What are the responsibilities and job description for the Inspection Manager position at VLS Environmental Solutions?
VLS Environmental Solutions, LLC, is a recognized leader in providing sustainability solutions, with three divisions providing industry-leading services. With a mission to innovate solutions to meet clients' sustainability goals, VLS has over 1,200 employees in 40 locations across North America.
Waste Services
VLS Waste Services provides customized waste processing solutions for hazardous and non-hazardous industrial and commercial waste, including landfill diversion and sustainability programs, solidification of liquid waste, recycling, wastewater treatment, and waste sequestration.
Railcar Services
VLS Railcar Cleaning and Repair Services division provides specialty cleaning services for difficult-to-clean products, including chemicals, hardened materials, and pressurized gases, and comprehensive repair services for certified full-service repairs, tank car qualifications, and maintenance.
Marine Services
VLS Marine Services division offers state-of-the-art barge cleaning, repair, and gas-free facilities for various chemical solvents and downstream petroleum products.
The Inbound Inspection Manager is responsible for overseeing all inbound railcar inspection activities to ensure compliance with AAR, FRA, clients, and company standards. This position provides leadership and operational oversight to inspection teams, ensuring safety, quality, and efficiency in inspection and repair processes. The manager acts as the primary liaison between inspection teams, operations, and clients.
Job Duties:
- Manage and develop a team of inbound railcar inspectors, including hiring, training, performance evaluations, and scheduling.
- Foster a culture of safety, integrity, and continuous improvement.
- Ensure all inbound inspections meet regulatory and client requirements.
- Review and approve inspection reports, estimates, and work orders.
- Monitor workflow and adjust resources to meet deadlines and quality standards.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of AAR/FRA regulations and ensure team compliance.
- Conduct random audits of inspection work and completed repairs for quality assurance.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for clients and sales team regarding inspection status, issues, and timelines.
- Collaborate with internal departments to resolve issues impacting turnaround times.
- Identify process inefficiencies and implement improvements to enhance productivity and reduce costs.
- Lead initiatives for technology adoption and best practices in inspection processes.
- Enforce safety protocols and ensure proper use of equipment and PPE.
- Investigate and resolve safety incidents promptly.
- Responsible for housekeeping and orderly storage of gauges used in the inspection function.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Requirements:
- High School Diploma or GED: A minimum educational requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent.
- Must possess valid certification in rail car inspection or be willing to obtain certification within the specified time frame.
- Proficiency in identifying mechanical problems and using inspection tools effectively.
- Proficiency with safety standards and regulations related to rail car inspection, including AAR (Association of American Railroads) and FRA (Federal Railroad Administration) guidelines.
- A minimum of 5 years of experience in rail car inspection with at least 2 years in a leadership, supervisory or managerial role.
- Additional certifications such as NDT (Non-Destructive Testing), Welding certifications and Coating certifications strongly preferred.
- Experience inspecting a wide variety of rail car types (e.g., tank cars, boxcars, and hoppers)
- Strong attention to detail in identifying potential issues or safety hazards.
- Must possess a valid driver's license to travel to various rail yards.
- Strong Communication Skills: Ability to clearly report findings and collaborate with maintenance and operations teams.
- Computer Literacy: Familiarity with inspection software, data entry, and report generation.
- Strong leadership and team management skills.
Req Benefits:
At VLS our employees are the core of our business. As such, we value our employees' physical, mental, and financial wellbeing by providing first class, high value benefits and resources that are centered around a proper work-life balance.
Physical and Mental Wellbeing: VLS is committed to supporting our employees' physical and mental health by providing:
Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance - Based on each employee's need, we offer various high quality, low-premium medical, dental and vision plans, which include our first-in-class concierge service (available in Spanish) and 2nd MD Offering.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Healthcare Saving Accounts (HSA) - Set aside pre-tax money to use toward your health care spending. VLS provides an employer contribution to all HSA accounts.
Time Off - We offer 11 (eleven) company-paid holidays, in addition to our paid time off and voluntary time off plans.
Employee Assistance Program - 24/7 assistance and counseling services that are 100% confidential and free to all employees and their dependents.
Telemedicine - All employees and dependents receive free virtual visits by licensed practitioners any time, any day...including holidays!
Financial and Retirement Planning: At VLS we offer the following to assist our employees with planning around their finances and saving for retirement:
401(k) - Generous 401(k) matching program after 90 days of employment. VLS will match up to 5% of your pay every pay period. Matching contributions are 100% vested immediately.
Life and Disability Insurance - Employer-paid life insurance, along with short-term and long-term disability coverage provided to all full-time employees.
Voluntary Life Protection Plans - Employees and their dependents can elect coverage in our voluntary life/add, critical illness, hospital indemnity and accident plans.
Rewards and Recognition Programs - We celebrate our employees! From birthdays to anniversaries and other various milestones/achievements, we have programs in place to recognize our employees.
Financial Planning - Free One on One financial planning with a certified Financial Planner/Coach.
Employee Discount - Employee Discount Program for savings on everyday goods and services at various retailers throughout the US.