Blast Operator

Founded in 1898 and headquartered in Chicago, IL, GATX Corporation (NYSE: GATX) is an industry leader with 125+ years of success—success that is powered by our people. We are proud of our high-performance culture, hard-working and enthusiastic management team, and beautiful office space in the Willis Tower.

At GATX, we hire the best and offer our employees a dynamic, energetic, collaborative environment to enable them to make an impact from day one. Enjoy the perks and benefits of a global company with the close-knit culture and community of a much smaller one. In the same way we strive to empower our customers to propel the world forward, we are dedicated to providing our people with the tools and resources they need to move forward in their careers.

The primary function of the Blast Operator is to operate blasting equipment to remove scale, paint and other foreign substances from inside and/or outside of cars and other materials. 

• Operates stationary blasting equipment to remove scale and other foriegn substances from inside and/or outside of cars and other materials 
• Removes foreign matter from grit 
• Dismantles parts of machines to remove foreign matter when stopped up 
• Makes valve adjustments and minor repairs to blasting equipment and checks proper gauge to ensure equipment is in good working order
• Cleans cars as required before and after blasting 
• Communicate with supervisors as needed
• Keeps work area in a clean and oderly manner 
• Comply with established safety policies, support continuing safety awareness for safety, and when possible recommend specific changes and improvements to health and safety policies and programs. 

• Ability to read and interpret documents such as IO instructions, FM instructions, and work orders
• High school diploma or general education degree (GED) 
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide two digit numbers 
• Ability to reason through and plan work details and procedures to obtain desired results
• Knowledge of railcar repairs 
• Effective communication skills 
• Basic computer knowledge 
• Able to follow verbal and written instructions 

*Physical Demands*

• Must be able to stoop for extended periods and routinely move from kneeling to standing positions 
• Must be able to perform overhead work for extended periods 
• Must be able to safely lift (vertically) up to 51 lbs, regulary and safetly lift up to 85 lbs from ground to surface
• Must be able to push/pull (horizaontally) up to 140 pounds of force 
• Must be able to climb ladders and perform work at elevated heights 
• Must be able work in extreme temperature environments 
• Must be able to physically enter confined space and work in enclosed environments 

As of March 14, 2025, the hourly rate for this position is $27.96. The rate for this position is determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement.