How to hire a locomotive electrician

How to hire a locomotive electrician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step locomotive electrician hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a locomotive electrician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new locomotive electrician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a locomotive electrician, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A locomotive electrician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, locomotive electricians from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of locomotive electrician salaries for various roles:

   Type of Locomotive Electrician	Description	Hourly rate
   Locomotive Electrician	Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical power, communications, lighting, and control systems in homes, businesses, and factories.	$20-38
   Apprentice	An apprentice is responsible for learning specialized tasks on their chosen field through actual job training under the supervision of tenured staff. An apprentice's duties include performing administrative tasks as needed, creating observation reports of daily operations, providing possible recommendations on improving productivity, and adhering to the business' safety standards and regulatory procedures... Show more	$12-24
   Wiring Technician	Wiring technicians install and conduct maintenance on wiring in electronic products. They are responsible for ensuring that machines are in working condition, and they continuously review products to ensure only good products are released to customers... Show more	$13-24

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Locomotives
   • FRA
   • Transformers
   • Switches
   • Switchboards
   • Computer Monitors
   • Electrical Systems
   • Hand Tools
   • Armatures
   • Test Equipment
   • CSX
   • Traction
   • Electrical Equipment
   • EMD

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Remove, analyze, identify issue install properly working pressure transducers, effectively accomplishing priorities to go underway.
   • Repair event recorders, video recorders, air compressors, turbo and fuel pumps and temperature switches.
   • Replace relay panels with PLC's.
   • Perform maintenance and installation on crossing gates, signals and switches.
   • Perform periodic electrical inspection, maintenance, servicing and testing of locomotives in accordance with manufacturer's instructions and company policy.
   • Maintain and repair solenoids and regulators on co-generation systems.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your locomotive electrician job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A locomotive electrician can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, locomotive electricians' average salary in south carolina is 52% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level locomotive electricians 46% less than senior-level locomotive electricians.
   • Certifications. A locomotive electrician with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a locomotive electrician's salary.

   Average locomotive electrician salary

   $58,675yearly

   $28.21 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level locomotive electrician salary

   $43,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

4. Writing a locomotive electrician job description

   A job description for a locomotive electrician role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a locomotive electrician job description:

   Locomotive electrician job description example

   1
   
   Site Name: Copper Basin Railway
   
   Site Location: Hayden, US-AZ, 85135
   
   Scope: Maintain, repair, rebuild, inspect and install all electrical wiring and equipment on diesel electric locomotives.
   Ensure compliance with all railroad rules and regulations for safety, operations and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Measure, cut, thread, bend, and assemble connections to control panels and junction boxes Test circuit connections. Diagnose, repair, and replace electrical malfunctions in components including loading charging, transition problems, wheel slip, sander circuits and high and low voltage grounds Perform work activities utilizing voltages up to 1200 and amperages up to 1500 Examine parts for wear and/or defects such as brushes contact tips, slip rings, armatures, diodes, bearings and fuses Interpret test instrument indicators Repair speed recorders, air compressors, turbo and fuel pumps and temperature switches. Change light bulbs on locomotives Interpret information from computer monitors or printouts Miscellaneous activities and responsibilities as assigned by supervisor
   Minimum Qualifications:
   High School Diploma/GED 18 years of age or older Valid Driver's License One year experience reading blueprints or electrical schematics
   Preferred Qualifications:
   Two years electrician experience Completion of an electrical vocational or trade school program Journeyman Electrician
   Physical Demands:
   Heavy work, lifting 50 pounds or more Stoop/bend/kneel/crouch/crawl/balance/climb Walk long distances over uneven terrain Demonstrate auditory and visual acuity/tracking/inspection
   Technical Skills/Abilities:
   Verbal comprehension (Understand oral and written communication) Communication skills (provide clear instructions/directions) Reasoning skills (problem solving and troubleshooting skills) Basic Math
   Shop Environment/Outdoors
   
   This position is full time, shift work consists of: Irregular hours, including nights, weekend, holidays and occasional overtime.
   
   CBRY is located 64 miles southeast of Phoenix and 70 miles northeast of Tucson.
   
   A core value of ASARCO LLC is "Safety First." The Company is committed to help employees continuously improve their efforts to work in the most safe, inclusive, socially and environmentally responsible manner practicable. Employee safety and health, both on and off the job, are critically important to the Company. Therefore, ASARCO LLC requires employees to have and effectively demonstrate good working knowledge of modern safety systems. Each employee will take prime responsibility for ensuring that s/he works within all required safety procedures and processes.
   ASARCO LLC is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates must possess a current and valid driver's license. Offers of employment are contingent upon a successful criminal background check and pre-employment physical including a drug screen (hair analysis).
   ASARCO LLC offers an excellent low-cost benefits package for medical/prescription/ dental/vision, disability coverage, life insurance and other optional coverage, and 401(k) plan with company match.
   
   PI194476189

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right locomotive electrician for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with locomotive electricians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit locomotive electricians who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your locomotive electrician job on Zippia to find and attract quality locomotive electrician candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as constructionjobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting locomotive electricians requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new locomotive electrician

   Once you have selected a candidate for the locomotive electrician position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new locomotive electrician. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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