Supervisor, Transit System & Support (Commuter Rail)

RTD - Regional Transportation District of Denver, CO (RTD); United States; On-site; USD 71,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee benefits

Job summary

Regional Transportation District (RTD) seeks a Supervisor Rail Operations to lead Rail Operators, ensure safe and reliable service, and coordinate real-time operations with the ROC. The role emphasizes incident response, regulatory compliance, and effective cross‑functional collaboration with dispatch and maintenance teams.

The position is safety sensitive and requires strong communication, training, and decision‑making skills to minimize disruptions and maintain high customer service standards

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in light rail/rail operations or maintenance.
• Experience working with operations staff and supporting safe vehicle operations.
• Ability to pass DSPD background screening and obtain required certifications.
• Valid Colorado driver’s license or ability to obtain within 90 days of hire.

Responsibilities

• Supervise Rail Operators, including training, coaching, performance management, and ensuring equitable treatment.
• Oversee daily rail operations by resolving issues and ensuring safe, reliable service delivery.
• Investigate incidents and customer disruptions; coordinate rescheduling of buses and service restorations.
• Maintain real-time communication with ROC to coordinate service adjustments.
• Respond to disruptions and emergencies with operational solutions such as single-tracking and bus bridges.
• Ensure compliance with rail operating rules, policies, procedures and regulations.
• Document incidents and prepare reports for safety and performance reviews.
• Conduct inspections of stations, yards, and facilities to ensure safety and readiness.

Skills

Supervising staff

Rail operations

Incident response

Communication

Safety compliance

MS Office

Documentation

Education

High school diploma

Tools

MS Office Suite

Job description

At Regional Transportation District (RTD), We make lives better through connections! When you join RTD, you will be among dedicated employees exhibiting RTD's values of passion, respect, diversity, trustworthiness, collaboration, and ownership. RTD is committed to an inclusive and diverse workplace. As part of our diversity value statement, we encourage our employees to honor diversity in thought, people, and experience. Come join RTD on this great journey to be the trusted leader in mobility, delivering excellence and value to our customers and community.

RTD Employee Benefits: https://www.rtd-denver.com/careers/benefits (RTD Represented Employee Benefits: Please refer to the Labor Agreement included in the above link for details.)

This position supervises Rail Operators and supports the safe, efficient, and reliable operation of rail transit services. Working closely with the Regional Operations Center (ROC), the role coordinates real-time service control, responds to incidents, and ensures on‑time performance while maintaining strong communication between ROC staff and Operators.

