Rail Signals & Communications Technician Lead - King County : Job Details

King County Metro Transit's Rail Division has an exciting opportunity for a Special Duty Assignment (SDA) Lead Signal and Communications Technician! Lead Signal and Communication Technicians are responsible for providing lead direction, assigning and coordinating the work of Rail Signal and Communication Technicians. This is a working-lead position and all normal duties of a skilled journey-level Rail Signal and Communication Technician will also be performed.

About Metro Transit's Link Light Rail Expansion

Metro Transit's Rail Division manages and maintains Sound Transit's Link Light Rail service, which currently spans a 24.5-mile route from Angle Lake to Northgate and 6.6-mile route from Redmond Technology to South Bellevue. By the end of 2026, the Light Rail is projected to expand to nearly 60 route miles, including the additional 11 new stations. These rail services complement Metro's extensive fixed-route bus system and mobility services.

Position Information

This Special Duty assignment is anticipated to fill one (1) vacancy for up to six months with the possibility of extension to last up to two (2) years.

Who May Apply: We are only accepting applications from current career service Metro Transit Division (MTD) employees.

This position is considered safety sensitive. Applicants for these positions are required to undergo drug testing prior to employment and subsequent to the commencement of employment, will be subject to random, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, return to duty, and follow-up drug and alcohol testing in compliance with Federal DOT alcohol and controlled substance testing program protocols.

Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. In this role you will also:

• Act as a working lead, perform the full range of responsibilities of the Rail Signal & Communications Technician classification.
• Take responsibility for coordinating the work of and providing technical assistance to technicians performing a wide variety of signal & communications maintenance duties; assign work in accordance with work operating requirements and workload demands; control and monitor workflow.
• Respond to questions and provide technical advice on project requirements, specifications and material requirements.
• Assist in the training of other Signal & Communications workers in required maintenance operations, standard operating procedures and safety procedures.
• Provide feedback to the chief/superintendent on employee and teamwork performance issues.
• Monitor work assignments to ensure work has been completed in a quality manner and within established timeframes; ensure adherence to all maintenance schedules; ensure equipment is maintained and in proper working order.
• Advise crew members when their work is deficient or is in violation of established regulations and procedures.
• Maintain varied records including work performed, time spent, materials used, operating logs and related information; enter and extract data using automated systems; maintain manual records as required.
• Participate in the development and implementation of a comprehensive preventative maintenance program for signals & communications and associated features of the light rail system; prepare records and document maintenance and diagnostic data.
• Respond to emergency situations. Prioritize and determine work priorities for emergency maintenance tasks in the absence of on-site supervision.
• Perform snow/ice removal during inclement weather to maintain the system.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Two years of full-time journey-level experience performing railway signaling and communications or equivalent is required.
• Ability to plan, assign, balance and check work.
• Skill in training and providing technical assistance.
• Ability to use automated maintenance management information systems in order to process work orders and assignments.
• Basic computer skills in standard software applications including MS Word, MS Excel and MS Outlook, with the ability to enter and extract information from automated systems.
• Knowledge of traffic safety techniques and procedures with establishing maintenance and repair work sites.
• Advanced skill in reading and interpreting blueprints, schematics and drawings.
• Skill in oral and written communication including reading, writing and following instructions.
• Skill in preparing written reports, inspection forms for documenting defects and repairs of work orders in designated computer programs; skill in preparing time and material cost estimates; ability to keep accurate records.
• Skill in working with a diverse group of individuals in a tactful and diplomatic manner.
• Willingness and ability to apply King County's core values around inclusion, equity and social justice as a team member and representative of King County to the public.
• Skill in problem-solving and analyzing data to solve common and complex problems.
• Knowledge of the fundamentals of railway signaling and communications.
• Knowledge in analyzing and evaluating malfunctions in electrical and electronic railway equipment and determining repair requirements; skill in performing electronic fabrication and assembly tasks, such as soldering and wire harnessing; skill in problem-solving, analyzing, diagnosing and evaluating equipment problems.
• Knowledge of and skill in industrial safety techniques, principles and procedures including working from elevated platforms and equipment and working at railway crossings with train and automobile traffic.
• Knowledge of and skill in maintaining and troubleshooting mechanical and hydraulic equipment.
• Skill in the application of customer service techniques and principles when dealing with customers in a tactful and diplomatic manner.

Necessary Special Requirements:

• Ability to obtain boom truck, forklift, Hi-Rail, overhead and mobile crane as well as various other specialty certifications within the work group.
• A valid Driver's License and an acceptable driving record. If you possess an out-of-state driver's license, you must obtain a WA state license within 30 days of hire.
• Class B CDL with airbrake endorsement or ability to obtain one. (we train)

Working Environment:

Work indoors and outdoors and in inclement weather. Work in high places from mechanical lifts and structures and in high voltage environments to perform inspections. Position requires physical skill and effort to operate tools, equipment, vehicles and supplies and may require stooping or bending motions when inspecting work.

Work Schedule:

This work unit supports a 24/7/365 operation and is non-exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is overtime eligible. Employees must be able to work one of three shifts: Day, Swing, or Graveyard [shifts that work through the night]. Work schedules may include non-standard work hours including evenings, weekends and holidays as needed.

Schedules are based on a seniority pick system. Per the union contract, shift differential is paid to those working second and third shifts. Shift pay is 5% for the second shift and 7.5% for the third shift, on top of hourly pay. This is considered to be an essential position and is required to report to work during adverse weather and/or other urgent/emergency needs.

Current hourly pay per the union contract:

• 1st shift: $65.90
• 2nd shift: $69.20
• 3rd shift: $70.84

Work Location:

Employees may report to any of the following locations: Rail Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF) Central at 3407 Airport Way S, Seattle, WA 98134, OMF East at 1925 120th Ave NE Bellevue, WA 98005 or Maintenance of Way (MOW) North at 920 North 137th Ave., Seattle, WA. Other locations in King County may become available in the future.

Application Process:

Applicants should complete the online application at www.kingcounty.gov, which includes the Supplemental Questions. Please answer ALL questions in the online employment application itself, with each of your jobs listed (listing each position for each employer separately), duties explained, reasons for leaving, salary, etc. Your job history in the employment application should go back ten years (if you have ten years of employment). Earlier jobs should be included if they are relevant in some way to this job. Applicants who are unable to apply online should follow the instructions under Application FAQs at www.kingcounty.gov/jobs.

Selection Process:

Applications will be screened for completeness and qualifications. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in a panel interview process. Employment offers will be finalized after candidates have successfully completed a physical examination, drug screens and a drug and alcohol background check as needed. Reference checks and reviews of driving records will also be conducted prior to any final offer of employment.

To Apply:

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions, please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

Union Membership: This position is represented by Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), Local 587.

Class Code: Rail Signal & Communication Tech Lead - 8311250.

If you have specific question regarding this recruitment, please contact: Brenna Burbank - [email protected].

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