🟢 Status: OPEN CONTINUOUS – Closes Jul 30, 2026 | Mobile / Nationwide Territories | Source: USAJOBS.gov
Railroad Safety Inspector (Track) Jobs 2026 — Federal Railroad Administration | GS-12 Direct Hire | Apply USAJOBS
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, is hiring for railroad safety inspector jobs nationwide through a Direct Hire Subject Matter Expert (SME) authority. If you are tracking fra railroad inspector jobs 2026, this announcement brings experienced railroad professionals directly in at the GS-12 journeyman level – no lower-grade career ladder, no competitive rating and ranking. You will inspect track structure and systems across an assigned territory to enforce federal railroad safety regulations.
This is a mobile position: your duty station is the geographic territory you are assigned to cover, and frequent travel – including multiple consecutive nights away from home – is part of the job. If you are researching how to become a railroad safety inspector, direct railroad industry experience is required; there is no written test, and applicants are rated on their demonstrated experience, training, and education.
Job Overview
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Job Title | Railroad Safety Inspector (Track) – Direct Hire SME |
| Agency | Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) |
| Department | U.S. Department of Transportation |
| Job Series | GS-2121 Transportation Industry Analysis (Railroad Safety) |
| Location | Kansas City, MO (representative FRA regional territory) – mobile worker positions covering geographic territories nationwide |
| Work Schedule | Full-Time – frequent travel required, including multiple consecutive nights away from duty station |
| Appointment Type | Permanent, Direct Hire (single grade – no career ladder) |
| Pay Scale & Grade | gs-12 railroad jobs – journeyman/full performance level |
| Salary Range | $89,508 – $145,468 per year (varies by duty station locality) |
| Special Requirement | Valid state driver’s license required at all times; government travel card required |
| Opening Date | Currently accepting applications |
| Closing Date | Jul 30, 2026 – Apply Now (Open Continuous) |
| Who May Apply | US Citizens – Open to Public |
| Security Clearance | Not Required (background check required) |
| Drug Test | Required – random drug testing continues throughout employment |
| Financial Disclosure | Required within 30 days of appointment (OGE Form 450) and annually thereafter |
| Apply Now | Click Here to Apply |
About the Role
Railroad Safety Inspectors are the FRA’s eyes and ears on the ground, walking track networks, running geometry test cars, and investigating conditions that could put lives at risk. This is genuine federal railroad administration jobs territory – you are inspecting active rail lines, not reviewing paperwork from a desk.
Day to day, a track inspector jobs federal role like this one means planning periodic inspections across your assigned territory, coordinating track geometry test cars to detect deviations in cross-level, gage, and profile, walking rocky and uneven surfaces around track and accident sites, and investigating complaints from railroad employees or the public. When violations are found, you write reports with enough evidentiary detail to support agency attorneys in prosecution, and you may be called to testify as an expert witness in civil suits.
“The job of the Railroad Safety Inspector is to inspect for compliance with Federal laws, regulations, rules and standards and to conduct and report on accident investigations.” – Federal Railroad Administration
Key Duties & Responsibilities
- Plan and implement periodic inspections covering the assigned railroad track network
- Coordinate operation of track geometry test cars to detect cross-level, gage, and profile deviations
- Perform on-ground inspections to determine the severity of identified defects
- Prepare violation reports with evidence sufficient to support agency prosecution
- Investigate complaints from railroad employees, the public, or government representatives
- Investigate significant train accidents involving serious injury or major property damage
- Determine probable cause of accidents and whether federal regulations were violated
- Conduct safety meetings and training sessions for railroad employees
- Maintain contact with railroad and rail labor officials at local, state, and national levels
- Evaluate state and small railroad requests for federal aid on light-density rail lines
- Testify as an expert witness in civil proceedings when required
Qualifications & Requirements
Minimum Qualifications
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Citizenship | U.S. Citizen |
| Experience (GS-12) | One full year of specialized railroad-related experience equivalent to the next lower grade |
| Technical Knowledge | Railroad track system construction, maintenance, testing, and inspection techniques; safety criteria for track structure and engineering |
| Driver’s License | Valid state license required at all times during employment |
| Physical Demands | Extended walking on uneven terrain, climbing embankments, occasional travel of up to 10 miles on foot in a day |
| Drug Test | Pre-appointment urinalysis and ongoing random testing required |
| Financial Disclosure | OGE Form 450 required within 30 days of appointment, annually thereafter |
Career Ladder & Salary by Grade
| Grade | Salary Range | Level | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-12 | $89,508 – $145,468/yr | Journeyman / Full Performance | 1 year specialized railroad experience at the next lower grade equivalent |
💡 Note: This is a Direct Hire SME announcement, meaning it hires directly at the GS-12 journeyman level rather than through a multi-grade career ladder – candidates need railroad industry experience up front. Railroad safety inspector salary is set by duty station locality once assigned.
