Getting A Job At BNSF
BNSF Railway was formed by the merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railways in the mid 1990s. It runs one of the largest rail networks in North America, with about 32,500 route miles across 28 US states and three Canadian provinces, and had around 35,000 employees at the end of 2025.
There are a variety of careers on offer with BNSF for students, graduates and experienced candidates. BNSF says it invests in its employees' professional development and well-being.
BNSF Core Values
BNSF publishes a vision of meeting its customers' expectations, supported by four shared values:
- Listening to customers
- Empowering colleagues and caring for their well-being
- Continuous improvement, done safely and efficiently
- Building on the company's heritage
These values underpin the work of BNSF and its people. BNSF also says that safety is the most important thing it does, with a vision of a workplace free of accidents and injuries, and that it places a high value on an inclusive workforce.
Types Of Roles
Due to the size and scale of the network that BNSF operates, there are several roles across the company.
These roles cover areas such as:
- Train crew
- Dispatchers
- Mechanical and electrical
- Track, structures and signal
- Field operations leadership
- Technology (BNSF Tech)
- Corporate office
- Administrative and other trades
- BNSF Police
There are roles for students and graduates through college recruiting, as well as for candidates with prior work experience. BNSF also has a dedicated route for ex-military personnel.
BNSF Application Process
BNSF describes its hiring process in these steps:
- Online application
- Screening of applications
- A phone, video or in-person interview, or an invitation to a hiring event
- An initial assessment, for roles that require one
- A conditional offer, followed by a pre-employment medical and background review
The medical review can include a medical history questionnaire, a urine or hair drug screen, a vision and colour vision test, a hearing test and a physical exam. Some positions do not need a medical screen, and the job description says which apply.
BNSF lists its vacancies on its careers site and says they are updated daily. Candidates can sign up for job alerts.
BNSF Online Application
Candidates search the BNSF careers site and apply online for a specific vacancy, with a separate application for each position and location. After submitting, applicants get a confirmation email and are prompted to create a candidate account to track their application.
BNSF says an application cannot be changed once it is submitted, so check it carefully first.
BNSF Psychometric Tests
BNSF Initial Assessment
BNSF says that some roles need an initial assessment after applications are screened. It does not publish the name of its test provider or the content of these assessments, so the sections below describe common test formats for railway roles rather than confirmed BNSF tests.
Numeracy And Literacy Practice
Basic numeracy and reading tests are common for entry level railway roles. Numeracy questions use everyday maths such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Reading questions give a short passage of text followed by questions about it.
Personality Questionnaire Practice
Some employers use a personality questionnaire to learn about a candidate's working style. These usually ask how far you agree with statements about how you behave at work. There are no right or wrong answers, but practising helps you get used to the format.
Situational Judgement Practice
A situational judgement test sets out work scenarios and asks which response you would choose. Practice scenarios based on safety, teamwork and customer service are a sensible way to prepare for railway roles.
Answer as you genuinely would at work rather than trying to guess what the recruiter wants to see.
Mechanical Reasoning Practice
If you are applying for a technical role, practising a mechanical reasoning test can help you prepare for questions on mechanical concepts. This aptitude test assesses a candidate's knowledge and understanding of mechanical concepts and principles such as circuits, voltages, springs, pulleys, or motion.
The test is a timed multiple-choice test that requires candidates to work quickly but accurately. Refreshing your knowledge of mechanical concepts is essential before sitting this test.
Spatial Reasoning Practice
A spatial reasoning test measures how well you can picture and move shapes in your head. Typical questions ask you to rotate shapes, spot mirror images or match 2D and 3D views, usually under a time limit.
Verbal Reasoning Practice
The verbal reasoning test is essentially a test of reading comprehension and critical reasoning.
Information is presented in the form of passages of text. Candidates need to read and understand the information then answer the questions that follow.
Questions are given with a series of multiple-choice statements, with candidates selecting whether they believe the statement to be false, true, or cannot say based on the information they have read.
The test is timed, and those taking the test need to ensure that they do not skim read the information given but take the time to read, understand and analyse the information before answering the questions.
Abstract Reasoning Practice
An abstract reasoning test is similar to a spatial reasoning test. This test assesses a candidate's ability to problem solve and to evaluate information critically.
The questions consist of a series of patterns of shapes. Candidates need to determine the relationship between this information, then answer the multiple-choice questions that follow.
This test is a timed test, where candidates need to work quickly but accurately.
Numerical Reasoning Practice
If you are applying for an office or management role, practising a numerical reasoning test can help you prepare for questions on graphs and tables. This test assesses a candidate's numerical ability and how well they can work with numerical information. Information is presented in the form of graphs, tables, or charts.
Candidates then need to use their understanding of mathematical concepts and principles to calculate which of the multiple-choice answers is correct.
The timed nature of this test adds extra pressure. Candidates need to work quickly, but accurately making sure that they are not only aware of maths concepts such as fractions, percentages, and ratios but they can use these concepts to calculate the correct answer.
BNSF Interview
BNSF contacts selected applicants for a phone, video or in-person interview, or invites them to a hiring event. Every offer of employment follows an interview, and BNSF does not make offers by email or text message alone.
BNSF does not publish its interview questions. It is sensible to prepare for questions about the role and your experience, and for technical questions if you are applying for mechanical or electrical work.
Before the interview, read BNSF's published values and safety vision, and think of examples that show the skills the job description asks for.
Top Tips To Getting Hired At BNSF
A few steps can help you prepare for each stage of the BNSF hiring process.
Research The Company
Ensure that you research BNSF as a company and are clear on its values and mission. Being able to explain to the interviewer why you are interested in a role at BNSF and incorporate why the values of BNSF align with your own helps demonstrate your commitment to a career with the network.
Practice Tests
If you are asked to complete an assessment, practising similar tests beforehand can help. Practise under timed conditions so you get used to working at pace.
Practising means you are familiar with the format and the style of questioning as well as helping you identify any principles or concepts that you need to refresh your memory on.
Be Yourself
It is essential to be yourself throughout the recruitment process. Ensure that you highlight the key skills that you have as relevant to the role. If you take a personality questionnaire or situational judgement test, answer honestly rather than guessing what the recruiter wants to hear.
Be Honest And Open
After a conditional offer, BNSF carries out a pre-employment medical and background review, and it verifies the information on your application. Give complete and accurate information from the start, as an application cannot be changed once submitted.
