Heavy Equipment Operator

County of Sandoval; United States; On-site; USD 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Restaurant or shift-based benefits

Job summary

County of Sandoval is seeking a skilled Heavy Equipment Operator to support public works road maintenance and related construction tasks. This role requires operating a variety of heavy machinery, maintaining equipment, and ensuring traffic safety in work zones.

The position demands a valid New Mexico CDL, a high school diploma or GED, and at least one year of relevant construction experience. Pre-employment testing and random drug/alcohol screening are required, with duties including snow

Qualifications

• Education and Experience: High School Diploma/GED and one year of construction/maintenance experience operating heavy equipment.
• Required Licenses or Certifications: Valid New Mexico CDL license.
• Additional Requirements: Pre-employment alcohol and drug testing; random testing per 49 CFR 382.

Responsibilities

• Operate heavy equipment and perform road maintenance, repairs, and related manual work.
• Inspect and maintain equipment; perform preventative maintenance and minor repairs.
• Set up traffic control in work zones; assist with snow plowing and seasonal operations.
• Maintain daily logs and communicate effectively with supervisor and team.

Skills

Heavy equipment operation

Road maintenance

Safety compliance

Communication

Reading and following instructions

Education

High School Diploma/GED

New Mexico CDL license

Job description

This job posting is only for candidates that are NOT current employees of Sandoval County. If you are a current employee, you must apply using the Workday Jobs Hub which can be found in the navigation menu on the left side of the screen when you log into Workday.

Department: Public Works Roads
Pay: $26.25-$31.50
Close Date: 09-24-2026

Job Description:

GENERAL PURPOSE: Under general supervision, operates a variety of heavy equipment and performs related manual work in the maintenance, repair, and construction of County roads, bridges, culverts/drainage structures, road right-of-ways and other related work; inspects and maintains equipment; ensures traffic flow safety during repairs and maintenance; operates snow plows when weather conditions warrant; conducts inspections of equipment and performs preventative and minor maintenance and repairs; responds to emergencies and call outs as needed; and performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and Experience: High School Diploma/GED Certification from an accredited institution and one year of construction and maintenance experience operating heavy equipment, trucks, preventative maintenance and minor mechanical repair of heavy equipment.

Required Licenses or Certifications: Valid New Mexico Commercial Driver's License (CDL) license.

Additional Requirements: Successful completion of pre-employment alcohol and drug testing is required. Maintain a valid New Mexico Commercial driver's license (CDL). This position is subject to random alcohol and drug testing in accordance with 49CFR.382.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED:

Depending on position, reports to the Road Foreman and/or Road Supervisor and does not exercise supervision over lower level staff.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties. In area of assignment: Assists with road maintenance and repair projects by performing manual work and operating departmental equipment; projects include constructing and repairing roads, manholes, catch basins and drainage systems, applying pavement markings and paint; raking, dumping, spreading, grading, and rolling of asphalt, gravel, stone, and other material for roads; wets down dusty roads or hard road surfaces with tank truck; digs, grades, and places conduit at various property entrances or under roads to prevent or relieve flooding wash-outs; cutting and chipping brush and trees; removing brush and leaves; mowing the roadside; digging and excavating trenches and laying pipe; repairing damaged guardrails and signs; and other maintenance, care, upkeep, repair, marking and beautification projects of roads and other county property.

Operates a variety of heavy equipment such as compactors, scrapers, graders, front-end loader, dozers, dump trucks, tank truck, pick-up truck, tractor trailer, brush hog, backhoe, wood chipper, service truck, pneumatic, tandem, and steel wheel rollers, as well as other equipment as needed for hauling, spreading, or applying road materials, construction-resurfacing, rubbish hauling, and repair operations; maintains traffic control devices and performs traffic control in work zones; sets up work zones including signs, cones, and barricades for hazardous road conditions; and performs flagging duties as needed.

Operates snow plow, graders, and loaders when weather conditions warrant controlling snow and ice by plowing snow, sanding, and salting roads. Conducts pre-operation inspections of equipment and adds fuel when necessary; maintains and services equipment on a daily basis; performs preventative maintenance in accordance with manufacturers recommendations; performs limited mechanical servicing including greasing of equipment and adding fluids to equipment when needed; minor tuning of motors; and identifies equipment problems and reports problems to supervisor to schedule repairs.

Utilizes, operates, and maintains hand tools needed to perform tasks including shovels, rakes, axes, picks, chain saws, digging bars, hand-weed trimmers, compaction equipment and other various hand tools; and keeps equipment and hand tools clean inside and out. Compiles daily equipment logs and reports as required via paper and computer to assist with work projects. Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Required Knowledge of:

• Operations, services, and activities of a County Public Works Department and road maintenance functions.
• Materials used and methods and practices followed in road, drainage, and construction and repair materials, equipment and procedures.
• Heavy and other related road construction equipment, construction sites, roadways/highways, and structures such as dams or levies.
• Safety standards, federal, state and county laws, ordinances and regulations pertaining to road, construction sites, drainage and bridge infrastructure.
• Manufacturer and equipment and vehicle manuals, repair manuals and parts purchasing catalogs.
• Pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations affecting area of assignment.
• Effective communication principles and practices.
• Basic English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Required Skill in:

• Performing heavy manual labor under varying weather conditions.
• Operating various road maintenance equipment and tools.
• Proper methods, procedures and safety precautions.
• Following detailed verbal and written instructions given by supervisor.
• Maintaining daily logs and records of work performed.
• Effectively communicating verbally with supervisor.
• Responding to inquiries and in effective oral and written communication.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with staff, management, outside agencies, and the general public.
• Reviewing, reading, and interpreting various equipment repair and maintenance manuals and parts catalogs.

Physical Demands / Work Environment:

Work is performed in a standard public works shop environment as well as out in the field. Essential and supplemental functions may require maintaining physical condition necessary for sitting, walking or standing for prolonged periods of time, stooping, and lifting or carrying items weighing up to 50 pounds. Work regularly requires speaking, hearing and utilizing a phone, cell phone, radio, calculator, adding machine, copier or fax machine. Work requires manual dexterity sufficient to operate heavy equipment and machinery and perform equipment maintenance. Work required visual and hearing acuity sufficient to perform essential and supplemental duties and to safely operate heavy equipment. Regularly is exposed to large or working machinery, extreme weather conditions, potential physical harm, and hazardous chemicals when working outdoors in and around heavy equipment, vehicles and tools.

We foster an organization that engages its citizens and exceeds their needs. We promote organizational excellence through collaborative leadership, improved communications and the development of employee learned programs. We ensure employees' skills and County policies are aligned with County goals and objectives to sustain investment in public and organizational infrastructures. Sandoval County is always recruiting for hardworking, qualified people to join our workforce. If you have a passion for public service and for serving the residents of our county, we could be a great fit for you!