Equipment Operator II

Harris County Flood Control District; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 38,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Harris County Flood Control District is seeking an Equipment Operator to maintain channels, rights-of-way, and drainage elements across Harris County. This role requires operating trucks and equipment, handling herbicides, and performing routine maintenance in an outdoor setting.

Qualifications include high school diploma or GED, a valid Texas Class C driver's license, and 2 years of field operations experience.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED or equivalent.
• Two years of field operations or related experience.
• Valid Class C Texas Driver’s License.
• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work outdoors in varied conditions and lift up to 40 pounds.

Responsibilities

• Operate trucks and equipment, including spray equipment, tractors, chainsaws, XUVs, and weed trimmers.
• Drive trash trucks to and from job sites, dump sites, or landfills.
• Mix herbicides per formulas and District instructions and dispense from vehicles or backpack.
• Clean and repair spray equipment and store herbicides properly.
• Cut weeds, grass, and brush along channels and rights-of-way with designated equipment.
• Dislodge and remove debris from berms, slopes, and bottoms for disposal.
• Check and maintain equipment fluids, perform daily inspections, and fuel/wash as needed.
• Report replacements or repairs of defective equipment to the supervisor.
• Assume additional responsibilities as required to meet evolving District needs.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Teamwork

Independent work

Equipment operation

Field operations familiarity

Education

High school diploma / GED or equivalent

Two years of field operations experience

Tools

Texas Driver's License

Job description

Job Summary

The Flood Control District has the mission to reduce the risk of flooding in Harris County, the third most populated county in the United States, with a population in excess of 4.7 million, including the City of Houston, the nation’s fourth largest city. The Flood Control District has jurisdiction over the primary stormwater facilities in the county, which consist of approximately 1,500 channels totaling nearly 2,500 miles in length, as well as more than 60 regional stormwater detention basins, totaling more than 10,000 acres, and several wetlands mitigation banks, including Greens Bayou.

The Harris County Flood Control District is seeking qualified candidates for the Equipment Operator position, which is responsible for operating various small engines and moderate to heavy equipment used to maintain clear channels, drainage elements, and rights-of-way in accordance with the District’s mission to maintain the Infrastructure.

Equipment Operation

• Operate trucks and equipment, including spray equipment, tractors, chainsaws, 4-wheel drive extreme utility vehicles (XUV), and weed trimmers.
• Drive trash trucks to and from job sites, dump sites, or landfills.

Herbicide Handling

• Mix herbicide(s) in accordance with the manufacturers' and the District’s formulas and instructions and dispense from the truck, tractor, XUV, or from a backpack.
• Clean and repair all spray equipment and properly store herbicides and supplies.

Vegetation & Debris Control

• Cut weeds, grass, and brush in, along, and around channels, drainage elements, and rights-of-way using equipment designated for that purpose.
• Dislodge and remove drifts and debris (trees, limbs, brush, vines, trash, and refuse) from channel berms, slopes, and bottoms for proper disposal.

Equipment Maintenance & Reporting

• Check and maintain all equipment fluids, perform daily inspection(s), and fuel and wash equipment, as needed.
• Report necessary replacement or repair of defective equipment to the supervisor.

Additional Duties

• Assume additional responsibilities as required, adapting to the District's evolving demands, responsibilities, needs, and objectives.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx

If you need special services or accommodations, please call [phone] or email [e-mail].

This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.

Education and Experience

• High school diploma/ GED or equivalent
• Two (2) years’ experience in field operations or a related field.

Licensure

• Valid Class “C” Texas Driver’s License

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Good verbal & written communication skills.
• Can effectively communicate with coworkers and the public.
• Good analytical skills in applying guidelines and adapting standard methods to fit facts and conditions.
• Familiarity with operating gasoline-powered equipment and off-road vehicles.
• Ability to work well with a team in a field environment.
• Ability to work independently with limited to no supervision.

NOTE:

Qualifying education, experience, knowledge and skills must be documented in your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.

• Prefer some knowledge of bayou, drainage area, and right-of-way maintenance, including, but not limited to, mowing, application of various herbicides, cutting and clearing brush, and debris removal.
• Prefer a valid Class “B” Commercial Driver’s License.
• Prefer a valid Texas State licensed ATV Operator to operate four-wheel vehicles with a trailer.
• Prefer a valid Texas State Commercial or Non-commercial Pesticide Applicator License.

Position Type

• Regular Full Time

Hours

• 40 hours per week

Salary

• To be discussed at the interview

Location

• 5301 Almeda Genoa Rd, Houston, TX 77048

Physical Demands & Environmental Exposure

• Frequently walking up and down steep slopes of ditches or on rough and uneven surfaces or ground, such as sloping terrain, plowed or furrowed areas, or construction sites.
• Frequent stooping, bending, reaching, lifting, and carrying items up to 20 pounds, and occasional lifting of up to 40 pounds.
• Frequent driving of vehicles with automatic and four-wheel drive controls; occasional ascending and descending stairs.
• 100% of duties are performed outdoors, where there will be routine exposure to significant levels of heat, cold, moisture, air pollution, wind, and dust.
• Will be exposed to vegetation retardants, herbicides, fertilizers, petroleum products, including but not limited to gasoline, oil, grease, diesel, other fuels and lubricants, snakes, wildlife, wasps, bees, and other flying or walking insects.
• May be exposed to aquatic bacteria, viruses, other microorganisms, vibration, or noise in excess of 85 decibels.

Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.

Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.