Larimer County Job Opening

                      POSITION TITLE:   MASTER OPERATOR I

                POSITION NUMBER:   RAB.1564

                          DEPARTMENT:   ROAD & BRIDGE

                 STARTING SALARY:   $17.17 - $19.31 PER HOUR (DOQ)

     APPLICATION DEADLINE:   10/24/2008

 

 

TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION, A COMPLETED LARIMER COUNTY EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION AND DRIVER’S SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE LARIMER COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT BY 5:00 P.M. ON THE CLOSING DATE.

 

AN OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT IS CONTINGENT UPON THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A DRUG SCREENING TEST AND PHYSICAL ABILITY TEST.  A SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE DRUG SCREENING IS DEFINED AS OBTAINING A NEGATIVE DRUG SCREENING RESULT.

 

An employee who operates a variety of heavy equipment and multi-axle trucks used in the repair, maintenance, and construction of native, gravel, and paved roads, as well as the associated structures and appurtenances.  May be assigned to any work activity at any location in Larimer County at the discretion of the Road and Bridge Director.

 

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Status: Non-Exempt; this position is eligible for overtime pay

 

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

Employees in this classification are expected to have the most experience of the Larimer County Heavy Equipment Operators.  Employees in this classification operate the primary pieces of equipment, as shown below, satisfactorily.  They must also be appropriately licensed and adept in the operation of the equipment included in their secondary category. 

 

Primary:	Asphalt Distributor, Rough Blade, Class “A” CDL, and/or Striping Machine.
Secondary:	All equipment types included in lower classified positions including but not limited to: Chip Spreader, Track/Backhoe, Gradall, Dozer, Rough Blade, Self-Propelled Sheepsfoot Compactor, Loader, Scraper.  All vehicles requiring a Class “B” CDL; Roller, Power Broom, Mower, Patching Machine, Crackfill Melter, and Wood Chipper

 

 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

·         Operate heavy construction equipment as assigned.

·         Establish and maintain positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the performance of required duties.

·         Support department vision, mission, goals, objectives, policies, and procedures.

·         Ensure compliance with project rules, procedures, and applicable laws and regulations.

·         Ensure all work meets departmental expectations.

·         Comply with applicable safety regulations and procedures.

·         Plow snow and participate in snow and ice control activities.

·         Subject to non-restrictive call back 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year for situations including, but not limited to, snow plowing, wild-land fires, floods, and other occurrences.

·         Assist other workers in loading and unloading truck mechanically or by hand.

·         Calibrate the proper spread rate of rock for depth and width by using computerized and push button controls.

·         Communicate verbally, in writing, and through hand signals.

·         Comply with MSHA, OSHA, and other applicable regulations.

·         Connect and adjust hoses, linkages, belts, shafts, etc. to provide power take-off abilities.

·         Connect hose from storage tank or nurse tank to truck tank and move lever to fill pressure tank with liquid.

·         Detect faults and misses of engines and motors.

·         Determine speed and direction of machine, based on knowledge of compressibility of material under changing soil types, moisture contents, and temperatures.

·         Drive and operate a self propelled aggregate rock chip spreader to maintain existing paved surfaces and construct new all weather surfaces.

·         Drive and operate truck equipped with tank to transport, deliver and spray petroleum liquids or emulsions thereof on road surfaces.

·         Drive at constant speed in a straight line to obtain uniform distribution of liquid.

·         Drive blade and move levers to regulate height and angle of grader blade, to raise and lower scarifier or ripper that loosens packed materials to permit grading, and to tilt front wheels when making sharp turns or working on steep or slick surfaces.

·         Drive blade in successive passes over working area and grade stakes driven to specific elevation, observe reference stakes or hand signals of assisting worker, to level surface to specified grade.

·         Drive bulldozer in successive passes over terrain to raise or lower terrain to specified grade following markings on grade stakes or hand signals.

·         Drive front-end loader forward to force bucket into bulk material.

·         Drive gasoline or diesel-powered tractor-trailer combination to transport and deliver products or materials in liquid, loose, or packaged form.

·         Drive machine in successive overlapping passes over surface to be compacted.

·         Drive static, vibratory, or rubber-tired compactor (roller) to compact earthen fills and sub-grades to specifications preparatory to the maintenance and construction of highways, streets, and other embankments.

·         Drive tank truck to transport and/or spray water for maintenance and construction projects.

·         Drive tractor-trailer combination to deliver or spray water and be designated Water-Truck Driver.

