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Public Works Worker

City of Richfield
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Are you looking for a job that isn’t tied to a desk where you can enjoy the outdoors year round?  Would you like to see how your efforts affect the quality of life of an entire community?

The City of Richfield is now accepting applications for a Public Works Worker. We have two openings, one primarily assigned to the Street/Forestry Maintenance Division and the other to Utilities Division. These positions are responsible for ensuring essential City Services are provided such as:
Street/Forestry
 

  • Asphalt/Concrete Maintenance
  • Snow Removal
  • Removal of Diseased Trees
  • General Tree Maintenance
  • Preserving Richfield’s Urban Forest

Utilities
 

  • Water and sewer main maintenance
  • Hydrant flushing
  • Water meter installation and repair
  • Sewer line inspection


NATURE OF WORK
Streets Division Opening: Under the supervision of the Public Works Operations Manager, is responsible for performing street and park maintenance work of average difficulty in the multifaceted Public Works Department and other duties as assigned.  

Utilities Division Opening: Under the supervision of the Public Works Utilities Supervisor, is responsible for performing utility maintenance work of average difficulty in the multifaceted Public Works Department and other duties as assigned.  

ASSIGNED DIVISION
Public Works Workers will work in all Public Works Divisions: Street, Park, and Utilities.  We have two current openings, one for the Street/Forestry Division and one for the Utilities Division. 

SCHEDULE
Regular work hours are 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.  Ability to work extended hours, weekends, holidays, and respond to calls during non-working hours as required.  Response time required for call backs is within 45 minutes.

 

Job Duties

 

Street/Forestry Maintenance:

  1. Installs, repairs and maintains streets, parking lots and sidewalks using heavy and light equipment and hand tools.
  2. Performs snow/ice removal from streets, parking lots, sidewalks, and trails using heavy and light equipment
  3. Performs general tree maintenance such as planting, trimming, stump removal, and removal of diseased trees on public property
  4. Installs, repairs and maintains traffic signs, signals and streetlights.
  5. Installation of traffic pavement markings including crosswalk, parking lot, ant traffic lane striping.
  6. Prepares site, grades, places and compacts fill and base materials and bituminous service materials.
  7. Places, pours and finishes concrete service materials.
  8. Sweeps and washes streets, parking lots, curbs and sidewalks.
  9. Conduct chemical tree injections and document work performed
  10. Work cooperatively and respectively with other departments and public as needed to complete assigned tasks.
  11. Assist staff with tree, plant, and insect identification
  12. Assists in vehicle and equipment maintenance.
  13. Purchase routine equipment and supplies and obtain proper approval for purchases
  14. Performs other duties as assigned.

 

Utilities:

  1. Assist in the excavation, repair or replacement of water and sewer mains, and respond to water and sewer breaks or complaints during and after normal business hours.  Perform inspection and repair to a wide variety of valves and curb stops.
  2. Maintain and repair fire hydrants including winterizing, flushing, replacing, repairing, cleaning and painting.
  3. Perform general maintenance, troubleshooting and repair on wells including pumps, motors and control panels.
  4. Install water meters on new/existing structures; clean and repair water meters including replacing parts; perform water meter reading.
  5. Maintain daily records of distribution system and collection systems.  Perform water, sewer, and storm water connection and disconnection inspections.  Drawing and recording to ensure contractors perform all work in compliance with City ordinances and codes.
  6. Inspect, troubleshoot, maintain and monitor sanitary/storm lift stations for proper operation of controls, motors, and pumps; clean lift stations including entering confined spaces such as wet wells and manholes; inspect, clean and change oil on motors; maintain control panels and valves; perform record keeping for equipment including repair to ensure proper operation.
  7. Operate lift stations under emergency conditions during inclement weather.   Hook up emergency power equipment for facilities during storm events.
  8. Inspect, repair, replace and occasionally install sewer lines; use jetter to clean the lines annually.  Operate vacuum equipment to perform additional cleaning of sewer system.  Perform manhole structure maintenance/rebuilding.
  9. Operate sanitary sewer televising equipment and its computer software.
  10. Perform general maintenance to towers, well houses, buildings, including inspecting paint, painting and changing light bulbs, and all general house cleaning duties.
  11. Perform air tests on sewer and water lines; respond to sewer backup complaints during and after regular work-day hours.
  12. Respond to billing complaints, high usage complaints and operational questions from consumers or refer to appropriate person.  Frequent customer contact including the entering of public and private places routinely.
  13. Operate and maintain department vehicles and equipment including; pick-ups, backhoe, skid steer, front end loader, dump trucks, jackhammer, air compressor, jet truck, road saw, etc. and all other equipment as required.
  14. Purchase routine equipment and supplies.  Obtain appropriate approvals for routine and non-routine items.
  15. Perform Gopher State One Call locate requests.

