Control Room Operator
First seen by Alion on Sep 8, 2026. Railway People scores B on the Alion truth index.
Control Room Operator - Rail
Sector: Transport & Rail
Salary: £55,000 per annum
Shift Pattern: Panama Roster - 5-person team, including a cover week
About the Role
We are currently recruiting for an experienced Control Room Operator to join a busy rail operations environment, providing technical and operational support to customer Control Room teams while trains are in service.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone with a rail, rolling stock, train riding or maintenance background who is looking to move into a Control Room-based position.
Working at the centre of day-to-day fleet operations, you will monitor live train performance, respond to technical alerts, coordinate in-service failures and provide timely information and support to operational and maintenance teams.
You will be responsible for ensuring that emerging issues are identified quickly and that the appropriate technical support is coordinated to minimise disruption to train services.
Key Responsibilities
Monitor and support the customer Control Room during train service hours.
Act as a key point of contact between the Control Room, Operations, Maintenance and Depot teams.
Monitor live ORBITA feeds and respond to technical alerts.
Identify emerging train performance issues and escalate where appropriate.
Manage and coordinate in-service train failures during operational hours.
Carry out remote investigations using ORBITA, OTMR, CCTV and other available systems.
Gather and assess technical information to support fault diagnosis and operational decision-making.
Provide a clear technical information pack to technicians or Hi-Level Technicians attending a train or carrying out further investigations at the depot.
Provide rapid technical support and information to customer Operations teams.
Raise relevant work orders on the EAM system.
Maintain accurate records of incidents, investigations and actions taken.
Support planning and coordination activities associated with in-service failures.
Communicate effectively with all relevant stakeholders during service-affecting incidents.
Escalate technical or operational issues in accordance with established procedures.
Support the safe, reliable and efficient operation of the fleet.
About You
We are looking for someone who is calm under pressure, technically minded and confident communicating with a range of operational and engineering teams.
You will ideally have previous experience within the rail industry and understand the challenges associated with trains operating in service.
You dont necessarily need previous Control Room experience, as this could be an ideal next step for a Train Technician, Rolling Stock Engineer, Maintenance Technician or experienced Train Rider looking to move into a Control Room environment.
Essential Skills & Experience
Previous experience within the rail industry.
Experience gained through rolling stock maintenance, train riding, operations or a similar rail environment.
Good knowledge of EMU/rolling stock systems.
Ability to understand and assess technical information relating to train faults.
Ability to provide clear technical information and solutions to customers and operational teams.
Good IT skills, including Microsoft Excel.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
Ability to remain calm and make effective decisions when dealing with service-affecting failures.
Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
Excellent record-keeping skills.
Ability to work effectively as part of a team and coordinate activities across multiple departments.
Desirable
HNC or equivalent in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering.
Previous Control Room or Fleet Operations experience.
Experience using ORBITA or similar fleet monitoring systems.
Experience using OTMR, CCTV or other train diagnostic systems.
Experience using an EAM/computerised asset management system.
Previous experience coordinating in-service train failures.
What We Offer
£55,000 annual salary
Panama shift roster
5-person team structure, including a cover week
Opportunity to develop your career from a technical/maintenance background into a Control Room Operations role
Opportunity to work at the centre of live rail fleet operations