Responsibilities include monitoring system performance, making operational decisions to optimize service reliability, and supporting incident management to minimize disruptions. The position ensures compliance with operational and regulatory requirements, promotes positive customer experience, and collaborates on union-related matters to maintain a productive work environment. A strong commitment to safety and professional conduct is essential in all aspects of the role. This is a safety sensitive position subject to the rules and regulations of the RTD Drug and Alcohol Policy.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Supervise Rail Operators, including training, coaching, performance management, and ensuring equitable treatment.
• Oversee daily rail operations by resolving operational issues, supporting Operators, and ensuring safe, reliable service delivery.
• Investigates accidents, incidents, disputes, disturbances, and customer complaints as assigned and in conjunction with dispatch and reschedules busses due to these disruptions in service.
• When investigating accidents, incidents, and potential substance abuse problems, assesses ability of operators to continue in service.
• Evaluates the severity of an accident scene and determines if the deployment of additional resources is required.
• Maintain real-time communication with the Regional Operations Center to coordinate service adjustments and relay critical information.
• Respond to service disruptions and emergencies, implementing operational solutions such as single-tracking, bus bridges, and medical response coordination.
• Ensure compliance with rail operating rules, policies, procedures, and federal regulations, including conducting fit-for-duty observations.
• Perform hazard analyses, safety assessments, and service reliability evaluations; monitor construction impacts and recommend operational adjustments.
• Document incidents and operational decisions and prepare reports for safety, compliance, and performance improvement reviews.
• Conduct inspections of stations, platforms, yards, and facilities to ensure safety, cleanliness, and operational readiness.
• Support customer service by assisting passengers, monitoring rider behavior, and ensuring adherence to agency rules and standards.
• Collaborate with internal departments, participate in committees, and support cross‑functional initiatives to enhance rail operations and service performance.
• Performs all other job-related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• One year in transit operations, maintenance, schedule making, or a related support function.
• Minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in light rail vehicle, rail vehicle, or heavy rail equipment maintenance operations.
• Experience must include working directly with operations staff and supporting safe and reliable vehicle operations.
• Must be able to pass Division of Services for People with Disabilities (DSPD) background screening. This screening includes but may not be limited to: fingerprint-based checks of national crime information databases, and/or state child abuse and elder abuse registries for offenses that may impact the ability of the applicant to have unsupervised contact with vulnerable populations.
• Must have a valid Colorado driver's license or the ability to obtain one within 90 days of hire.
• No DUI, DWI, or Reckless Driving violations in the past 5 years.
• Ability to obtain within 90 days of hire certification as a Commuter Rail Vehicle Operator and Conductor and maintain the certification.
• Ability to obtain within 90 days of hire FRA Designated Supervisor of Locomotive Engineers (DSLE) status and maintain the status.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of transit routes, service structures, operating practices, and work rules.
• Understanding of safety standards, hazard analyses, emergency response procedures, and service restoration practices.
• Knowledge of scheduling, reroutes, stop locations, and service delivery adjustments.
• Proficient in assessing service reliability, identifying hazards, and monitoring construction or operational impacts.
• Understanding of drug and alcohol testing requirements and compliance standards.
• Proficient in supervising staff, providing training and coaching, and applying performance management and disciplinary processes.
• Ability to deliver strong customer service and ensure compliance with rider rules and codes of conduct.
• Proficient in collaboration, cross‑functional teamwork, and effective communication across departments.
• Ability to implement leader standard work focused on safety, reliability, and customer experience.
• Proficient in resolving service‑related challenges and making timely decisions during degraded or emergency operations.
• Ability to ensure operational adherence to legal, regulatory, and collective bargaining requirements.
• Proficient in accurate documentation, record‑keeping, data entry, and operational reporting.
• Strong problem-solving abilities and the capacity to identify operational issues early and implement corrective actions.
• Ability to evaluate and recommend adjustments to routes, stops, layovers, and schedules to improve service performance.
• Ability to determine the need for post‑accident drug and alcohol testing in accordance with policy.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to communicate effectively through verbal and written methods.
• Ability to use sound judgment.
• Ability to manage time and workload effectively, including planning, organizing, and prioritizing with attention to detail.

OTHER:

• An equivalent combination of education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The work environment and physical demands described here are representative of those required by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job with or without reasonable accommodations. Worker is subject to varying inside and/or outside temperatures, which may include extreme heat (temperatures above 100 degrees) or extreme cold (temperatures below 32 degrees). Work is performed both inside and outside. Subject to weather. Must work under hazardous conditions including high places, chemical exposures, electrical current, moving machinery, exposure to blood, etc. The worker is subject to fumes, odors, dusts, gases, poor ventilation, etc., which affect the skin or respiratory system. Ability to independently travel between multiple locations as required by operational needs.

CAREER MAP:

Based on job performance, experience, education and position availability the next step on the career map for this position may be: Assistant Manager, Rail Operations

Posting Opens and Closes:

Posting Opens: September 30, 2026 Posting Closes: October 15, 2026

We are considering all applications for this position up until October 14, 2026 at 11:59 PM.

Salary:

Pay Range: $71,043.00 - $100,348.50 Annual

RTD is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless to the race, sex, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. RTD is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, promotions, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to our Employment ADA Coordinator Kris Frazier at [e-mail], or the Talent Acquisition team [e-mail].

To learn more or see our EEO policy, please visit our EEO page at: https://www.rtd-denver.com/open-records/reports-and-policies/eeo-policy

RTD posts a compensation range that represents a good faith estimate of what RTD anticipates paying for the position at the time of posting. Starting salary is based on the candidate’s relevant and verified education, training and work experience. Applicants should submit all relevant and verifiable education, training and work experiences at the time of application.

RTD provides public transportation services in an eight-county region centered in Denver, Colorado. As a public agency, employees are dedicated to serving the public and providing for the transportation needs of over 3.1 million area residents as well as visitors to the region. Services include bus, rail, shuttles, ADA paratransit services, demand-responsive services, vanpools, and more. The agency’s dedicated workforce epitomizes RTD’s mission of making lives better through connections. In 2024, the system had more than 65 million boardings, a number that has seen year-over-year increases since 2020. RTD employs over 3,100 people and has an operating budget of $1.5 billion. Together, RTD employees work hard to keep this region moving day and night.

RTD is committed to full equal opportunity and affirmative action for all applicants and employees. Equal opportunity ensures all qualified applicants and employees are treated fairly and not discriminated against with regard to the individual’s race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation, or political philosophy. RTD participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.