We are seeking safety-focused and motivated Track Protection Officers (TPOs) to support ballast cleaning operations across a heavy haul rail maintenance environment. This is an excellent opportunity to work within a high-performing team, contribute to critical maintenance activities, and ensure the highest standards of rail safety and compliance are maintained.
What You'll Do:
- Prepare, verify and implement Track Protection Plans and work-on-track authority requirements.
- Confirm worksite limits, access points, safe places, adjacent line risks and protection requirements prior to commencing work.
- Establish, maintain and remove field protection controls in accordance with approved safeworking requirements.
- Conduct comprehensive pre-start and safeworking briefings, including sign-on processes, worksite limits, hazards and emergency arrangements.
- Coordinate closely with supervisors, PPOs, Train Control, maintainers, contractors, operators and ballast cleaning crews to ensure safe work execution.
- Monitor changing worksite conditions, rail traffic exposure, machine movements, fatigue risks, weather impacts and scope changes.
- Exercise the authority to stop work and escalate concerns immediately where protection, communication, authority or behaviours are unsafe or non-compliant.
- Complete all required documentation, handovers, authority cancellations and close-out records accurately and within required timeframes.
- Ensure all personnel remain protected through effective planning, communication and compliance with rail safeworking standards.
- Strong understanding of rail safeworking principles, track protection requirements and operational risk controls.
- Excellent safety-critical communication skills with the ability to liaise effectively with Train Control, supervisors, contractors and operational personnel.
- Ability to work independently, remain focused under pressure and make sound safety-based decisions.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to procedural compliance and critical risk management.
- Ability to monitor dynamic work environments and proactively respond to changing operational conditions.
- Current Track Protection Officer competency for the relevant rail network.
- Experience working within heavy haul rail, maintenance shutdowns, possessions or major maintenance campaigns.
- Strong understanding of work authorities, protection methods, field protection arrangements and multi-workgroup environments.
- Experience supporting rail maintenance activities such as ballast cleaning, tamping, rail grinding, renewals or track machine operations.
- Ability to interpret track schematics, obstruction plans, work packs and maintenance scopes.
- Exposure to Pilbara rail operations, work management systems, incident reporting and safety management processes.
- Previous experience as a Track Protection Officer, Protection Officer or safeworking professional within rail maintenance, possession or heavy haul rail environments.
- Current rail safety worker medical clearance (preferably Category 1 where required) and relevant rail corridor access or rail safety awareness qualifications.
- Proven ability to coordinate and manage rail protection requirements in high-risk operational environments.
- Demonstrated experience supporting maintenance crews, contractors, rail vehicles and mobile plant within live rail corridors.
- Strong knowledge of safeworking systems, permits, protection authorities and rail operating rules.
- Ability to meet Rio Tinto onboarding, site access, verification of competency (VOC) and fitness-for-work requirements.
- Valid Australian C-Class Driver's Licence.
- Willingness and ability to travel to and mobilise within remote rail worksites as required.
- Able to work a 12/9 roster with a mix of days and nights aswell as various swing durations.
- Strong safety mindset with the confidence to challenge unsafe conditions, stop work when required and escalate risks appropriately.
- Commitment to fostering a positive safety culture through leadership, coaching and professional conduct.
Apply now and become a key contributor to safe, compliant and successful rail operations across the Pilbara rail network.
At Chandler Macleod, we are committed to fostering a diverse workforce where everyone is welcome. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, women, neurodiverse, people living with a disability and the LGBTIQA+ community.
You can read more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion at https://www.chandlermacleod.com/diversity-and-inclusion.
