Rail Safety Data & Compliance Officer

Who We Are:

The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) seeks to protect, preserve, and enhance Massachusetts’ environmental resources and create a clean energy future for all residents. Through the stewardship of open spaces, the protection of environmental resources, and the advancement of clean energy, EEA works tirelessly to make Massachusetts a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family.   Our commitment to environmental justice ensures that every resident, regardless of background or location, can live in a safe, clean environment and shares equally in the benefits of the clean energy transition.

Who We Are as an Employer:

At EEA, we create meaningful, inclusive opportunities that empower our employees to make a real difference in shaping the environmental future of Massachusetts. We foster a workplace culture where diversity is valued, innovation is encouraged, and collaboration thrives. Our employees play a vital role in advancing sustainability, environmental justice, and clean energy solutions, ensuring a positive and lasting impact on Massachusetts and its residents.

DPU:

The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is the state agency responsible for overseeing investor-owned electric power, natural gas, and water companies in Massachusetts. It regulates the safety of bus companies, moving companies, transportation network companies, and oversees the safety of natural gas pipelines and the MBTA.

Job Description:

The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) seeks a highly analytical, detail-oriented Rail Safety Data & Compliance Officer to support the Rail Transit Safety Division’s Safety Risk Management (SRM) and Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) programs.

Reporting directly to the Safety Risk Management Supervisor, this position serves as a key link between data-informed oversight, regulatory compliance, and field-based safety inspection activities. The role supports the Commonwealth’s responsibilities under 49 U.S.C. § 5329, 49 CFR Part 674, and related Safety Management System (SMS) requirements.

This position is responsible for reviewing and interpreting safety data, dashboards, reports, and compliance information; supporting inspection planning and oversight activities; tracking corrective actions; and helping identify risk-informed priorities for inspections, investigations, and hazard mitigation across the MBTA system.

The ideal candidate combines strong analytical ability, sound regulatory judgment, and field readiness, and plays an important role in advancing a risk-based, compliance-focused rail safety oversight program.

Job Duties:

• Conduct investigations and collect, review, and assess documentation to determine compliance or continued deficiencies associated with the MBTA Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan for its Light and Heavy Rail systems.

• Conduct investigations and independent reviews of investigations involving accidents with injuries and fatalities, equipment failures, unsafe conditions, violations of operating rules, and safety regulation non-compliance to determine cause and recommend corrective action.

• Identify remedial actions necessary to correct deficiencies identified during investigations, inspections, audits, and compliance reviews.

• Oversee and investigate accidents, incidents, and unacceptable hazardous conditions through activities such as reviewing corrective action plans prepared by the Rail Transit Agency and assisting with or conducting annual and triennial on-site safety audits.

• Participate in and conduct inspections, audits, system reviews, and report writing related to safety and regulatory compliance activities at the MBTA for its Light and Heavy Rail systems.

• Review, monitor, and analyze safety-related accidents, incidents, hazards, violations, inspection findings, and corrective action information in collaboration with Division Rail Transit Safety staff.

• Help identify trends, recurring hazards, high-risk