Warranty Systems Administrator

Metra is one of the largest and most complex commuter rail systems in North America, serving Cook, DuPage, Will, Lake, Kane, and McHenry Counties. The agency is linking communities in Northeastern Illinois by providing safe, reliable, and efficient commuter service.

Metra's rail operations are overseen by the Deputy Executive Director, Operations, who provides executive direction and guidance to the chief officers of the Engineering, Mechanical and Transportation departments as well as the Training and Certification and Operations Training departments. The division also provides executive oversight and direction to contract carriers (BNSF and Union Pacific) to ensure that rail operations are consistent with Metra's standards and practices.

Mechanical coordinates and oversees the repair, inspection, cleaning, rebuilding, replacing and maintenance of 1,180 pieces of rolling stock used in commuter service. The department's goal is to provide safe, clean and reliable service while maintaining the fleet to the standards of the Federal Railroad Administration, Association of American Railroads, American Public Transit Association and the original equipment manufacturers.

Reporting directly to the Manager, Quality Assurance and Materials, the Warranty Systems Administrator is responsible for administering the warranty recovery and component tracking program, monitoring the recovery process, and acting as liaison between the Mechanical and  Material Control and Procurement Departments throughout the warranty period. Perform other related duties as assigned to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.

The primary duties include: Administer the warranty recovery program for locomotive and passenger coach components including: establishing relationships with component/service suppliers to define warranty coverages, programming warranty parameters into the Maximo warranty application, creating system warranty alerts, identifying potential warranty claims and optimizing solutions, and managing ERP/Maximo interface and controlling data dump transfers. Assist division managers, employees, and Passenger Service Agreement Carriers to identify, track, process, and investigate all warranty claims and clarify warranty discrepancies; define end user responsibilities; and train end users on system usage and reports. Develop and expand component tracking forms, queries, and reports in order to administer the overall warranty tracking process, improve end user experience, enhance asset history, and monitor the effectiveness of warranty operations. Develop and implement product benchmarking techniques to assess component performance, identify repeat failures, and implement processes to drive continuous product improvement. Collaborate with team members and other system users to identify and resolve problems and use feedback to develop and implement system improvements. Works under both inside and outside environmental conditions under prevailing conditions of heat, cold, rain, and snow. Perform other related duties as assigned to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.

Final salary will be determined in part by the qualifications of the selected candidate.

Metra is a railroad employer subject to the provisions of the Railroad Retirement Tax Act, not the Social Security Administration.

1. Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Business Management, or a related field or in lieu of specified degree must have a combination of education and experience supporting systems or databases that equals four years. 
2. In addition to #1 above, must have a minimum of five years of experience that includes working with and implementing databases and performing warranty recovery functions in an Asset Management or Windows-based client/server environment. 
3. Good knowledge of warranty system principles and practices.
4. Good knowledge of database relationships, SQL and Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools (BIRT).
5. Good knowledge of asset management systems.
6. Good organizational, analytical, and problem solving skills.
7. Strong verbal and written communication skills.
8. Good project management skills with strong attention to details.
9. Proficient with Microsoft Office 365.
10. Ability to analyze and assess the user needs as it relates to the warranty system.
11. Ability to establish priorities, work on multiple tasks, concurrent tasks, and meet deadlines.  
12. Ability to work well both individually and in a team environment.
13. Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license.
14. Must be able to operate a vehicle.
15. Must be willing to travel within and outside of Metra's 6-county region.
16. Must be available to work flexible hours in the early morning, late afternoon, evenings, or weekends.

Preferred:

1. Experience working for a transit or mechanical organization.  

Please note: Regardless of any state laws that legalize marijuana, Metra prohibits applicants and employees' use or possession of marijuana (or marijuana paraphernalia), or having detectable amounts of marijuana in their bodies, including synthetic and/or non-synthetic substances such as THC for any reason for pre-employment screening purposes, while on duty, subject to duty, on Metra property, or in Metra work equipment and vehicles.

Metra is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. It is our policy to fill vacant positions with qualified candidates without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, gender identity, disability, or any protected categories, assuming an individual can perform the essential functions of the job with or without accommodation.