Railroad Inspector (Motive Power & Equipment) (NY HELPS)

Railroad Inspector (Motive Power & Equipment) (NY HELPS)

Date Posted: 09/25/26

Applications Due: 10/13/26

Vacancy ID: 225761

Basics

NY HELP: Yes

Agency: Transportation, Department of

Title: Railroad Inspector (Motive Power & Equipment) (NY HELPS)

Occupational Category: Other Professional Careers

Salary Grade: 15

Bargaining Unit: PS&T - Professional, Scientific, and Technical (PEF)

Salary Range: From $59363 to $75686 Annually

Employment Type: Full-Time

Appointment Type: Permanent

Jurisdictional Class: Competitive Class

Travel Percentage: 80%

Schedule

Workweek: Mon-Fri

Hours Per Week: 37.5

From: 6 AM

To: 2 PM

Flextime allowed?: No

Mandatory overtime?: No

Compressed workweek allowed?: No

Telecommuting allowed?: No

Location

County: To Be Determined

Street Address: TBD

City: TBD

State: NY

Zip Code: 00000

Job Specifics

Duties Description:
• Conducts safety inspections of railroad transportation equipment in repair shops, rail yards and on sidings to determine adherence to federal and State safety standards for safe operation.

• Checks air-brake equipment, safety devices, couplers, wheels, and all rolling stock.

• Makes internal and external examinations of locomotives and of diesel engines, applying knowledge of construction, composition in installation, stresses and deterioration of diesel locomotives and accessory equipment.

• Investigates the causes of accidents, which may be due to defective equipment.

• Prepares reports of findings and recommendations and evaluates rail capital equipment improvements for safety effectiveness and contract compliance.

• Will be required to obtain and maintain various federally mandated certifications pertaining to rail safety programs.

• The duties of the position require considerable travel within a designated area of assignment.


Responsibilities may include serving a role within the Incident Command System to support the department's response to regional and statewide emergency situations.

Minimum Qualifications: *Although this position will report to Main Office, the incumbent’s assigned NORTHERN territory encompasses Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Montgomery, Oneida, Oswego, Saratoga, Schenectady, St. Lawerence, Warren, and Washington counties.

Minimum Qualifications:
This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).*

To be considered for appointment through NY HELPS, or 55 b/c, candidates must meet the open-competitive minimum qualifications for this position. The qualifications are:

Open Competitive:
Four years of experience in the construction or maintenance of railroad rolling equipment or inspecting such equipment for a public regulatory agency.

Substitution: Due to Federal Railroad Administration requirements for candidates, a bachelor’s degree may substitute for two years of the required experience.
Continued employment as a Railroad Inspector (Motive Power & Equipment) is dependent upon acquisition of various federally mandated certifications pertaining to rail safety programs. Failure to obtain and maintain these certifications may result in termination of employment.
The duties of the position require extensive travel within a designated area of assignment. Appointees must be able to respond to the work requirements of the job in a timely and responsible manner. Individuals who do not live within reasonable proximity of the work assignment will find it extremely difficult to satisfy this condition of employment. At the time of appointment, and continuously thereafter, you will be required to possess a valid New York State driver’s license or otherwise demonstrate the ability to meet the travel requirements of the position.
Physical/Medical Requirements: Your physical and medical condition will be evaluated to ensure that you are able to satisfactorily perform the duties of this position with or without reasonable accommodation. A complete statement of the physical and medical standards is available at: http://www.cs.ny.gov/ehs/forms.cfm. A medical examination will be required prior to appointment. Appointees to this position may be required to undergo periodic medical examinations to reassess their ability to perform the essential duties of the position.
Candidates may also be qualified for permanent competitive appointment if reachable from the appropriate Civil Service eligible list or be eligible for reassignment or transfer in accordance with Civil Service Law.

Additional Comments: Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

*For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.

At a future date, it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in an NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

Your required educational credentials must have been awarded by an educational institution accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the United States (U.S.) Department of Education/Secretary of Education. If awarded by an institution outside of the U.S. and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of companies that provide these services (fees must be paid to the company you choose) can be found at: http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfmt

The salary range listed reflects the full range for this graded position. For new State employees appointed into graded positions, the annual salary is the hiring rate (beginning of the Salary Range) of the position. Promotion salaries are calculated by the NYS Office of the State Comptroller in accordance with NYS Civil Service Law, OSC Payroll rules and regulations and negotiated union contracts. For more salary information please visit https://oer.ny.gov/salary-schedules



DOT is an equal opportunity employer. Disabled persons are encouraged to apply.

In compliance with Public Law 99-603, candidates selected for appointment must provide an original document to prove their citizenship and/or legal right to work in the United States. Candidates for employment must have proper authorization to work in the United States at the time an offer of employment is made. The Department will not sponsor a nonimmigrant for a temporary employment visa (H-1B or similar), OPT STEM, or for permanent residence. Offers of permanent employment may not be made to nonimmigrants whose employment authorization is limited to a period of practical training (F-1 or similar).

How to Apply

Name: NYS Department of Transportation - Office of Modal Safety & Security

Email Address: [email protected]

Street: 50 Wolf Road, POD 5-3

City: Albany

State: NY

Zip Code: 12232

Notes on Applying: Qualified candidates should submit a letter of interest, a current resume, and a copy of required transcripts (if applicable), titled by last name, with the Notice Number MO-26-356 and last name in the subject line and referenced in the letter of interest, no later than October 13, 2026 to:

New York State Department of Transportation
Office of Modal Safety & Security
50 Wolf Road, POD 5-3
Albany, NY 12232
[email protected]