Highway Maintenance/Equipment Operator

Salary: $26.41 - $37.02 hourly
Location: Public Works Facility, 10705 125th Ave SE, Becker, MN 55308
Department: Public Works
Full-time position

About the role

The Sherburne County Public Works Department is seeking a highly motivated and experienced candidate to join our Highway Maintenance team at either our Becker or Zimmerman facility. Sherburne County is one of the fastest growing counties in Minnesota, offering a blend of suburban and rural life. Our Public Works Department maintains 402 miles of county roads, ensuring safety and accessibility for the public.

This position performs highway maintenance tasks including operating heavy equipment, construction, sign and traffic control installation, and roadway repairs.

Schedule

Typically, we work a Monday – Thursday, 6:00am – 4:30pm schedule in the summer and Monday – Friday, 7:00am – 3:30pm schedule in the winter. Additional hours will be required during winter for snow plowing and for storm damage cleanup, high-priority sign repairs, or other emergency situations throughout the year. When called in outside of normal work hours, employees are eligible to receive compensation or may choose to add hours into a comp bank for time off.

Responsibilities

• Identify potential hazards and establish safe work practices for work crew and traveling public while performing daily tasks in all types of weather and traffic volumes.
• Operate heavy trucks with snow plows, underbody blades, and wings to remove snow and ice accumulation.
• Set up, calibrate, and operate computer-controlled sanders with liquid application tanks.
• Identify, plan, and execute complex traffic control in work zones depending on road type and traffic volume.
• Use a wide array of traffic control devices and communication equipment to safely move traffic through work zones.
• Operate heavy equipment such as trucks, loaders, graders, skid steers, tractors with attachments, shoulder machines, cranes, air compressors, hydraulic hammers, and hand tools.
• Maintain and repair roadways and bridges, including grading surfaces, laying gravel, paving roads, patching holes, repairing culverts, and maintaining roadway shoulders.
• Install, remove, inspect, and replace signs, posts, guard rails, traffic signals, and pavement markings according to the Minnesota uniform traffic control manual.
• Analyze and maintain county drainage systems, including storm sewers, catch basins, culverts, and drainage ditches using backhoes, dozers, skid loaders, graders, and jetters.
• Maintain roadways and right of way by operating equipment to remove trees and limbs, mowing, vegetation spraying, ditch bank restoration, turf establishment, and debris removal.
• Provide work direction and oversight to seasonal workers.
• Create, update, and maintain records and files on computer and paper.
• Attend training, educational, and staff meetings as assigned.
• Respond to calls for service outside of normal work schedule.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• One year of paid experience in the operation of highway construction and/or maintenance equipment.
• Valid Class B Minnesota Driver's License with requirement to obtain Class A Minnesota Driver's License within 1 year from date of hire.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Valid Class A Minnesota Driver's License is preferred.
• Experience with snow removal and ice control operations in a road system environment is preferred.
• A Tanker Endorsement is required for some equipment and may be obtained after hire.
• Ability to engage in strenuous physical activities and work in temperature extremes.
• Appointment is contingent upon passing a physical examination, a drug test, and a Bureau of Criminal Apprehension criminal history check.