Braker-Switcher

Summary

About the Position: This position is with the US Army Transportation Command, 596th U.S. Army Transportation Surface Brigade, 832nd US Transportation Battalion, Rail Operations Division, located in Southport, North Carolina.

Duties

• Monitor the safe movement of trains and railcars.
• Give and respond to signals and instructions in routine and emergent situations.
• Set out, transfer and pick up rail cars by uncoupling, setting, and releasing car brakes and air brake hoses.
• Use proper signaling means and equipment, such as arms, hands, lanterns, lights and flags to signal for normal and emergency conditions.
• Inform locomotive engineer by use of signals of malfunctioning or track obstructions.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities. 30 Percent or More Disabled Veterans Current Department of Army Civilian Employees Current Department of Defense (DOD) Civilian Employee (non-Army) Domestic Defense Industrial Base/Major Range and Test Facilities Base Civilian Personnel Workforce Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act Military Spouses, under Executive Order (E.O.) 13473 People with Disabilities, Schedule A Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible Priority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998 Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. There is no specific length of training or experience required. However, you must be able to demonstrate, through experience shown in your written application materials that you possess the sufficient knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the work of this position without more than normal supervision. Minimum Qualifications (Screen Out Element): Ability to do the work of an Braker-Switcher without more than normal supervision. Ability to work without more than normal supervision I have experience independently working as a Braker-Switcher and railroad crew member for 120-ton diesel electric locomotives. I perform switching, signaling, flagging, coupling, brake setting involved in the movement of box cars containing hazardous cargo. Check track switches to ensure they are properly set and reset. Judges braking and stopping distances. Sets out, transfers and picks up rail cars and groups of rail cars. Checks tracks for obstructions, defects, train derailment, unsealed rail cars, and malfunctioning railroad equipment. - Failure to meet this Screen Out Element will result in an ineligible rating. Ability To Do The Work Of The Position Without More Than Normal Supervision (Screen-out Element) Ability to Drive Safely (Motor Vehicles) and Ability to Operate Safely (Non-Motor Vehicle) Ability To Interpret Instructions, Specifications, etc. (related to mobile equipment operation) Operation of Motor Vehicles Reliability and dependability as a Braker-Switcher Work Practices (includes keeping things neat, clean, and in order) ??????? PHYSICAL EFFORT - Must use physical agility and effort in pushing, pulling, lifting, positioning and turning various braking, switching, and coupling devices; moving and lifting arms and devices to give signals; walking over rails and ties and running to perform tasks. Must be able to climb aboard locomotives and train cars, sometimes while they are moving or have slippery steps, rungs, and grab irons. Required to lift and carry items weighing up to 50 pounds and put forth similar effort in pushing and removing obstacles from the railway. WORKING CONDITIONS - Works under many adverse conditions in both good and bad weather. Frequently exposed to loud noise, fumes and odors. Exposed to possible injuries from accidents. May wear protective clothing, such as safety shoes and gloves. Any unusual environmental working conditions that may arise will be compensated for under an appropriate category of the environmental pay regulation.

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/11/2026 to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13051391). Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. As a reminder, your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For additional information, refer to the 'Required Documents' section. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may be incomplete. It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan. Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/applicant/profile/dashboard/), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.