Grade 3 Signaller

Network Rail; Rugby; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Network Rail in Rugby is seeking Signallers to help keep trains moving safely across the UK. You’ll undertake 12 weeks of Initial Signaller Training, with significant on-the-job practice, before being signed off as fully competent.

Your day will involve responding to changing situations, clear communication, and teamwork in a safety‑critical environment. No prior signalling experience is required; transferable skills and the right attitude matter.

Qualifications

• No specific prior signalling experience required; transferable skills and right attitude matter.
• Willingness to learn and develop through structured training.
• Ability to work in a safety-critical environment and follow procedures.

Responsibilities

• Control movement of trains and ensure safe railway operations.
• React to incidents and communicate clearly with drivers and colleagues.
• Work a variety of shifts including nights, evenings, weekends, and bank holidays.

Skills

Conscientiousness

Attention Management

Workload Management

Collaboration

Under Pressure

Decision Making

Communication

Learning Agility

Job description

As a proud signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, we actively welcome applications from veterans and ex-Armed Forces personnel; your skills and experience are valued here.

Be part of the team that enables our railway to run safely. Solve problems and keep our passengers moving throughout the UK.

During training your Pay will be: £36,196

Once you complete your training your pay will be £40,465

Please note: for this signaller role your permanent work location will be determined post training. During your training, you will be based in the Rugby area, and you must live within a 60-minute commutable distance of this location. You must hold a driving licence. This is because of working time regulations and fatigue standards.

What is signalling?

Signalling is how we keep thousands of trains moving safely across our railway. By operating a sophisticated traffic light system and other specialist equipment, our Signallers control the movement of trains across the network. Without signalling, our railway wouldn’t function.

What does it involve?

As a Signaller, you’ll need to react to changing situations, stay vigilant, make quick decisions and stay calm under pressure. This could be responding to an incident such as trespassers on the line; taking a line blockages to allow track access for maintenance colleagues, or communicating with a train drivers.

Whatever the situation you’re faced with, you’ll be able to apply your training and skills to manage it safely and get passengers moving and on their way to their destination.

Our Signallers work a variety of shift patterns, including nights, evenings, weekends and bank holidays. Depending on the signalling location, this could also mean lone-working or working as part of a bigger team. The responsibility of a safety-critical role isn’t for everyone – but you’ll finish the day knowing the work you’re doing has helped passengers reach their destinations safely.

Your Training Matters

Becoming a Signaller is a big commitment and requires extensive training and a good amount of self-directed learning. We’ll support you with training to develop the technical and non-technical skills you’ll need to be successful.

This is 12-weeks of Initial Signaller Training (IST), (10-weeks of which is classroom learning) and location-specific training where you’ll learn on the job and practice your skills in a live environment before being signed-off as a fully competent Signaller.

It’s important you’re actively committed to your training and personal development. All Signallers have an ongoing cycle of competence assessments to help keep their skills up to date, but also to help support professional development and career progression.

Each day as a Signaller is rewarding. Your decision‑making skills will make all the difference to the safety of our passengers and colleagues.

Is it right for you?

You don’t need any specific experience to start a career in signalling. It’s more important that you’ve got the right transferable skills and behaviours. Here are the key non‑technical skills that matter in signalling.

• Conscientious – You’re able to work diligently, deliver high quality work through following procedures, and be willing to take responsibility for your actions. You’ll work in accordance with the standards, by taking a systematic and thorough approach to what you do without the need for constant supervision.
• Attention Management – You’ll be able to remain alert and focussed, to manage distractions, and keep an awareness of the overall situation.
• Workload Management – You’ll be able to prioritise demands, analysing information coming from a number of sources, carry out multiple tasks quickly, sometimes at the same time and switch your attention between tasks and sources.
• Working with Others – You can build key relationships with people internal and external to Network Rail, enabling us to work together to get the job done safely and effectively.
• Controlled Under Pressure – You’ll be able to think in a controlled manner under pressure, effectively dealing with stressors, and adapting to changeable conditions.
• Decision Making – You can make risk‑based decisions in a timely fashion, to maintain a safe and efficient running railway.
• Communications – You’ll need to be able to communicate clearly and concisely, both verbally and in written format, and to be confident in standing your ground. Clear communication between different people on the railway is essential for the safe running of our railway to ensure that all parties have a shared understanding of what is going on.
• Willingness and Ability to Learn – You’ll be motivated to develop yourself, retaining, applying and sharing knowledge and skills. It’s about the drive to maintain and develop your own skills, recognising that there are always opportunities for improvement, and that you’re willing to consider new ways of doing things.

Safety matters

We’re committed to keeping our tracks, staff, and passengers safe, so it’s important that you’re always alert when you’re working as a Signaller. To help manage fatigue, you must live within a 60-minute commute of your chosen location, including having your own car. When you apply, you’ll be asked to confirm that.

If successful, you will be required to undergo and pass a drugs and alcohol test. All positive drugs and alcohol test results for prospective candidates will be securely held on Sentinel database and a 5 year suspension from applying for a safety critical role, a role which requires PTS certification or a Key Safety role on Network Rail Manage infrastructure