Park Maintenance:

  1. Performs grounds, turf maintenance, and planting bed maintenance, lays sod, seeds, fertilizes, mows, aerates City property.
  2. Maintains recreational facilities using general carpentry skills.
  3. Constructs, floods, shovels snow, sweeps and maintains skating rinks and cares for warming houses.
  4. Lays out, constructs, maintains and stripes athletic fields and courts.
  5. Performs manual labor as required, for example, installing, removing and repairing fencing, moving picnic tables, bleachers, dump barrels and light poles.
  6. Installs, inspects and maintains playground equipment and irrigation systems.
  7. Assists in mixing and applying chemicals and other agents for proper care of vegetation, in accordance with State regulations.
  8. Plows, sands, salts and cuts ice from streets, parking lots, sidewalks and alleys.
  9. Assists in vehicle and equipment maintenance.
  10. Performs public contact work relating to complaints.


 

 

Qualifications

 

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

  • Successful candidates must have a High School Diploma or General Education Development Certificate (GED).
  • Must possess a valid MN Class D driver’s license or equivalent and a satisfactory driving record.
  • Ability to obtain a Class A Driver’s License within one year of hire
  • Ability to obtain a MN Pesticide Applicator’s License within one year of hire (if applying for Streets/Forestry position)
  • Ability to obtain class “SD” collection system license and/or Class “D” water license within two (2) years of hire (if applying for Utilities position)

 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Graduation from relevant vocational/technical training helpful.
  • At least two years of recent year-round experience in maintenance of ornamental/native planting areas (if applying for Streets/Forestry position)
  • At least two years of experience maintaining a water distribution system or sewer collection system (if applying for Utilities position)
  • Experience in the operation of heavy and light equipment for snow plowing
  • Experience in the repair and maintenance of traffic signals and devices
  • Possession of valid Class A or B Drivers’ License.
  • Bilingual


 

CERTIFICATION AND LICENSURE

  • Must possess and maintain a valid Minnesota Class “D” driver’s license.
  • Must have or be able to obtain within 1 year of hire, a Minnesota class “A” Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with tanker and air brake endorsement.
  • Must meet Federal DOT regulations and have a satisfactory driving record.
  • Possession of MN Pesticides Applicator’s license or ability to obtain within one year (if chosen for Streets/Forestry position)

Possess class “SD” collection system license and/or Class “D” water license or ability to obtain within two (2) years of hire (if chosen for Utilities position).


 

COMPETENCIES

  • Demonstrates working knowledge of general building and grounds construction and maintenance work, tools, and equipment
  • Demonstrates knowledge of types and methods of planting and maintaining trees and ornamental plantings
  • Demonstrates knowledge of the repair and maintenance requirements of the water distribution, wastewater and storm water collection systems.
  • Demonstrates knowledge of traffic laws as applied to safely operating department vehicles and equipment.
  • Demonstrates an ability to perform building maintenance including painting and basic carpentry, plumbing; maintain lawns and grounds including mowing and trimming.
  • Demonstrates an ability to communicate effectively by telephone, or in-person with other City employees, and the general public.
  • Demonstrates an ability to write simple correspondence with the ability to effectively present information to supervisors, subordinates, government agencies, contractors, and the general public.
  • Demonstrates an ability to operate heavy and light equipment and hand tools.
  • Demonstrates an ability to recognize and use proper safety equipment when performing maintenance duties.
  • Demonstrates an ability to maintain effective working relationships at all levels of the organization.
  • Demonstrates an ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
  • Demonstrates an ability to perform mathematical calculations.
  • Demonstrates an ability to attend work punctually and regularly.
  • Demonstrates an ability to perform and assist other City departments with operations and duties as required.
  • Demonstrates an ability to understand and respect the diversity of customers and co-workers, effectively communicating with individuals whose first language may be one other than English.

 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands that are described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.  

  1. Ability to work outside year round and during extreme weather conditions.
  2. Ability to perform physical labor requiring continual and repetitive use of large motor skills to stand, walk, sit, bend, stoop, crawl, crouch, push and pull, twist and turn, and conditional and repetitive use of fine motor skills and manual dexterity.
  3. Ability to operate heavy and light equipment to remove snow.  Ability to see and use depth perception when plowing streets and have good night vision when plowing or sweeping at night or other non-daylight hours.
  4. Ability to hear, see, taste, touch, and smell.  Specific vision abilities required of this position include close vision, distant vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, ability to distinguish colors and different shades of color.
  5. Ability to frequently bend, lift and, carry objects weighing up to 75 pounds, occasionally lift objects over 100 pounds when lifting motors or pumps, and to wear and use all safety equipment.
  6. Ability to use personal protective equipment to safely work with and around hazardous chemicals, strong fumes, electric shock and infectious disease.
  7. Ability to work around noise and vibration generated from equipment and machinery.

 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described herein are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in outside weather conditions.  The employee frequently works near moving mechanical parts.   The employee occasionally works in high precarious places and confined spaces.  The employee is occasionally exposed to extreme hot and cold as well as other types of inclement weather conditions, fumes or airborne particles, and work with exposure to loud noises from operating equipment.  The employee will be required to wear personal protective equipment under appropriate circumstances.