Assistant Chief, Railcar Maintenance

Maryland Department of Transportation; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The Maryland Transit Administration seeks an experienced Assistant Chief, Railcar Maintenance to oversee daily and preventive maintenance for Light Rail vehicles, ensuring safety, reliability, and compliance with CFR 40, FTA, FRA, and MDOT standards.

This senior role leads maintenance staff, manages a multi-million dollar budget, coordinates capital projects, and develops SOPs while collaborating with Finance, Engineering, and Safety teams to keep the system running smoothly.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
• Five years of experience in railcar, transit vehicle, mechanical, or fleet maintenance, including at least three years of supervisory or managerial responsibility overseeing technical staff, maintenance operations, or related activities.
• Additional substitutions or educational credits may be substituted per policy as described in the posting.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily and preventative maintenance inspections, repairs, and mechanical operations for Light Rail vehicles and systems.
• Provide leadership and supervision to Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Supervisors, consultants, and union personnel.
• Ensure maintenance activities comply with CFR 40, FTA, FRA, COMAR, MDOT MTA, and MDOT Rail Safety Oversight.
• Develop, revise, and implement SOPs, policies, and quality control measures.
• Manage operating and capital budget planning, tracking, and expenditure controls.
• Coordinate maintenance-related projects; review specifications, RFPs, contractor performance, and consultant deliverables.
• Plan staffing levels, evaluate performance, address labor issues, conduct training needs assessments, and manage disciplinary actions per the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
• Monitor maintenance trends, develop preventative and corrective maintenance programs, and implement industry best practices.
• Ensure inventory, equipment, facilities, and materials are properly maintained and stored safely.
• Collaborate with Safety & Risk Management on hazard mitigation and safety compliance.
• Respond to emergencies, service disruptions, and mechanical failures; support investigations and corrective action efforts.

Skills

Leadership

Budget management

Regulatory compliance

Maintenance supervision

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

MARYLAND TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION

Program Manager II (5477) Assistant Chief, Railcar Maintenance- Light Rail Operations Executive Service

Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply

The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is seeking an experienced and highly motivated Assistant Chief, Railcar Maintenance to oversee, manage, and coordinate all maintenance activities for Light Rail rail vehicles and related systems. This position ensures railcars are inspected, fully operational, and safe to meet daily service requirements. The Assistant Chief provides leadership to maintenance staff, manages budgets, supports capital projects, ensures regulatory compliance, and develops programs and policies to improve maintenance operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee daily and preventative maintenance inspections, repairs, and mechanical operations for Light Rail vehicles and systems including HVAC, propulsion, brakes, ATP, and interior components.
• Provide leadership and supervision to Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Supervisors, consultants, and union personnel.
• Ensure maintenance activities comply with all local, state, and federal requirements, including CFR 40, FTA, FRA, COMAR, MDOT MTA, and MDOT Rail Safety Oversight.
• Develop, revise, and implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), policies, and quality control measures.
• Manage operating and capital budget planning, tracking, and expenditure controls.
• Coordinate maintenance-related projects; review specifications, RFPs, contractor performance, and consultant deliverables.
• Plan staffing levels, evaluate performance, address labor issues, conduct training needs assessments, and manage disciplinary actions per the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
• Monitor maintenance trends, develop preventative and corrective maintenance programs, and implement industry best practices.
• Ensure inventory, equipment, facilities, and materials are properly maintained and stored safely.
• Coordinate with Safety & Risk Management on hazard mitigation and safety compliance.
• Collaborate frequently with internal departments including Finance, Engineering, Capital Programming, Training & Development, Human Resources, and external contractors.
• Respond to emergencies, service disruptions, and mechanical failures; support investigations and corrective action efforts.
• Participate in decision-making regarding policies, procedures, scheduling, and resource deployment.
• Manage departmental budgets estimated at $7-8 million.
• Responsible for developing and monitoring budget plans and justifications.
• Direct and indirect oversight of Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, multiple Supervisors, and railcar maintenance personnel. Responsibilities include training, evaluating staff, approving leave, assigning work, hiring, disciplinary actions, and ensuring compliance with labor agreements.

Licenses & Certifications

Education: A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university

Experience: Five (5) years of experience in railcar, transit vehicle, mechanical, or fleet maintenance, including at least three (3) years of supervisory or managerial responsibility overseeing technical staff, maintenance operations, or related activities.

• 1. Additional experience as defined above may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the required education.
• 2. Additional education at an accredited college or university may be substituted at a rate of thirty credit hours for each year of the required experience for up to four years of the required non-supervisory experience.
• 3. U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as defined under the Experience Requirement of the Minimum Qualifications may be substituted for the required education and experience on a year-for-year basis.

Special Requirements

• Employees are subject to call-in 24 hours a day and will be required to provide the employing agency with a telephone number where they can be reached. Employees must be willing and available for duty at such hours, day or night, as may be require in order to maintain continuous and safe operation of a facility.
• Employees may be required to work shifts, evenings and weekends.
• Employees in this classification are considered "Essential Employees" and may be required to sign and agree to all policies and procedures relating to "Essential Employees" status.

Additional Information

Managers should foster a positive safety culture by leading with integrity and establishing departmental safety practices and procedures for all employees. Managers should attend and participate in safety meetings and adhere to and enforce all safety rules, policies, regulations, and personal protective equipment requirements to support a safe and healthy working environment. Ensure employees are properly trained and provided with personal protective equipment to conduct their job functions in a safe manner. Report hazards, unsafe acts, near misses, injuries, and accidents immediately to the Office of Safety. Collaboratively work to mitigate reported hazards in a timely manner. Conduct safety risk assessments and/or job hazard analyses as needed.

To support a safe and healthy work environment, employees must refrain from willful violations of safety rules and procedures, reckless and negligent behavior, involvement in criminal activities, and the misuse of drugs or alcohol. Failure to adhere to this requirement may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. May only perform work for which they have the appropriate safety training.

MTA Does Not Discriminate Based On: Age, Ancestry, Color, Creed Gender Identity or Expression, Genetic Information, Marital Status, Mental or Physical Disability, National Origin, Race, Religious Affiliation, Belief or Opinion, Sex or Sexual Orientation.

Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be provided as requested.

The Maryland Department of Transportation is not sponsoring new employees in application of the H-1B Visa at this time due to budgetary constraints. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States under the Immigration and Reform Control Act of 1986. Federal regulations prohibit H1B Visa candidates from paying sponsorship fees; all sponsorship fees must be assumed by the potential employer.

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The MTA is an Equal Opportunity Employer

issue date 8/19/2026