·         Drive truck equipped with dump body to transport and dump loose materials, such as sand, gravel, crushed rock, salt, chemical de-icers, or bituminous paving materials and to plow snow and ice.

·         Drive truck equipped with sprinkling attachment to settle dust on roadways and streets and/or to saturate flexible base for compaction and/or for applying liquid de-icers for snow and ice control.

·         Drive truck equipped with trailer not requiring a Class “A” License.

·         Drive truck equipped with trailer requiring a Class “A” License.

·         Drive truck to destination, applying knowledge of commercial driving regulations and skill in maneuvering vehicle in difficult situations.

·         Drive to destination, applying knowledge of commercial driving regulations and skill in maneuvering vehicle in difficult situations.

·         Fasten attachments to tractor.

·         Feel lever and listen to sound of engine to determine depth of cut and/or hardness of material.

·         Fill hopper with proper amount of rock.

·         Hook-up to and release from trucks via lever operated hitch.

·         Identify and avoid buried utility lines by reference to painted colored markings on the ground and stakes.

·         Insert hose into pipe and operate auxiliary pump on truck to pump water to flush pipe.

·         Insert pipe in refilled trenches and other excavations, and operate auxiliary pump on truck to pump water into fill to settle and compact dirt.

·         Inspect truck for defects before and after trips and submit reports indicating truck condition.

·         Install and remove tire chains for traction.

·         Load and unload spreaders and plows for snow removal.

·         Load or unload truck by hand or by mechanical device.

·         Maintain driver log according to DOT regulations.

·         Maintain knowledge and observance of appropriate safety and operational regulations and policies.

·         Monitor material build-up on belts, screens, pulleys, etc. and adjust to prevent or minimize such build-up.

·         Move hand and foot controls to jerk truck forward and backward to loosen and dump material adhering to dump body.

·         Move levers to control tool bars and attachments.

·         Move levers to move through start-up, warm-up, operational, cool-down, and shutdown modes of electricity generation.

·         Move levers to raise, lower, tilt, scoop and dump, engage, and disengage from bulk materials in the performance of operating functions.

·         Move switches, levers, and pedals to control loading gate on can (scraper), to adjust depth of cut, to raise and close filled bucket for hauling, and to spread or dump earth.

·         Must be able to cut and fill fore and back slopes.

·         Observe markings on ground, hand signals, or grade stakes to remove material.

·         Operate power-driven machine, equipped with movable hoe or shovel (front or back mounted, pull or push to fill bucket), to excavate or move dirt, rock, sand, and other materials.

·         Operate self-propelled blade (grader, road grader, motor grader) to spread, remove, plow, doze, and level dirt, gravel, hot and cold mix asphalt, snow, ice, stone, etc. to grade specifications in maintenance and construction of earthwork structures such as ditches, slopes, highways, streets, dikes, and temporary roads.

·         Operate spreader in a straight line and uniformly around curves so as not to spread rock outside of the neat line (match line) of previously sprayed asphalt emulsion by controlling the speed, gates and steering of the chip spreader.

·         Operate spreader with consistency on starts and stops by acceleration, speed reduction, gate control, etc. so as not to leave rough transverse joints.

·         Operate spreader and communicates with truck drivers for safety and operational consistency.

·         Operate straight framed or articulated rubber-tired tractor-type vehicle equipped with front-mounted hydraulically powered bucket or scoop to lift and transport bulk materials to and from storage or processing areas, feed conveyors, hoppers, or chutes, and load trucks, railcars, and areas.

·         Operate tractor (rubber-tired or track-type) equipped with front mounted blade to gouge out, push, transport, level, and distribute earth, rocks, trees, structures, and etc. in preparation and during the construction and maintenance of roads, pits, quarries, etc.

·         Operate tractor-drawn or self-propelled scraper to move, haul, and grade earth on project sites, such as roadbeds, ditch banks, gravel pits, and water reservoirs.

·         Perform rough grading.

·         Plow snow and participate in ice and snow control activities.

·         Push hand roller and pound surfaces, using hand tamper or guides portable power roller over areas not accessible to road roller.

·         Push levers and depress pedals to move machine, to lower and push/pull bucket into material to be loaded and to lift, swing, and dump contents of bucket into truck, railcar, or onto conveyor, hopper, or stockpile with minimal spillage.

·         Push other pieces of equipment as intended for their efficient operation.

·         Receive, understand and comply with oral, written, and gestured instructions.

