Director of Railcar Maintenance & Repair
Quality Rail ServiceDirector of Railcar Maintenance & Repair
Quality Rail Service, Inc.
Location: Madison, Illinois – St. Louis Metro Area
Position Type: Full-Time, Senior Leadership
Position Summary
Quality Rail Service is seeking an experienced rail-industry professional to lead its railcar maintenance and repair division in Madison, Illinois.
The Director of Railcar Maintenance & Repair reports directly to the
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Vice President and company ownership. This position provides overall leadership for railcar repair operations, including production, safety, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, customer relationships, estimating, billing oversight, and the continued development of the division.
The Director will lead the division manager/floor manager and the railcar repair team while serving as the primary point of contact for customers, railroads, car owners, leasing companies, and industry partners.
This is a hands-on leadership position for someone who understands both the mechanical and administrative sides of railcar repair. The successful candidate must be comfortable working in the shop, communicating with executive leadership and customers, interpreting AAR requirements, and making sound operational and financial decisions.
Primary Responsibilities
• Provide overall leadership for the railcar maintenance and repair division.
• Direct daily shop and field repair operations while maintaining safe, efficient production.
• Supervise and support the division manager/floor manager and railcar repair personnel.
• Establish daily priorities, schedules, manpower requirements, and production goals.
• Maintain compliance with applicable AAR, FRA, customer, and railroad requirements.
• Support and maintain the company’s AAR M-1003 quality assurance program.
• Oversee running-repair operations and applicable Running Repair Agent responsibilities.
• Interpret the AAR Field Manual, Office Manual, billing requirements, job codes, why-made codes, qualifiers, and repair limits.
• Review repair estimates, customer authorizations, billing documentation, and completed work packages.
• Communicate with railroads, car owners, leasing companies, manufacturers, and other customers concerning inspections, estimates, repairs, approvals, and billing.
• Ensure work is properly documented and supported by inspection records, photographs, measurements, test results, and employee qualifications.
• Oversee freight-car inspection, air-brake testing, welding, truck work, safety-appliance repairs, draft-system repairs, and other railcar maintenance activities within the shop’s capabilities.
• Maintain employee training, qualification, certification, and testing records.
• Assist with customer audits, AAR audits, corrective actions, internal audits, and quality reviews.
• Monitor labor utilization, material costs, turnaround times, production performance, and profitability.
• Support the development of new customers, service offerings, and repair programs.
• Coordinate switching, car movement, bad-order status, repair-track capacity, and customer priorities.
• Investigate quality, safety, production, and customer-service concerns and ensure appropriate corrective action.
• Promote a strong culture of safety, accountability, quality workmanship, and customer service.
• Provide regular operational updates and performance reporting to the Vice President and company ownership.
Preferred Qualifications
• Significant experience in freight-car maintenance, railcar repair, railroad mechanical operations, or contract railcar repair.
• Previous leadership experience as a director, general manager, superintendent, regional manager, shop manager, or similar position.
• Strong working knowledge of AAR Field Manual requirements and freight-car repair practices.
• Experience with AAR M-1003 quality assurance requirements.
• Knowledge of Railinc systems, running-repair practices, interchange billing, estimates, repair documentation, and customer authorization processes.
• Understanding o