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Junior Rails Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

GFT.

Sr. Rail Bridge Engineer

Schaumburg, IL · On-site

$135K - $170K/yr

GFT is seeking a Sr. Rail Bridge Engineer to join our Transportation Team in either our Chicago or ... Mentor junior engineers and collaborate with other team members across varied disciplines to meet ...

STV

Bridge Engineer, Inspector

Chicago, IL · On-site

$104.40K - $119.32K/yr

... for Railway Engineering. * Inspection Team Leadership: Serve as the Team Leader for NBIS bridge safety inspections. Direct field operations, manage safety protocols, and mentor junior engineers ...

STV Incorporated

Bridge Engineer, Inspector

Chicago, IL · On-site

$104.40K - $119.32K/yr

... for Railway Engineering. * Inspection Team Leadership: Serve as the Team Leader for NBIS bridge safety inspections. Direct field operations, manage safety protocols, and mentor junior engineers ...

MASTER HW LOCHNER INC

Senior Track Engineer

Chicago, IL · On-site

$167K - $200K/yr

Rail, ties, ballast, and subgrade systems * Yard and siding layouts * At-grade crossings * Prepare ... Mentor junior engineers and technical staff. * Participate in client meetings, presentations, and ...

Lochner

Senior Track Engineer

Chicago, IL · On-site +1

$107.70K - $147.90K/yr

Rail, ties, ballast, and subgrade systems * Yard and siding layouts * At-grade crossings * Prepare ... Mentor junior engineers and technical staff. * Participate in client meetings, presentations, and ...

CDM Smith

Transportation Engineer 4-Transit

Chicago, IL · On-site

$79.80K - $105.60K/yr

Coordinate with multidisciplinary teams including traffic engineering, rail, communications ... Provide technical guidance, mentorship, and oversight to junior engineers and designers. Contribute ...

Hatch

Senior Traction Power Engineer

Chicago, IL · On-site

$107.70K - $147.90K/yr

... rail and transit, tunnels, and water. Want to be part of the creation and construction of our ... Lead a group of junior electrical engineers to develop traction power design packages * Design ...

Hatch

Senior Traction Power Engineer

Chicago, IL · Hybrid

$107.70K - $147.90K/yr

... rail and transit, tunnels, and water. Want to be part of the creation and construction of our ... Lead a group of junior electrical engineers to develop traction power design packages * Design ...

Hatch

Senior Traction Power Engineer

Chicago, IL · Hybrid

$107.60K - $147.80K/yr

... rail and transit, tunnels, and water. Want to be part of the creation and construction of our ... Lead a group of junior electrical engineers to develop traction power design packages * Design ...

CDM Smith

Transportation Program Manager

Chicago, IL · On-site

This role includes providing technical leadership on rail/transit and bridge projects, supporting ... Mentors more junior staff and develops them for future growth within the discipline and firm.

CDM Smith

Transportation Program Manager

Chicago, IL · On-site

$139.34K - $257.77K/yr

This role includes providing technical leadership on rail/transit and bridge projects, supporting ... Mentors more junior staff and develops them for future growth within the discipline and firm.

CDM Smith

Transportation Engineer 4-Transit

Chicago, IL · On-site

$95.85K - $167.73K/yr

... Rail Transit (LRT), Complete Streets, transit facilities, traffic engineering, intelligent ... junior engineers and designers. • Contribute to the advancement of Complete Streets and Safe ...

RailPros

Senior Civil Project Manager

Chicago, IL

RailPros is the premier provider of engineering and diversified safety services to America's rail ... Experience developing and leading design teams and mentoring junior engineers Preferred Education ...

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How much do junior rails jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 1, 2026, the average hourly pay for junior rails in Chicago, IL is $27.77, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.83 and $34.18 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Junior Rails Developer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Junior Rails Developer, you need foundational knowledge of Ruby programming, Rails framework, web development principles, and a relevant degree or coding bootcamp experience. Familiarity with tools like Git, databases (such as PostgreSQL or MySQL), and testing frameworks (RSpec) is typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, eagerness to learn, and effective communication help you stand out in collaborative team environments. These skills and qualities are important for building reliable web applications, adapting to project requirements, and growing within a development team.

What types of projects and tasks can a Junior Rails developer expect to work on in their first year?

As a Junior Rails developer, you can expect to work on a mix of feature development, bug fixes, and code reviews, often under the guidance of more experienced team members. You’ll likely contribute to building new functionalities, maintaining existing applications, and writing tests to ensure code quality. Collaboration is common—you’ll work closely with front-end developers, designers, and QA testers during sprint cycles. This role offers plenty of opportunities to learn best practices, improve your coding skills, and become familiar with agile workflows.

What are Junior Rails developers?

Junior Rails developers are entry-level software engineers who specialize in building web applications using the Ruby on Rails framework. They typically have a foundational understanding of Ruby programming and Rails conventions but are still gaining experience with best practices, testing, and deployment. Junior Rails developers often work under the guidance of more senior engineers, assisting with tasks like coding features, fixing bugs, and learning the development lifecycle. Their role is a stepping stone toward more advanced positions in web development.

What is the difference between Junior Rails vs Junior Django?

