Program Manager IV, Maintenance of Way, Bridges, and Structures

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR

How do you approach balancing safety, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency when overseeing complex rail infrastructure and maintenance programs?

The Program Manager, Maintenance of Way Bridges and Structures oversee the safety, reliability, and performance of CapMetro’s rail infrastructure by managing track and bridge maintenance programs, contracts, and regulatory compliance. This role leads cross-functional coordination, capital project alignment, and field inspections while ensuring quality, budget control, and adherence to FRA standards.

WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING

Note: The duties and primary responsibilities below are intended to describe the general content of and requirements of this job and are not intended to be an exhaustive statement of duties.

• Manage service provider obligations for commuter rail and lessee obligations for freight rail to ensure safe, reliable, and cost-effective operations across CapMetro’ s track infrastructure and bridges.
• Direct scheduled track and rail maintenance activities, coordinating with internal departments to maintain the integrity of tracks, bridges, and supporting structures.
• Partner with Capital Projects teams to guide rail track, bridge, and maintenance of way project scopes, ensuring work meets technical standards, schedule parameters, and engineering requirements.
• Perform regular inspections of rail infrastructure and bridges across commuter and freight corridors to monitor condition, safety, and regulatory compliance.
• Oversee QA/QC for all track and bridge inspections, ensuring accurate assessments and corrective actions where needed.
• Administer and schedule “employee in charge” support for right of way projects to ensure safe access and work procedures.
• Enforce Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) requirements and internal policies, rules, and standards for all rail infrastructure activities.
• Collaborate with local, county, state, and federal agencies on rail issues, oversee third party work on CapMetro property, and support planning for future track improvements.
• Develop track maintenance budgets using historical and operational data, control expenditures, and provide technical, cost, and schedule justification for contract changes.
• Manage records for the Bridge Safety Management Program, participate with internal departments and the City of Austin on rail safety related planning, and represent CapMetro to the community, government entities, vendors, and contractors.
• Support Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Safety Management Systems (SMS) process by ensuring staff follows safety and security policies, considers safety in every action, and ensures safety and security concerns are reported.
• Direct and manage department including planning, scheduling, delegating, and overseeing employee work assignments, authorizing, coordinating, and scheduling work with vendors and consultants, conducting personnel actions, including, hiring, and interviewing, and overseeing hiring, training, work assignments, and performance evaluations.
• Perform other position related duties as required and/or assigned.

WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING

Note: The duties and primary responsibilities below are intended to describe the general content of and requirements of this job and are not intended to be an exhaustive statement of duties.

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Civil Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Construction management, Construction, or related field. Related experience may be substituted for up to four (4) years.
• Ten (10) years of increasingly responsible rail infrastructure and bridge maintenance experience in commuter and freight rail systems.

• Six (6) years directing maintenance/construction staff or providing contract oversight for rail track and bridge maintenance operation functions.
  

• Knowledge of Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) and FRA rules and regulations pertaining to track and bridge maintenance.
• Comprehensive knowledge of railroad operations, maintenance, and project management.
• Knowledge of American Railway Engineering Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) and FRA regulations pertaining to track and bridge inspection and maintenance.
• Knowledge of track and bridge design and maintenance principles and practices.
• Knowledge of documentation control.
• Effective oral and written communication skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with employees, senior management, regulatory authorities, and the public.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills to communicate effectively and sensitively with all levels of supervisory and non-supervisory employees, a politically, economically, and culturally diverse work force.
• Ability to effectively work as a team player.
• Demonstrated ability as a self-starter, responsive to organizational needs, committed to excellence and continual employee development.
• Ability to conduct FRA based track, bridge, switch, roadbed, and crossing inspections.
• Ability to investigate derailments.
• Ability to determine bridge load capacity.
  

Mobility Status:

As an Onsite position, the incumbent’s primary workplace is a CapMetro facility or field location. Expected to work in the office 4 days a week. Mobility status is subject to change at any time based on business needs or organizational decisions.

• Work with a diverse, collaborative, and energetic workforce whose focus is to bring innovation into the industry and how we serve our customers and team members.
• Utilize our free and reduced-fare transit service to get to the office and then plan to hit the gym (for free) and work with our onsite trainers, before heading back home.
• If you have children between the ages of 6 months and 6 years old, enroll them in the onsite award-winning Childcare and Learning Center.