Railroad Jobs and Opportunities at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

Join One of the Best Railroad Companies on the Planet

The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is one of the most popular historic train rides along the East coast and offers passengers a powerful connection to the region’s vibrant past. Dubbed the official “Steam of the Smokies”, passengers climb aboard each season to experience this historic railway while getting unbeatable views of the region’s top scenic attractions, such as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Fontana Lake, the historic Fontana Trestle, Nantahala and Tuckasegee Rivers, historical structures, and stunning foliage.

Railroad and Hospitality Careers

By joining our team, you’ll get so much more than just a job. Each member of our team allows us to preserve our railway’s history and is, therefore, part of our legacy. You’ll play a key role in fostering this unique connection for our passengers, all while learning key skills and getting experience with one of the best railways on the planet. We invite you to apply and be part of our story here in beautiful Bryson City, NC.

Why work with us?

Whether you’re interested in seasonal or regular employment, you’ll quickly find that Bryson City is an outstanding place to live. Surrounding our small mountain town is something of a vacation paradise, full of favorite travel destinations and a long list of things to do. We neighbor the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and have a large system of forest, rivers, and more to uncover. Recreation runs deep as our area is a gathering place for rafters, kayakers, hikers, horseback riding, mountain biking, and more. Long story short, it’s not easy to get bored here. You’ll be joining one of the best railroad teams on the planet. We might be biased, but our team is truly amazing and is what makes our railroad what it is today. In addition to that, you can expect to enjoy the following benefits for any of our positions:

PERKS AND BENEFITS

 

Best of all, we’re not far from the city. We’re located just an hour west of Asheville North Carolina, an hour Southeast of Knoxville Tennessee, and only three hours north of Atlanta. For that reason, many students at nearby colleges and universities choose us for summer seasonal positions.

A Day in the Life

Get a glimpse of what it’s like to be a part the Great Smoky Mountains family.

Marshall Harris, a welder, and boilermaker speaks to his contributions in preserving one of our historic steam locomotives. 

A behind-the-scenes look at our team preparing for a magical POLAR EXPRESS excursion season.

How to Apply

Our available positions are posted on our Careers Page below. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and provide opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Employment Classification

Regular

This position may be exempt or non-exempt, salaried or hourly. It is essential to the year-round operation of the company. As such it is full time and the employee is scheduled/expected to work 2080 hours. Benefits include a health benefits package, disability insurance, life insurance, PTO, 401k.

Core

This position may be exempt or non-exempt, salaried or hourly. Positions in this classification are important to the operation of the company but may not require a full-time schedule year-round. While it is possible that such positions may work 2080 hours, it is likely that this position will have a period of time during the year where the employee may take paid time off, unpaid time off, or a combination of both. Some Core positions will allow employees to take 1 to 3 months off, others will have a 1 to 3 month period in which the employee will work less than full time. Employees in this classification are scheduled/expected to work a minimum of 1560 hours per year. Benefits include a health benefits package, PTO, 401k.

Seasonal

Due to the seasonal nature of our tourist-based business, a majority of the positions at the GSMR will be seasonal positions. While vital to the operation of the company they do not require a year-round and/or full-time commitment. Seasonal employees are not eligible for a company-sponsored health benefit. PTO is not available. A 401k benefit is available based on plan requirements. This is a common employment option for students, or other individuals interested in spending the season away from home.

Temporary

This position is designed for the short-term (60 days or less) employment of individuals hired to complete very specific short-term task assignments. There are no benefits to this position.

GSMR has a Zero Tolerance Drug & Alcohol policy. Equal Opportunity Employer. E-Verify Thank you for your interest in employment with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad!

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