AspectJunior RailsJunior Django
Required CredentialsBasic knowledge of Ruby, Rails framework, HTML, CSS, JavaScriptBasic knowledge of Python, Django framework, HTML, CSS, JavaScript
Work EnvironmentStartups, tech companies, web development teams using Ruby on RailsStartups, tech companies, web development teams using Django
Industry UsagePopular in e-commerce, SaaS, and web app developmentCommon in content management, data-driven apps, and web services

Junior Rails and Junior Django roles share similar entry-level requirements, focusing on web development with their respective frameworks. Both are used in similar industries and work environments, making them comparable for those starting in web development. The main difference lies in the programming language (Ruby vs Python) and framework-specific skills.

Junior Rails jobs near you

Sr. Rail Bridge Engineer

GFT.

Schaumburg, IL • On-site

$135K - $170K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 24 days ago

Job description

GFT is seeking a Sr. Rail Bridge Engineer to join our Transportation Team in either our Chicago or Schaumburg, IL offices!
Working on the Transportation teamat GFT offers the opportunity to engage in transformative projects that enhance transportation infrastructure and improve community connectivity. Bridge design has been a core strength of ours for over a century, ranging from concrete or steel freight and passenger rail bridges to complex highway and pedestrian bridges. Our staff's diversity enables us to deliver highly effective solutions across a broad spectrum of projects. You will have the opportunity to work on complex rail projects for Class I railroads, short lines and transit agencies such as Merchant Bridge Replacement and Retrofit and Create P1 Englewood Flyover.
What you'll be challenged to do:
You'll join the 2023 AREMA Hay Award winning team! At GFT, we have established and continue to nurture a culture that is committed to providing quality services for our clients. In this capacity you will be focused on structural design, rehabilitation, and inspection of bridges and other structures along with the preparation of load ratings, construction documents, specifications, and estimates. In addition, duties may include construction inspection services.
In this capacity, the successful candidate will be responsible for the following:
  • Perform structural bridge designs utilizing current AREMA design standards.
  • Document and organize design calculations following GFT's Quality Management Plan.
  • Perform detailed checking of calculations and design drawings produced by others.
  • Responsible for accuracy of engineering design, reports, load ratings, and plans, quality presentation, thoroughness and follow-through, and efficient conformance to budgets, schedules, and company standards.
  • Perform bridge inspections for railway bridges.
  • Participate in non-design engineering activities such as construction inspection and field data collection.
  • Lead design and project management efforts.
  • Plan and lead project meetings.
  • Update Senior Project Manager on changes in workload, project schedule, or scope.
  • Ensure projects adhere to budgets and schedules.
  • Perform QC or QA reviews.
  • Mentor junior engineers and collaborate with other team members across varied disciplines to meet project deliverables.
  • Develop and present proposals to clients in association with the Client Managers.
  • Lead client relationship meetings as well as contribute to marketing and business development efforts.
  • Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; developing professional networks; participating in professional societies.
  • Willingness to travel the continental United States.

What you will bring to our firm:
  • Bachelor's degree in civil/structural engineering with an emphasis in structures from an ABET-accredited university or college.
  • A minimum of 10 years' experience in design and/or management of rail or railroad focused projects.
  • Registration as a licensed Professional Engineer.
  • Structures design experience utilizing AREMA Manual for Railroad Engineering.
  • Familiarity with Class I railroad bridge standards.
  • Knowledge of Microstation and experience with structural engineering design drawings, specifications and cost estimates.
  • Team oriented engineer with strong communication skills.
  • Working knowledge of MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, etc.), and experience with engineering design packages such as MicroStation and other structural analysis software systems such as Bluebeam Revu, LEAP Bridge Concrete, LPILE, GROUP, RISA or CSiBridge.
  • Able and willing to travel within the continental United States.

What we prefer you bring:
  • Experience working directly with Class I railroads.
  • Master's degree in civil/structural engineering with an emphasis in structures from an ABET-accredited university or college.
  • AREMA membership and active participation on Committees 7, 8, 9, 10 or 15.

Compensation:
The salary range for this role is $135,000 - $170,000. Salary is dependent upon experience and geographic location.
Featured Benefits:
• Hybrid (in-person and remote) work environment.
• Comprehensive benefits package including wellness programs, parental leave, and pet insurance, in addition to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance.
• Tax-deferred 401(k) savings plan.
• Competitive paid-time-off (PTO) accrual.
• Tuition reimbursement for continued education.
• Commitment to professional development, access to internal and external training programs, and support of active participation in professional organizations
• Incentive compensation for eligible positions.
At GFT, a privately held AEC firm, we innovate where transportation, water, power, and buildings converge. We call this the Infrastructure of Life. We measure our success by the strength of our relationships - that's why we're the employer of choice for 5,000+ of the industry's brightest engineers, planners, architects, inspectors, designers, and more.
Our clients choose us for our expertise and prefer us for our nimble approach, creativity, and personal touch. Backed by over a century's experience, together we're building a lasting legacy for future generations: stronger communities, a healthier planet, and better lives.
GFT: Ingenuity That Shapes Lives™ is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veterans' status or other characteristics protected by law.
Unsolicited resumes from third party agencies will be considered the property GFT.
Location: Chicago, IL or Schaumburg, IL
Core Business Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Employment Status: Full-Time
Salary Range: $135,000 - $170,000
Salary dependent upon experience and geographic location
GFT does require the successful completion of a criminal background check for all advertised positions.
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