Metropolitan Transportation Authority Careers

Metro-North Railroad reserves the right to remove this posting before the Application Deadline.

Opening:

MTA Metro-North Railroad is a dynamic organization, operating out of the jewel of New York City, Grand Central Terminal.  We provide service to over 86.5 million customers, traveling in and out of New York and Connecticut.  A subsidiary of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Metro-North Railroad is one of the busiest commuter railroads in the nation.  MTA Metro-North Railroad strives to provide a safe and reliable commute, excellent customer service, and rewarding opportunities to its employees.

Position Objective:

Direct and control the Positive Train Control (PTC) Workgroup (labor, material, equipment, third party contracts, and design) to ensure Metro-North compliance with the 2008 Rail Safety Act.  This position is directly accountable for directing the Engineering scope of the development and implementation of office, wayside, onboard and communication system as well as modifications to operating rules and training necessary to be compliant with the PTC rule. This position will also be responsible for bringing MTA Metro-North’s PTC Department into a position of self-sufficiency in its ability to make critical changes to all aspects of the PTC System including Wayside, Communications and Office in order to meet the demands of any improvements and changes to the infrastructure and operation of the railroad.

Responsibilities:

• Coordinate and foster the advancement of the wayside, communications, and office teams by providing robust support, empowering them with the knowledge and autonomy needed to proficiently execute design updates, and changes to the PTC System needed to support changes and enhancements to the railroad infrastructure and operations. The primary objective is to cultivate self-reliance, minimizing the reliance on external support from third-party contractors.
• Provide leadership, engineering, design and support of office, wayside, onboard and communication systems.  Act on information about Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System (ACSES) issues obtained from various sources (Chief’s log, Locomotive Engineer incident reports, Signal Control desk, Wire Chief, and/or PTC office) to ensure issues are addressed appropriately.  Understanding the sensitivity and urgency of the issue to determine what actions to take to resolve the issue based on the circumstances is important.
• Provide leadership in the Design and Construction Phase of projects by preparing project plans, coordinating the project team, reviewing and approving design submittals, drawings, site plans and design changes prior to installation. Travel as needed to participate in the factory testing of design changes/enhancements to PTC software and hardware. Take an active role in the Change Control Board process to facilitate changes to the PTC design. Review PTC design plans to determine if they meet system requirements, specifications and will integrate with existing infrastructure and identify potential design flaws and notify external design team to make adjustments accordingly.  Review and approved design revisions.     
• Provide leadership in the maintenance phase of PTC by reviewing Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System ACSESView logs, coordinating initial training efforts, review and approval of maintenance and training documents.  Coordinate activities between various groups (MofW Communications and Signals, Transportation, M of E, GCT, Track and Structures, Centralized Traffic Control and Communication Systems contractors, etc.) and facilitate design, construction, testing and commissioning of the new PTC systems.  Coordinate project team and work with Signal dept to determine all logistics associated with installing, testing and troubleshooting transponders.
• Support test trains needed to validate that the PTC system is operating as intended.  Ride test trains, answer questions and provide direction to the test train team.  Review test plan with Locomotive Engineer, Conductor, Operation Control Center (OCC) and Foreman to ensure all parties are aware of what will be tested and ensure successful execution of the test plan.  Act as point person to make the decisions and give direction if any unforeseen issues arise during the test. Review and analyze MCM/OBC downloads from test trains.
• Manage and lead a team of PTC Professionals encompassing hiring, training, fostering motivation and assessing performance.
• Oversee the maintenance of ASES for MTA Metro-North’s West of Hudson territory by coordinating with New Jersey Transit to troubleshoot and resolve any issues affecting the system.
• Select, develop, and motivate staff and provide career development for team members. Provide effective coaching and counseling.  Manage team and individual performance.  Create a professional environment that respects individual differences and enables staff to develop and contribute to their full potential.

Required Qualifications:

Required Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Strong knowledge of the Signal System regulations outlined by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and State Regulations.
• Strong knowledge of process for design changes to the ACSES II system.
• Strong knowledge of software tools for ACSES II transponder & wayside interface unit design change.
• Knowledge of ACSES II Radio Configuration design.
• Knowledge of OBC/MCM onboard download log analysis.
• Knowledge of Computer Aided Drawing (CAD) systems.
• Knowledge of standard signal system safety rules and procedures.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of railroad rules and policies.
• Knowledge of computer network and database management.
• Strong organizational and planning skills.
• Must be able to work in a high-profile/high-pressure environment.
• Ability to lead and manage others.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build effective working relationships with internal Metro-North departments, management and outside agencies.
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office i.e. (Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and/or comparable applications.
• Ability to implement and participate in Metro-North Railroad’s Safety Program.
• Ability to work 24/7 outside of normal working hours as needed to support and respond to maintenance and construction projects.
• Must have a valid driver's license.

The following is/are preferred:

• Familiarity with Metro-North’s operating rules, policies and procedures.
• Familiarity with Auto CAD.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering or similar field. Demonstrated equivalent experience, education and/or technical credentials to include four (4) years of related experience may be considered in lieu of degree.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of ACSES II PTC systems design, configuration and testing experience including Wayside, Onboard, Office and Communications systems.
• Minimum of five (5) years of project management experience or comparable experience in coordination of labor, material, equipment and third-party contractor activities for PTC system development, installation, testing, and maintenance (or satisfactory completion of MNR Associate Engineer Program).

The following is/are preferred, but other satisfactory combinations of relevant experience, education, and/or technical credentials will be considered:

• Professional Engineer (PE) License

Other Information

This position is safety-sensitive and subject to toxicological testing.

According to the New York State Public Officers Law & the MTA Code of Ethics, all employees who hold a policymaking position must file an Annual Statement of Financial Disclosure (FDS) with the NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (the “Commission”).

Employees driving company vehicles must complete defensive driver training once every three years for current MNR drivers, or within 180 days of hire or transfer for an employee entering an authorized driving position.

Equal Employment Opportunity

MTA and its subsidiary and affiliated agencies are Equal Opportunity Employers, including those concerning veteran status and individuals with disabilities.

The MTA encourages qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and abilities, including military service members, to apply.