Drill Rig Operator/Trainee 1/Trainee 2

Duties Description

As a Drill Rig Operator Trainee, the candidate may, under the supervision of a Drill Rig Operator:

• obtain soil and rock samples for engineering purposes;
• record sample blow counts during progression of the borehole;
• progress borehole by means of hollow stem auger, mud rotary, drilled-in casing, driven casing, or rock coring;
• measure drill tools and measure and record depth to water and thickness of geological strata;
• prepare filed drill log, and set up drilling equipment;
• manually drill hand auger holes, probes, and test pits;
• operate bulldozers, pumps, and maintain and repair all drilling equipment;
• train Drill Rig Operator Trainees and laborers;
• supervise the drill crew in the absence of the Drill Rig Operator.

Responsibilities

All levels of this position require frequent and independent statewide travel from a Main Office (Albany) base.

Responsibilities may include serving a role within the Incident Command System to support the department's response to regional and statewide emergency situations.

Minimum Qualifications

Drill Rig Operator Trainee 1 (NS=SG-9)

• Non-Competitive: Candidate must possess a valid New York State Class D Driver’s License and be able to pass a medical and physical examination demonstrating the ability to perform physical labor prior to permanent appointment.
• Special requirement: Candidate must acquire a New York State Class B Commercial Driver’s License Permit by six months into the traineeship.

Drill Rig Operator Trainee 2 (NS=SG-11)

• Non-Competitive: Candidate must have one year of experience working as a driller’s helper in an organization that does geotechnical drilling; possess a valid New York State Class B Commercial Driver’s License without airbrake restriction; must pass a medical and physical examination demonstrating ability to perform physical labor and, within 30 calendar days of hire, must satisfactorily demonstrate ability to meet Drill Rig Operator Trainee 1 drilling skills and pump operation, and have acceptable knowledge of safety, traffic control and drill tool identification.
• Special requirement: Candidate must acquire a New York State Class A Commercial Driver’s License by completion of the traineeship

Drill Rig Operator (SG-12)

• Non-Competitive: Candidate must have two years of experience assisting in the operation of drilling equipment used for acquiring samples of rock, soil, and pavement, and measuring ground water as part of subsurface exploration for geotechnical engineering purposes; possess a valid Class A Commercial Driver’s License without airbrake restriction; must pass a medical examination demonstrating ability to perform heavy physical labor; and drilling and within 30 calendar days of hire, must satisfactorily demonstrate ability to meet Drill Rig Operator Trainee 2 drilling and safety skills, know visual soil identification, and complete introduction to instrumentation; and within six months of hire, must complete 40-hour Hazpower training to identify and deal with hazardous material

Additional Comments

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

The salary range listed reflects the full range for this graded position. For new State employees appointed into graded positions, the annual salary is the hiring rate (beginning of the Salary Range) of the position. Promotion salaries are calculated by the NYS Office of the State Comptroller in accordance with NYS Civil Service Law, OSC Payroll rules and regulations and negotiated union contracts. For more salary information please visit https://oer.ny.gov/salary-schedules.

The starting salary for this position is $51,641. This amount is comprised of the base salary of $42,641 with an additional geographic pay differential of $9,000, specific to this title and location. The maximum compensation for this position is $70,548. This amount is comprised of the standard job rate of $61,548 with an additional geographic pay differential of $9,000, specific to this title and location

DOT is an equal opportunity employer. Disabled persons are encouraged to apply.

Notes on Applying

Qualified candidates should submit a letter of interest, a current resume, and a copy of required transcripts (if applicable), titled by last name, with the Notice Number MO-26-246 and last name in the subject line and referenced in the letter of interest no later than July 10, 2026 to:

• Dana.M.Thielke@dot.ny.gov
• NYS Department of Transportation
• Office of Technical Services
• 50 Wolf Road, POD 5-1
• Albany, NY 12232