Railroad Inspector
Indianapolis, IN, US, 46204
Work for Indiana
Begin a fulfilling career with the State of Indiana by joining one of the largest employers in the state, offering a diverse range of opportunities across 60+ agencies. At the state, you'll find competitive compensation, a robust benefits package and a commitment to work-life balance. Most importantly, you'll have the chance to make a real and measurable impact on the lives of Hoosiers across Indiana.
At the State of Indiana, we don’t just talk about diversity and inclusion—we make it our goal to create a welcoming, accessible, and equitable workplace with a workforce that is representative of Indiana's population. As a proud equal opportunity employer, reasonable accommodations may be available to enable individuals with disabilities to complete the application and interview process as well as perform the essential functions of a role.
About the Indiana Department of Transportation:
The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) provides a dynamic workplace that serves Indiana citizens, improves our state’s quality of life, and enhances its economic opportunity. INDOT has a number of innovative programs and projects, including Public-Private Partnerships, Green Initiatives, and cutting-edge uses of materials and assets. As part of the State of Indiana, INDOT offers a competitive total compensation package, as well as outstanding work/life balance. Whether you are an established professional in the transportation field or just starting your career, INDOT has exciting and challenging opportunities for you.
Role Overview:
Are you passionate about public safety and driving impactful change in Indiana’s transportation systems?
The Railroad Grade Crossing Inspector and Code Administrator role is your opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the safety and efficiency of Indiana’s railroad infrastructure. This position is vital in ensuring the safety and compliance of railroad grade crossings throughout the state by conducting thorough field inspections, enforcing state and federal regulations, and fostering collaboration among key stakeholders.
In this role, you will:
• Perform on-site inspections of railroad grade crossings to ensure compliance with safety standards and regulations.
• Act as the primary liaison between INDOT, railroad companies, local agencies, and private entities to address safety concerns and recommend actionable improvements.
• Investigate accidents and incidents at railroad crossings, identifying root causes and facilitating corrective measures.
• Review and approve designs for new or modified crossings to ensure adherence to state and federal codes.
• Resolve regulatory and operational challenges through expert guidance and strategic collaboration.
Why This Role Matters:
This is more than a job—it’s a mission to safeguard communities and improve Indiana’s transportation network. You’ll have the chance to work in the field, directly influencing the safety of residents, while building partnerships with stakeholders across the transportation sector.
Please note working conditions as follows:
Office work: 50%
Outdoors: 30%
State Vehicle: 20%
Hazardous conditions: Working around live rail operations and on uneven tracks near rail-highway crossings.
Salary:
Salary for this position may be commensurate with education and job experience.
Location:
This position is located in INDOT’s Central Office, Indianapolis.
A Day in the Life:
The essential functions of this role are as follows:
- Serve as subject matter expert on federal and Indiana laws and regulations that govern the railroad industry.
- Independently plan and carry out railroad grade crossing field visits/ inspections to determine compliance with applicable federal and state safety laws, rules, regulations, policies, and standards.
- Rail-highway inventory updates: conduct on-site inspections of at-grade railroad crossings for updating FRA Form F6180.71 to evaluate for compliance of safety measures including, train activated warning devices, appropriate advanced warning signage, pavement markings, and proper sight distance. Notify the responsible parties of the deficiencies found.
- Prepare petitions for the following circumstances: establishment of new public grade crossings, alterations, including relocation of public grade crossings; closure of public grade crossings; Extra-hazardous grade crossings for the installation of train-activated warning devices; Request to downgrade warning devices at public crossings; Less than Legal Clearance at rail-served facilities; Request to Declare a Public Grade Crossing as "Out of Service".
- Prepare 12-Month Orders in accordance with Indiana Code (IC 4-21.5-3) for the Federal Highway Section 130 program.
- Identify and recommend to Rail Programs Office and Local Public Agencies public grade crossings that are redundant and could be closed to vehicle traffic.
- Process railroad police commissions or de-commissions and review necessary documentation and prepare new Commission Certificate and Commission Card for the officer.
- Meet with LPA's and with railroads in assigned territory to discuss responsibilities at rail-highway intersections and promote the Grade Crossing Fund and Industrial Rail Service Fund programs.
- Provide technical assistance in response to public inquiries regarding railroads through the customer service department.
- Independently keep current on railroad issues at the state and federal level, as applicable, and share gained knowledge with others as appropriate.
- Provide technical assistance to railroads and other interested parties at the time of, or in the context of, any type of inspection.
The job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time.
What You'll Need for Success:
This person must have the following requirements to be considered for employment:
- Bachelor of Science degree in engineering (civil engineering is preferred but not required) from an Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredited school.
- Registered Professional Engineers license in Indiana required; exception may be made for individuals with a bachelor's degree in engineering or a bachelor's degree in engineering and an Engineer in Training (EIT) Certification/Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Certification working towards becoming a licensed Professional Engineer in Indiana in a lower-level classification.
- At least four(4) years of experience in engineering (civil engineering is preferred), transportation research or related area.
- Must have valid Driver's License.
- Extensive knowledge of and ability to apply civil engineering theories, principles, methods, and procedures to the engineering specialty.
- Working knowledge of highway-rail crossing standards, Indiana Code, Indiana Administrative Code and Indiana Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and INDOT standard specifications and standard drawings.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with proficiency in Microsoft Office and comfortable working with technology.
- Ability to work collaboratively with internal and external customers to assess needs, provide assistance, and resolve problems.
- Extensive knowledge of and ability to apply federal and state laws, rules, regulations, and procedures governing incumbents filed of specialization.
Supervisory Responsibilities/Direct Reports:
Benefits of Employment with the State of Indiana:
The State of Indiana offers a comprehensive benefit package for full-time employees which includes:
- Three (3) medical plan options (including RX coverage) as well as vision and dental plans
- Wellness Rewards Program: Complete wellness activities to earn gift card rewards
- Health savings account, which includes bi-weekly state contribution
- Flexible work scheduling options, including the potential for hybrid remote work for employees whose work may be performed outside state facilities
- Deferred compensation 457B account (similar to 401k plan) with employer match
- Two (2) fully-funded pension plan options
- A robust, comprehensive program of leave policies covering a variety of employee needs, including but not limited to:
- 150 hours of paid new parent leave
- Up to 15 hours of paid community service leave
- Combined 180 hours of paid vacation, personal, and sick leave time off
- 12 paid holidays, 14 on election years
- Education Reimbursement Program
- Group life insurance
- Referral Bonus program
- Employee assistance program that allows for covered behavioral health visits
- Qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
- Free Parking for most positions
- Free LinkedIn Learning access
Equal Employment Opportunity:
The State of Indiana is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to recruiting, selecting, developing, and promoting employees based on individual ability and job performance. Our policy is to provide equal employment opportunity to all people in all aspects of employer-employee relations without discrimination because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, or veteran status. We will comply with the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable state and federal laws.
If you are a qualified individual with a disability and require reasonable accommodations to complete this application, you can request assistance by contacting the Indiana State Personnel Department at jobs@spd.IN.gov.
The State of Indiana has established a culture that welcomes equity, inclusion, and opportunity for all employees and applicants. We encourage you to apply if you feel you have the transferrable skills to be successful in this position and we look forward to reviewing your application.
Nearest Major Market: Indianapolis
