Senior Engineer - Database PTC

Metro-North Railroad reserves the right to remove this posting prior to the Application Deadline.

Opening

MTA Metro-North Railroad is a dynamic organization, operating out of the jewel of New York City, Grand Central Terminal.  We provide service to over 86.5 million customers, traveling in and out of New York and Connecticut.  A subsidiary of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Metro-North Railroad is one of the busiest commuter railroads in the nation.  MTA Metro-North Railroad strives to provide a safe and reliable commute, excellent customer service and rewarding opportunities to its employees.

Position Objective

This position supports Deputy Director Positive Train Control (PTC) Office in the coordination, installation, maintenance, and operation of Metro-North’s PTC Office database management system, with control centers and Remote Maintenance workstations at Several C&S Headquarters.  MNR now has a fully functional PTC system operational on all lines with over 110 Wayside Locations & Radio Base Stations, 4,000 Transponders and over 550 train cars.  The Office System provides central oversight to the PTC System for monitoring of incidents, troubleshooting and repairs.  This position provides direct technical support to PTC systems daily operations.  This position is safety critical for FRA Mandated PTC System under 49 CFR 236 Subpart I.

Responsibilities

• Provides lead role in all aspects of Software and database administration including design, installation, configuration, upgrades, patching, migration, capacity planning, performance tuning, backup and recovery, 24x7 rotational on-call support, including driving Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Preventative action follow-through, change management including maintenance of multiple development, test, QA, and production environments. Responsible for deploying approved changes to production.
• Provide software/database installation, testing and documentation support for all database changes to all systems and troubleshoot database-related systems failures with both office, remote and wayside system.  Develop and perform configuration changes as necessary according to the development life cycle process.  Ensure the systems have timely backup and restoration capabilities, data archiving and retrieval management for all mission critical and safety critical systems.  Determine if additional resources or strategies are needed to maintain systems and system redundancy.
• Provide daily log analysis and interact with the applicable Metro-North departments including CTC, SCADA, AMTRAK, and vendors in direct support of safety and the rail operation and business plan.  Analyze and review daily logs. Compile and send issue reports for resolution, look for patterns, trends, troubleshoot incidents, investigate anomalies to determine causes and work with field personnel to troubleshoot and resolve.  Evaluate facts and situations to determine the priority level of each incident and work with vendors to discuss issues, variances, problems and perform analysis of the logs.
• Develop Incident Response Plans and Disaster Recovery Plans for PTC, Signal, and Power Control Systems. Take a lead role in TSA-Cybersecurity initiatives on behalf of Metro-North to satisfy Department of Homeland Security requirements to make sure the system is secure and minimize vulnerability.  Make sure database servers are patched and upgraded timely.  Support and liaison with the MTA-IT regarding cybersecurity Initiatives.
• Design, develop, test, implement and document software applications and adjustments to support various mission-critical requirements and provide version control audits and manage design projects.  Prepare and perform internal audits to evaluate system performance and to identify deficiencies in current software and make improvements.   Other system-related duties as assigned by supervisor.
• Provide leadership by mentoring and training the team members.  Establish and reinforce a professional and productive working environment to facilitate team engagement.  Delegate work fairly and monitor team performance against goals.  Manage multiple projects simultaneously.  Promote and encourage safety in all team activities and initiatives. 

Required Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of operating systems (Windows, Unix, Linux).
• Knowledge of computer network management.
• Knowledge of virtual computer management.
• Knowledge of the integration of digital networks.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office, MS SQL, DB2, MySQL, Oracle and/or comparable applications
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Must be able to work in a high-profile/high-pressure environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to interact with internal departments and outside agencies.
• Must be able to implement and participate in Metro-North Railroad’s Safety Program
• 24-hours 7 days availability required.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or related field.
• Minimum of four (4) years of experience with MS SQL, Oracle, DB2, MySQL, Access, or other database management system.
• Minimum of four (4) years of programming experience with “C++”, Delphi, .Net. Access, MS SQL Server, DB2, MySQL or other programming languages and client server applications.
• Minimum of four (4) years of experience with operating systems (Microsoft Windows, Linux, UNIX).

The following is/are preferred, but other satisfactory combinations of relevant experience, education, and/or technical credentials will be considered:

• Knowledge of signals and power systems logic and operation and applications preferred.
• Knowledge of communication systems application preferred.
• Knowledge of railroad operations preferred.
• Knowledge of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) remote-control systems.
• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or related technical degrees/fields.
• Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA).

Other Information

This is a federally regulated position and is subject to toxilogical testing.

Pursuant to the New York State Public Officers Law & the MTA Code of Ethics, all employees who hold a policymaking position must file an Annual Statement of Financial Disclosure (FDS) with the NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (the “Commission”). Employees driving company vehicles must complete defensive driver training once every three years for current MNR drivers; or within 180 days of hire or transfer for an employee entering an authorized driving position.

Selection Criteria

Due to the competitive nature of the selection process, not all qualified candidates who meet the minimum requirements for the position are guaranteed an interview. To be selected for a position, one must meet the following criteria: (1) satisfy the minimum requirements listed in the job posting, (2) if applicable, successfully pass a written and practical exam, (3) satisfy a background investigation (including but not limited to, employment, education, and criminal history), and (4) pass a verbal interview. Metro-North may also require the applicant to undergo a physical ability test, and, if the Company extends a conditional offer, may require him or her to undergo a medical examination, which may include toxicological testing. Failure to pass any step within the hiring process will result in the disqualification of your application.

Additional Criteria for Current Employees: Current Metro-North employees must be in active service to be eligible for consideration. Agreement Employees applying for a position outside of their present craft are required to have worked in your current union for at least one (1) year preceding the Application Deadline to be eligible to apply for a posted position, and have completed the agreed upon formal training commitment, including on-the-job training or lock-in requirement, if applicable (for example: Signal Trainee, Foreman-In-Training, etc.). If you are transferring to another craft, you may be required to forfeit your seniority in your present union. Non-agreement employees must have worked in your current position for a minimum of one (1) year preceding the Application Deadline. Along with a background investigation (including but not limited to, employment, education, and criminal history), employees are also subject to an internal investigation, which includes an evaluation not limited to discipline records and performance assessments.

We offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package. If interested, please apply online at www.mta.info

Based on evaluation of education, skills, experience, and interview.

How to Apply

MTA employees must apply via My MTA Portal. You can submit an online application by logging into My MTA Portal, clicking the My Job Search ribbon, and selecting the “Careers” link. Logging in through My MTA Portal will link your BSC ID number to your job application to identify you as an internal applicant.

Equal Employment Opportunity

ALL APPLICANTS MUST APPLY ONLINE TO BE CONSIDERED.  METRO-NORTH NO LONGER ACCEPTS HARD COPIES OF RESUMES.

Qualified applicants can submit an online application by clicking on the 'APPLY NOW' button from either the CAREERS page or from the JOB DESCRIPTION page.

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