HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE/EQUIPMENT OPERATOR

Isanti County; Cambridge (MN); On-site; USD 53,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

Isanti County in Cambridge, MN seeks a Highway Maintenance Equipment Operator to perform heavy equipment work on county roads and bridges. The role requires operating dump trucks, graders, backhoes, and loaders, with snow plowing and ice control during winter seasons.

You will maintain equipment, assist mechanics, and log daily activities while following MN traffic standards. Position is full-time, on-site, with a 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. schedule and potential longevity pay.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Two years of road maintenance or heavy equipment experience.
• Valid CDL with no L/Z air-brake restrictions (Class A) or valid Class B with six months to obtain Class A and endorsements.
• Negative pre-employment drug test.
• Regular and timely attendance.

Responsibilities

• Operate multiple heavy equipment including dump trucks, graders, backhoes, and loaders.
• Perform road maintenance, ditching, grading, and snow/ice control tasks.
• Install or repair culverts, signs, and traffic control devices.
• Conduct daily equipment inspections and assist mechanics as needed.
• Maintain records of time, fuel, maintenance, and repairs.
• Respond to emergencies and comply with safety trainings.

Skills

Safety practices

Independent work

Time management

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Two years of road maintenance/heavy equipment experience

Job description

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL JOB POSTING

Position: Highway Maintenance Equipment Operator
Department: County Highway Department
Location: Cambridge, MN
Job Type: Full-time (40 hours per week)
Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Work Setting: On-site; regular in-person attendance required
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Union Affiliation: IUOE Local Highway #49

Compensation

• Expected 2026 Hiring Range: $25.50 - $27.19 per hour ($53,040.00 - $56,555.20 annually), depending on qualifications, relevant experience, and internal equity.
• Full Range: $25.50 – $32.93 per hour ($53,040.00 – $68,494.40 annually), with the potential for additional longevity-based pay.

An additional Seasonal Disruptive Pay of $300.00 per month will be awarded for successfully completing the months of November, December, January, February, and March.

Application and Selection Process

Following the application deadline, Human Resources will review all submitted applications. If your qualifications align with the requirements, you will be contacted by email with details regarding the next steps in the selection process.

Please note: Emails from Isanti County Human Resources may occasionally be filtered into junk or spam folders. Applicants are encouraged to monitor these folders regularly to avoid missing important communication regarding their application status.

Equipment Skills/Proficiency Test

As part of the selection process, applicants who advance to a conditional offer of employment will be required to complete a skills and proficiency test to evaluate their ability to safely and effectively operate highway maintenance equipment. The test may include practical demonstrations of equipment operation and will assess equipment operating skills, proficiency, safety practices, and overall competency. Successful completion of the equipment skills/proficiency test is required as a condition of employment.

General Definition of Work

Performs work operating heavy motorized equipment on the maintenance and repair of County roads and bridges, assisting and performing a variety of road repair and maintenance activities, operating light equipment, and related work as apparent or assigned.

Work is performed under the supervision of the Highway Maintenance Superintendent.

Essential Functions

• Operates single and tandem axle dump trucks; hauls materials to construction sites to maintain and repair County roads; hauls blacktop for overlays; hauls gravel for washouts, frost boils, and general gravel maintenance work.
• Plows snow using trucks and graders; applies ice control materials on streets and sidewalks.
• Operates graders for plowing snow, fine and rough grading roads, ditching, shouldering, leveling gravel, and scrapping ice off blacktop to clear roads.
• Operates backhoes for ditching along roads for water control; installs or replaces culverts.
• Operates a variety of other heavy equipment such as dozers, front-end loaders, tandems, shoulder machine, steamer, and strippers.
• Removes protruding rocks, picks up debris, and cuts brush and trees.
• Performs minor maintenance on equipment operated and assists mechanics on repairs.
• Helps install and repair road signs as needed.
• Uses pavers in applying bituminous materials and rollers in compacting blacktop.
• Operates front-end loaders to load trucks in storage pits with sand and salt and to remove accumulated snow from obstructing traffic flow.
• Performs daily inspections of equipment and completes log sheets.
• Attends safety and skill trainings as required.
• Assists Engineering Technicians as necessary.
• Assists in directing traffic, placing signs, and traffic control devices for highway maintenance activities.
• Assists on certain building maintenance and repair operations.
• Logs daily activities including, time spend on each job, fuel consumption, maintenance, and repairs.
• Subject to Emergency Call 24 hours a day, weekends, or holidays.
• Subject to random drug and alcohol testing.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent
• Two (2) years of experience in road maintenance and/or operating heavy equipment; or an equivalent combination thereof to successfully perform essential duties of the job.
• Must possess and maintain a valid Class A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with no L or Z air-brake restrictions;ORpossess a valid Class B CDL and obtain the required Class A CDL and endorsements within six (6) months of employment.
• Negative pre-employment drug test (continue to be subject to drug testing per Federal CDL law.
• Regular and timely work attendance.

Special Qualifications

• Must meet and maintain all trainings, licenses, and certifications required for the position.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of County Road systems and operations.
• Knowledge of the hazards and safety precautions common to mechanized equipment operations.
• Knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of mechanized equipment operation common to road maintenance and repair.
• Knowledge of traffic laws and safety regulations.
• Skill in the operation of motorized equipment under all types of weather conditions.
• Ability to set priorities of work within scope of responsibility.
• Ability to make minor repairs and adjustments to equipment.
• Ability to understand and apply the MN Traffic Control Manual in work zones.
• Ability to keep operating records and to prepare routine reports.
• Ability to perform strenuous labor for extended periods of time often during inclement weather.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to maintain a regular and timely work attendance.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationship with co-workers and the public.
• Ability to maintain a regular and timely work attendance.

Working Conditions

Physical Requirements and Activity

This work requires the regular exertion of up to 25 pounds of force, frequent exertion of up to 50 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 100 pounds of force; work regularly requires standing, walking, using hands to finger, handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms and repetitive motions, frequently requires speaking or hearing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, pushing or pulling and lifting and occasionally requires sitting, climbing or balancing and tasting or smelling.

Sensory Requirements

Work requires close vision, distance vision, ability to adjust focus, depth perception, color perception, night vision and peripheral vision; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word and conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications and/or to make fine distinctions in sound.

Sensory Utilization

Work requires visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, using of measuring devices, assembly or fabrication of parts within arm’s length, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities.

Environmental Conditions

Work regularly requires working near moving mechanical parts and exposure to outdoor weather conditions, frequently requires exposure to vibration and occasionally requires wet, humid conditions (non-weather), working in high, precarious places, exposure to fumes or airborne particles, exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals, exposure to extreme heat (non-weather) and exposure to the risk of electrical shock; work is generally in a loud noise location (e.g. grounds maintenance, heavy traffic).

The statements in this class description are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by incumbent(s) assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

The application will be evaluated in a Training and Experience Assessment worth 100 points. Veterans Preference will be applied in accordance with Minnesota law. A top group of qualified applicants will be invited to the interview process.

Final appointment is contingent upon the applicant passing a background investigation including a criminal history search. Costs of the background will be paid for by Isanti County.

Mission

Working Together to Deliver Quality Services that are Valued by the Community, Today and For Generations to Come.