Sr. Operations Research Specialist - Optimization
Date: Jul 28, 2026
Location: Atlanta, GA, US, 30308
Company: Norfolk Southern Corp.
Requisition 40134: Sr. Operations Research Specialist - Optimization
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Norfolk Southern offers a unique opportunity to be part of our proud legacy that spans nearly 200 years. We are a customer-centric, operations-driven team dedicated to advancing safety, serving communities, and driving innovation for tomorrow's rail. As part of Norfolk Southern, you’ll join a collaborative team where there are opportunities for growth across the organization. We are building a culture where everyone can thrive by owning and driving exceptional results, being humble and leading with trust, serving our customers with excellence, and collaborating and coaching to win.
Job Description
NOTICE OF FILING OF
APPLICATION FOR PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATION
An application for permanent labor certification for the position described below will be filed by Norfolk Southern Corporation with the U.S. Department of Labor.
Job Title: Sr. Operations Research Specialist – Optimization
Norfolk Southern Corporation is seeking a Sr. Operations Research Specialist – Optimization based in Atlanta, Georgia. This position will be responsible for providing management with recommendations for the use of analytical models and decision support systems to drive productivity and efficiency, achieve operational excellence, increase revenues, and reduce costs. This position requires domestic travel approximately 10% of the time. When not required to travel, this individual will be required to telecommute to the office in alignment with Norfolk Southern’s office/remote - hybrid work policy.
Job Duties:
• Provide production support and enhancements for existing operations research applications.
• Design new mathematical or machine learning models and implement them in programming languages such as C/C++, Java, and Python.
• Evaluate the accuracy and quality of data sources and develop appropriate remedies for data gaps.
• Collaborate with business partners in various departments to identify opportunities for process improvement.
• Work with application development teams to integrate developed models into a production environment.
• Perform a leadership role and supervise a group of people to achieve goals by creating an environment that promotes positive communication, encourages bonding of team members, and demonstrates flexibility.
• Ensures work efforts are compliant with approved corporate policies, departmental standards, and procedures.
• Apply understanding of industry best practices, optimization, methodologies, and emerging technologies in operations research.
• Provide leadership to various groups to achieve goals by creating an environment that promotes positive communication, encourages bonding of team members, and demonstrates flexibility.
Job Requirements:
• Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering, Civil Engineering, Operations Research, Information Systems, or a related, relevant field.
• Minimum of one (1) year of experience with operations research modeling, simulation, and advanced analytics in the transportation industry. This experience must include at least one (1) year of experience:
o Developing decision support systems using operations research models;
o Managing projects related the design and development of operations research models and decision support systems;
o Utilizing operations research techniques and engineering skills in delivering decision support systems;
o Analyzing existing operations research applications and providing production support and enhancements;
o Designing new mathematical and/or machine learning models and implementing them in programming languages such as C/C++, Java, and/or Python;
o Evaluating the accuracy and quality of data sources and developing appropriate remedies for data gaps;
o Integrating developed models into a production environment; and
o Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Work Conditions
Location of Employment:
650 West Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30308
Apply via email: HR.CareersInbox@nscorp.com or call (585) 402-9131.
Salary: $114,208 to $183,626 per year
This notice is provided as a result of the intended filing of an Application for Permanent Employment Certification for the above job opportunity. Any person may provide documentary evidence bearing on this application to:
Certifying Officer
U.S. Department of Labor
Employment and Training Administration
Office of Foreign Labor Certification
200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room N-5311
Washington, DC 20210
This notice was posted in a conspicuous place in the office of Norfolk Southern Corporation in Atlanta, Georgia and on the company’s intranet for a period of 10 consecutive business days from ________________until ________________. The notice remained clearly visible and unobstructed during the entire period of posting.
__________________________________ ______________________________
Signature Date
__________________________________
Printed Name
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Title
Company Overview
Since 1827, Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) and its predecessor companies have safely moved the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Today, it operates a customer-centric and operations-driven freight transportation network. Committed to furthering sustainability, Norfolk Southern helps its customers avoid 15 million tons of yearly carbon emissions by shipping via rail. Its dedicated team members deliver more than 7 million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods, and is the largest rail shipper of auto products and metals in North America. Norfolk Southern also has the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern U.S., serving a majority of the country’s population and manufacturing base, with connections to every major container port on the Atlantic coast as well as the Gulf of Mexico and Great Lakes. Learn more by visiting www.NorfolkSouthern.com.
At Norfolk Southern, we believe in celebrating our individuality. By leveraging the unique backgrounds and viewpoints of our employees, we can create a culture of innovation, respect, and inclusion. We know that employees thrive in a workplace where differing viewpoints, ideas, and experiences are freely shared and valued. As such, we encourage all employees to contribute their distinctive skills and capabilities to our organization.
Equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Together, we power progress.
Nearest Major Market: Atlanta
