Operative Track Maintenance

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About Network Rail

At Network Rail, we're part of a large family serving millions of passengers and freight users throughout the UK every day. Our service impacts millions of people and we strive to become more efficient as we enhance, maintain, and operate our network.

We provide rapid access along busy commuter routes to our seven cities, servicing the varied needs of our business and leisure commuter services, including cross-border services and rural services. We have up to 50 freight services operating every day and we are steadily building capacity for this to grow. Our ambition to be responsive to passengers and freight users drives us every day and we're empowered to do the right thing for those who use the rail network. We actively challenge unsafe practices and take responsibility for addressing risks, resolving issues, and protecting safety and wellbeing.

We want to help deliver a railway that is safe, reliable, affordable, and provides great customer service to everyone. Our passengers and freight users are at the heart of everything we do. We help connect people to their friends and families and get goods to their destination safely and efficiently. We're an organization where people matter.

We're continuing to build a diverse organization which is representative of the people we serve. We want to harness the skills and expertise of our people and attract the best talent to enable a safe and accessible railway for everyone.

About our people and the recruitment process

We're an inclusive employer of choice and we welcome applications from everyone! We encourage our colleagues to work flexibly, as we know traditional working patterns don't always fit. If you want to consider working flexibly, just let us know and we'll do our best to help.

Brief Description

We welcome individuals from diverse backgrounds, even if you've never considered a rail career before. Your role will be critical for ensuring railway safety and efficiency through adherence to safety procedures, alignment with Network Rail's safety vision, and engaging in practical problem-solving with your team.

We prioritize transferable skills and behaviors, and we are committed to providing the training required for you to work safely and competently on the network. You'll be a member of a small team responsible for daily rail network maintenance, contributing to the safe and smooth operation for passengers and freight users.

About the role

If working outdoors in any weather, day or night, sounds exciting to you, the role of Railway Operative might be for you. Your focus on safety, respect for rules, and teamwork are essential whilst working in a safety-critical environment.

Operatives specialize in a range of fields but for this role, you'll become a specialist in Track: Your responsibility will involve maintaining, inspecting, and repairing the track network (also known as the Permanent Way or P-Way) to keep the railway safe and efficient. This is a very manual role as you'll be working with rails, sleepers, and ballast that support the trains, together with their associated drainage and ancillary structures. This position requires availability for night shifts.

Your Skills Matter to us!

Our Operatives play a key role in our maintenance teams. You don't necessarily need rail experience, but you do need to show how your transferable skills meet the following Essential Criteria required for this role:

1. Team working: our maintenance teams depend on each other, and you will be required to work closely with the team to deliver safe and efficient work delivery.
2. Good Communication Skills: So you can work safely and effectively within a team.
3. Proactive planning: being punctual, having equipment ready in preparation for the needs of the team.
4. Thriving in high-pressure situations: working outdoors in all conditions, and with situations where trains will be passing close by.
5. Following rules and instructions: it is important that you understand and respect the rules, but also feel confident to challenge if you see a situation is unsafe.
6. Willingness to learn: Consistently develop your skills and competencies relevant to your team.

Here's some additional information which might help you.

• Shifts - Operative roles involve a changing shift pattern including days, nights, and weekends.
• Outdoor working - Our operatives operate outdoors in all kinds of weather, and you'll be equipped with the necessary Personal Protective Equipment.
• Safe working - offers of employment are subject to drug and alcohol testing and passing of the relevant medical assessment.
• Driving - A driving license (category B) will be required so you can drive Network Rail vehicles.
• Commute times - You will need to be within a 60-minute commute of the location.

How to apply

Salary: 30351

Closing date: 6th May 2025

Please get your application in as soon as possible, we may close the advert before the listed closing date if we receive enough applications. Late applications will not be accepted.

Click 'apply now' to apply.

We're dedicated to creating an inclusive environment and we welcome applications from everyone!

Network Rail is a Disability Confident Leader and we'll try our best to adapt the process and offer a reasonable alternative to help support people with disabilities access, apply and interview for roles.