Lead Railcar Operator

The Lead Rail Car Operator oversees all rail movements within the scrap yard, ensuring safe and efficient switching, loading, and staging of rail cars containing ferrous and non-ferrous materials. This role leads the yard rail crew, coordinates daily operations, and works closely with the scale house, shipping, and production teams to maintain accurate car placement and timely rail service. The Lead ensures strict compliance with safety policies due to the high-risk environment of heavy equipment, scrap piles, and material handling.

Key Responsibilities
•    Lead daily rail operations, including switching, spotting, coupling/uncoupling, and coordinating inbound/outbound scrap rail cars.
•    Operate rail equipment such as locomotives, track mobiles, and air brake systems to safely move cars throughout the yard.
•    Direct and assign tasks to crew members, ensuring rail cars are positioned correctly for loading, unloading, and inspection.
•    Oversee loading operations of shredded scrap, bundles, and other metal grades to ensure proper weight, distribution, and securement.
•    Conduct inspections of rail cars for structural integrity, contamination, proper ID numbers, and readiness for service.
•    Work closely with scale house and logistics teams to verify weights, car numbers, and shipping details.
•    Coordinate with heavy equipment operators (material handlers, loaders, magnets, grapples) to ensure safe clearances and smooth workflow.
•    Maintain accurate documentation, including daily switch lists, movement logs, load sheets, and inspection reports.
•    Enforce all safety protocols, including PPE, radio communication procedures, track protection, and hazard awareness around scrap piles.
•    Identify and report hazards such as derailment risk, damaged track, debris, or unsafe loading conditions.
•    Support emergency response for incidents involving rail cars, equipment, or yard hazards.

Qualifications
•    Experience operating rail cars, locomotives, or track mobile equipment in an industrial or scrap yard environment
•    Prior leadership experience or lead operator role preferred
•    Strong understanding of rail yard safety and OSHA regulations
•    Familiarity with scrap metal materials, loading methods, and weight limits
•    Ability to read switch lists, car numbers, and shipping documents
•    Strong communication and crew-coordination skills
•    Ability to work outdoors in extreme weather and around heavy machinery
•    Must be able to climb rail cars, walk uneven ground, lift 50+ lbs, and work within a loud, dusty environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms; climb or balance and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to walk and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 25 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus