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Job Description

Overview

The Machinist position involves inspecting, maintaining, and repairing passenger locomotives, with a focus on safety and compliance with regulations. Metra is a railroad employer committed to hiring qualified candidates.

Responsibilities

  • Inspect, maintain, and repair passenger locomotives, including air brakes, diesel engines, air compressors, wheels, and trucks.
  • Ensure compliance with applicable safety rules and regulations.
  • Promote safe work practices and maintain a safe work environment.
  • Perform all other duties as assigned.

Requirements

  • Possess a Journeyman's card in the International Association of Machinists or have a minimum of four years of experience as a Diesel Mechanic, preferably with a railroad.
  • Ability to use welding equipment preferred.
  • Candidates with documented attendance or performance issues will not be considered.

Additional Information

  • This is a Union position.
  • Starting pay rates may vary based on entry rates in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
  • Metra is subject to the provisions of the Railroad Retirement Tax Act.
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How this job compares in Chicago, IL

Pay in context

At roughly $43/hr, this posting sits about 12% above the $38/hr median for welding jobs in Chicago, IL — toward the top of a $31–$50/hr middle band drawn from 71 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 65% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. Pay that far above local median usually comes attached to something: a harder cert requirement, travel, night shift, or overtime that isn't really optional. Worth establishing which before you accept.

The local market in Chicago, IL

We're tracking 95 other active welding openings in Chicago, IL right now, from 47 different employers. 25 of them were added in the last week. Across Illinois as a whole we're tracking 331 other active welding openings from 198 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Chicago, or widen the search to Illinois.

The most active employers in Illinois at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Gerber Collision & Glass (17), S&C Electric Company (11), and Venteon (9). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within Illinois, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Chicago at $38/hr, Downers Grove at $36/hr, and Addison at $36/hr. Chicago is among them.

Similar openings near Chicago, IL

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Machinist figures were last recalculated when this page was built.