Utility Worker
The Utility Worker serves as a member the City’s public works crew and performs a wide variety of jobs involving heavy equipment operation and maintenance for water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, streets, parks, city property and building maintenance, development inspections, meter reading and repair, and vehicle and equipment repair. The utility worker also responds to emergencies and helps respond to complaints, questions, or other matters.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Performs maintenance, customer service, or job assignments such as storm sewer, sanitary sewer, and water systems; reads, repairs, and installs water meters; paints, plumbs, wires, and repairs buildings; inspects housing development pipes, hydrants, valves, manholes, catch basins, and pressure tests pipes; maintains streets (i.e., lay asphalt, patch, repair, and replace signs, paint, applies road buttons, construct and maintain parks).
- Operates heavy equipment such as backhoes, graders, high‑way mowers, rollers, sweepers, bulldozers, paint stripping machines, loaders, jet routers, dump trucks, tractors, or sprayers as well as hand tools and instruments.
- Responds to 24‑hour calls or emergency situations such as flooding, water main breaks, sewer plugs, and snow removal which includes installing chains on cars, and chains, plows, and sanders on trucks. Ensures support to other public works areas or City departments for matters such as police traffic control.
- Conducts field inspections of contractor activities, does locates before excavations, and checks on matters such as water leaks and pump stations.
- Completes work order or reports on day‑to‑day activities; notes work completed, time and materials; takes appropriate action on matters requiring attention.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Work is performed indoors and outdoors during all weather conditions during daylight hours and at night in emergencies. The work is in a high-risk environment which requires special safety precautions around heavy equipment operation, possible contact with human waste and blood borne pathogens, and prolonged physical efforts in confined spaces. Emergency service callout may involve floods, snow removal, or emergency repairs to streets, parks, water and sewer system, and other locations in all weather conditions with proximity to traffic, heavy operating equipment, and other hazards.
EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS:
Three to five years of building, craft, trade, or other public works related construction and equipment operator experience with good teamwork and communications skills. Expected to have a working knowledge of heavy equipment operation including backhoes, bulldozers, loaders and dump trucks, concrete work, asphalt placement and patching, and water and sewer pipeline systems.
Completion of high school (diploma or G.E.D.), or its equivalent.
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Valid Washington Driver’s License and a safe driving record. CDL Class A with air brakes highly desirable. If not a current CDL holder, must obtain CDL within 18 months of hire.
- Specific job duties may require public pesticide operator license, flagger first aid, CPR or other cards and certifications.
- Physical ability to perform essential functions of the job. Must pass job related physical capacities evaluation at time of hire.
- Candidate must submit to and pass a pre-employment drug and alcohol screening at City of Ferndale expense.
Closing date: September 8, 2017. Only complete applications will be considered.
The City of Ferndale is an Equal Opportunity Employer.