·         Regulate burner to heat liquid.

·         Signal worker to open discharge valve.

·         Start auxiliary pump.

·         Start engine, shift gears, press pedals, and turn steering wheel to perform driving functions.  Move levers and buttons or turn cranks to raise, lower, tilt, dump, cover, uncover, engage, and disengage from bulk materials in the performance of operating functions.

·         Tend mining and crushing machinery.

·         Transition smoothly between truck loads.

·         Transport and deliver products or materials in liquid, loose, or packaged form.

·         Transport heavy equipment.

OTHER DUTIES:

·         Perform related duties as appropriate or necessary for performance of the job.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Knowledge of:

·         Principles and practices of:

·         Street and highway maintenance, repair, and construction and work zone practices.

·         Roadway structures maintenance, repair, and construction.

·         Gravel and native surface roadway maintenance, repair, and construction.

·         Snow and ice control.

·         Roadside drainage systems.

·         Construction and realignment earthwork.

·         Safe work practices and work zone traffic safety.

·         Record keeping and report procedures.

·         Mine Safety and Health Administration Regulations.

·         Applicable Colorado Revised Statutes and Regulations.

·         Applicable Code of Federal Regulations.

·         Computer programs used including, but not limited to, GroupWise Email, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Project Pentium PC, MS Word, MS Excel, and MS Windows 2000/NT is desired.

Ability to:

·         Follow verbal and written instructions.

·         Read, interpret, and apply written directives including manual provisions.

·         Make independent decisions.

·         Read, write, and speak to communicate effectively in US English per 49 C.F.R. 391.11(b)(2).

·         Operate assigned heavy construction equipment and motor vehicles.

·         Work independently in the absence of supervision.

·         Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the performance of required duties.

·         Respond appropriately to public inquiries and complaints.

·         Maintain and construct drainage structures.

·         Maintain and construct native and gravel surface roads.

·         Maintain and construct paved roads.

·         Maintain and construct roadway drainage systems.

·         Mine and produce aggregate materials.

·         Haul and place road maintenance and construction materials.

·         Participate in construction and realignment earthwork.

·         Apply problem-solving skills in a variety of circumstances.

·         Apply customer service skills in a variety of circumstances.

·         Effective interpersonal communication skills.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION:  Candidates must document all experience and education on the application to receive consideration.

Education:

·         High School Diploma or the equivalent.  Each year of relevant, progressively more responsible experience in the highway/street construction or maintenance field may be substituted for one year of the education requirement.

Experience:

·         Five years of heavy equipment operating experience in the road maintenance/construction industry including asphalt roadway construction or maintenance, roadway structure construction or maintenance, road drainage structure construction or maintenance, roadside drainage systems, production of aggregate materials, hauling and placing of roadway maintenance and construction materials, and work zone practices.

License:  Candidates must document license, class, and endorsements on the application to receive consideration.

·         Possession and ability to maintain a Class “A” CDL Driver's License with air brake, Haz-Mat, and tanker endorsements without “K” or “NTT” restrictions.

·         Possession and ability to maintain a DOT Medical Certificate.

·         Ability to obtain a Colorado Flagger’s Certification within six months of employment.

 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

·         Must possess and maintain a DOT Medical Certificate.

·         Must be capable of negotiating flights of stairs to reach upper story offices.

·         Ability to operate heavy equipment and a motor vehicle.

·         May be required to lift, carry, drag, or push boxes or equipment up to 50 pounds.

·         Must be able to open truck’s hood and other equipment requiring 100 pounds of force.

·         May be required to stoop, bend, stretch, twist, reach, kneel, squat, and balance.

·         Must be able to get into and out of vehicle/heavy equipment.

·         Must be able to sit, stand, or walk for long periods of time.

·         Must be able to work in a day light and night environment.

·         Must be able to work outdoors in extreme hot, cold, dry, or wet conditions.

·         Must be able to work in hazardous or dangerous work areas or situations.

·         Must be capable of working under stressful situations.

·         Must have ability to concentrate on more than one task at a time and to make independent decisions.

·         Must have acceptable eyesight to perform computer duties.

·         Must have acceptable hearing to hear well on the telephone and in public contacts.

·         Must have appropriate voice skills to be clearly understood on the telephone, radio, and in public contacts.

·         Must have fine and gross motor skills and full use of fingers, hands, and arms to perform computer or writing duties.

·         Must have good cognitive skills and awareness of work accuracy.

 

 

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