Other Requirements
- Employees must generally divest railroad stock holdings (including indirect holdings) within 90 days of appointment, per federal conflict-of-interest rules
- This is a bargaining unit position represented by AFGE Local 1084
- Prior railroad seniority rights, leave, or reemployment rights may need to be divested at the end of the one-year probationary period
Salary & Benefits
| Benefit | Details |
|---|---|
| Base Salary | $89,508 – $145,468/yr depending on duty station locality |
| Paid Time Off | 13–26 days annual leave + 13 sick days/year |
| Federal Holidays | 11 paid federal holidays per year |
| Health Insurance | FEHB |
| Dental & Vision | FEDVIP |
| Retirement | FERS (pension + Social Security + TSP) |
| TSP (401k) | Up to 5% government matching |
| Travel Card | Government contractor-issued travel card provided for official business |
| Mobile Work Flexibility | Duty location may be your residence or approved mobile worksite within your assigned territory |
How to Apply
- Create a free account at USAJOBS.gov if you do not already have one.
- Build a federal resume that clearly documents your railroad industry experience, training, and education – there is no written test, so your application package is evaluated on this alone.
- Navigate to the Railroad Safety Inspector (Track) – Direct Hire SME announcement (Control #867582400).
- Submit your complete application package by the closing date.
- If selected, prepare for pre-employment drug testing and a background/suitability investigation.
- Establish or maintain a residence within your assigned geographic territory, or within 50 commuting miles of your assigned duty location.
- Complete onboarding, including financial disclosure requirements and any required divestiture of railroad stock or seniority rights.
⚠️ Important: This announcement is Open Continuous through July 30, 2026, but a high volume of applicants means not everyone will receive consideration – apply as early as possible. Apply directly at USAJOBS.gov; FederalJobsAlert.us does not process applications.
Veterans’ Preference
Standard veterans’ preference applies to this announcement. Veterans should claim 5-point or 10-point preference during the application process and provide a DD-214 and, if applicable, a VA disability rating letter. Military rail transportation, logistics, or heavy-equipment inspection experience can translate well into fra direct hire jobs like this one, particularly for veterans with hands-on maintenance-of-way or engineering backgrounds.
About the Federal Railroad Administration
The Federal Railroad Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation, sets and enforces safety regulations across the nation’s railroad system, administers railroad assistance programs, and develops national rail policy. For anyone exploring dot railroad jobs 2026, FRA offers a career path built on protecting the traveling public and rail workforce through direct, hands-on enforcement rather than desk-based policy work alone.
FederalJobsAlert.us is an independent job notification website. This listing is sourced from USAJOBS.gov for informational purposes only. Always verify the latest details and apply directly at usajobs.gov/job/867582400. We are not affiliated with the Federal Railroad Administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation, or any US government agency.
Sources
- USAJOBS – Railroad Safety Inspector (Track) Direct Hire SME Announcement #867582400
- FRA – Railroad Safety Inspector Job Requirements Overview
- FRA – Job Vacancies Page
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