Sign Technician/Hwy Maintenance Worker

About the role

This position involves performing intermediate skilled trades work in maintaining traffic control signs and devices and the County's highway road and bridge system. Work is performed under the moderate supervision of the Traffic Engineer or Highway Maintenance Supervisor.

Responsibilities

• Installs, repairs, fabricates, and maintains all permanent, temporary, and seasonal traffic control devices and equipment used in signing.
• Performs traffic control, flagging, and work zone set-ups.
• Repairs and/or replaces signs damaged due to traffic accidents or natural causes; documents and photographs repaired signs.
• Affords assistance in conducting various traffic studies and administering pavement striping.
• Re-lamps and performs minor maintenance such as replacing batteries on traffic signals and overhead lights; troubleshoots problems using computer hook-up to cabinet and notifies contractor of service needed.
• Trims trees and brush away from obstructed signs to improve visibility and safety.
• Fabricates special signs which are not part of the regular inventory.
• Maintains department equipment, buildings, field sign and sign shop inventories; uses computerized inventory system; documents all signing activities.
• Receives and unloads supplies and signs, and places in proper storage location.
• Performs repairs and maintenance to roads and bridges; including bituminous patching, paving, sealing concrete repair & maintenance in medians/sidewalks, and crack sealing roads.
• Replacement of highway culverts by removal and installation of new culverts and/or installation of culvert liners in existing culverts.
• Places highway construction signs; removes debris and trash from roads, bridges, and ditches including dead animals and discarded appliances; repairs and/or installs bridges, culverts and guardrails; constructs new roadway turn lanes and shoulders using computerized equipment.
• Removes snow and ice from roadways using chemicals, and salt; identifies, controls and removes noxious weeds, tree and brush cuttings on roadways; loads, hauls, and operates equipment.
• Transports and stockpiles road materials, including gravel and sand.
• Ability to safely operate heavy equipment on roadways and construction sites.
• Ability to interpret and understand highway construction plans.
• Must be available for after work hours emergency callouts.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED, and two years of experience working in highway maintenance, heavy equipment operation, and/or traffic signing or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Previous experience working with metal fabrication is preferred.
• Class A Commercial Driver's license (CDL) with a Tanker Endorsement upon hire.
• First Aid/CPR, Competent Person, Forklift, Nuclear Training, Flagger/Work Zone, OSHA Log Safe Training certifications all within one year of employment.

Qualifications

• Knowledge and awareness of the environmental conditions and precautionary safety measures required to perform routine maintenance procedures.
• Knowledge of proper signage for work areas.
• Knowledge of basic metal shop fabrication.
• Knowledge of basic mathematics to calculate measurements and inventory.
• Knowledge of, and ability to operate standard office equipment including computer and software programs, telephones and two-way radios.
• Verbal and written communication skills sufficient to effectively respond to questions from a wide variety of audiences.
• Reading comprehension skills sufficient to understand and interpret work related documents, plans and technical documents.
• Interpersonal skills sufficient to exchange and/or convey information, give and receive work direction, and maintain effective working relationships.
• Ability to operate the sign truck with boom, tractor loader, distance measuring equipment, power and hand tools, welding equipment.
• Ability to learn to use GPS, digital camera, automated inventory system, and other computer systems used by the Highway Department.
• Ability to learn and work in compliance with safety practices pertaining to traffic lanes, along roadways, and with various chemicals.
• Ability to interpret State and Federal regulations on traffic control devices.
• Ability to learn various road maintenance and signing procedures.
• Ability to learn the methods, practices, equipment and materials used in road and bridge maintenance and repair.
• Ability to learn the phases of ice and snow removal and clean-up.
• Ability to learn County government work flows and processes.
• Ability to effectively organize time and anticipate, plan and successfully respond to changing circumstances.
• Ability to keep operating records.
• Ability to perform all job duties in compliance with safety guidelines and with an ongoing awareness of safety practices.
• Ability to communicate courteously and professionally while maintaining positive working relationships with others when carrying out all job functions.

Physical Requirements

• Frequent exertion of up to 50 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 100 pounds of force.
• Regularly requires standing, walking and using hands to finger, handle or feel.
• Frequently requires speaking or hearing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling.
• Reaches with hands and arms, tastes or smells, pushes or pulls, lifts and repetitive motions.
• Sitting, climbing or balancing.
• Close vision, distance vision, ability to adjust focus, depth perception, color perception, night vision and peripheral vision.
• Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word and conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly.
• Hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information though oral communications and/or to make fine distinctions in sound.
• Preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, using of measuring devices, assembly or fabrication of parts within arm's length, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surrounding and activities.
• Exposure to fumes or airborne particles, exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals and exposure to outdoor weather conditions and occasionally requires wet, humid conditions (non-weather).
• Working near moving mechanical parts, working in high, precarious places, exposure to the risk of electrical shock, exposure to vibration and exposure to bloodborne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment.

Benefits

Wright County offers an exceptional benefit package including vacation, sick leave and holiday pay. Also included in this benefit package is health, preventative dental and life insurance; medical and dependent care reimbursement accounts (Section 125 Plan); deferred compensation plan and Public Employees Retirement (pension).