the shipment of hazardous materials by rail, including containerization, loading, handling, documentation, and placarding.
• Knowledge of railroad track system construction, maintenance, testing, or inspection techniques.
• Knowledge of the capabilities and limitations of various track system configurations.
• Knowledge of Federal railroad track safety standards.
• Knowledge of the design, installation, maintenance, testing, or inspection of signal and train control systems and their capabilities and limitations.
• Knowledge of applicable Federal laws and regulations pertaining to railroad signaling and train control systems.
• Knowledge of locomotive braking systems and their relationship to and interface with train control or automatic train stop systems and braking distances.
• Knowledge of railroad operating practices, rules, and procedures, especially as they relate to safety issues.
• Knowledge of Federal regulations and standards relating to railroad operations and requirements in such areas as hours of service, accident reporting, blue signal protection of workers, rear end markers, radio communication, railroad employee qualifications, and railroad employee testing.
• Knowledge of the design, maintenance, or inspection of various types of locomotive and freight cars currently in use and their capabilities and limitations.
• Knowledge of the installation, maintenance, or testing of railroad safety appliances and power brakes, their capabilities and limitations.
• Knowledge of the applicable Federal laws and regulations pertaining to inspection and testing of locomotives, freight cars, safety appliances, and power brakes.

Company Description