Highway Maintenance Specialist - Durango Traffic (CDL Required)

State of Colorado; Durango (CO); On-site; USD 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Uniforms and PPE

CDL CDL/Physical paid after year

CDL renewal reimbursement

CPR and first-aid training

Career training opportunities

Overtime opportunities

4-day summer schedule (10-hour days)

Advancement opportunities

Job summary

Colorado Department of Transportation in Durango, CO is seeking a Highway Maintenance Specialist. The role focuses on maintaining roadways, operating heavy equipment, and performing essential safety tasks to keep Colorado highways open and safe.

Responsibilities include snow plowing, installing signs, pavement markings, and responding to emergencies. Requires at least two years of physical labor or heavy equipment experience; field duties span varied weather and elevations.

Qualifications

• Must have at least two (2) years of physical labor and/or heavy equipment operation experience.
• Ability to work outdoors in varying weather and elevations.

Responsibilities

• Installing pavement markings/striping
• Installing and repairing guardrail, highway markers and signs, warning signs, and lighting
• Plowing snow
• Operating heavy equipment, such as tandem dump truck, loader, tractor mower, etc.
• Mowing grass and weeds
• Removing debris from roadways, including rock, mud, and deceased animals
• Removing debris from culverts, tunnels, etc.
• Shoveling gravel, sand, concrete, and asphalt
• Digging ditches
• Filling potholes and roadway cracks
• Setting out signs and cones for traffic control
• Removing and covering graffiti
• Stopping or slowing traffic in emergency situations
• Maintaining equipment and performing minor repairs
• Following safety guidance and wearing proper safety equipment

Job description

Department Information

Applications will be considered from residents and non-residents of Colorado.

If you have a Colorado Class A or B Commercial Driver’s License and are passionate about safety, travel, and hands‑on repair and improvements, then consider turning your passions into a career as a Highway Maintenance Specialist. CDOT has a vacancy for a Highway Maintenance Specialist in Durango, CO.

Total annual compensation for this position is $59,940 ($53,940 base pay and $6,000 housing stipend).

Base pay for this position is $2,074.62/biweekly ($53,940 - 54,000/annually). There are 26 biweekly pay periods in a year. This location is also eligible for an additional $500/month housing stipend. The annualized hourly rate for this position is $25.93/hour, with an overtime rate of $38.90/hour.

About CDOT

CDOT employees make a difference by providing freedom, connection, and experience to the traveling public, while also keeping them safe. The State of Colorado offers competitive medical, dental and vision insurance, life and disability insurance, and flexible spending and health savings accounts. Visit the State of Colorado benefits for details, current premium rates and a summary video about benefits. The state also offers PERA retirement, great optional PERA plans such as 401K, a generous paid time off package of annual, sick, holiday and other leave, strong career growth, tuition reimbursement and professional development. Perks include Colorado Employee Assistance Program (CSEAP) counseling, wellness, credit union membership and employee discount program. Visit CDOT Benefits for details. Some positions may qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

CDOT for All

CDOT’s strength is our people, and our commitment to our people is to shape, support, and sustain the employee experience and ultimately create a supportive workplace where everyone, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status, education, disability, socioeconomic status, or any other identity, has the opportunity to thrive.

The eligible list created from this announcement may be used to fill current and future vacancies for a period of up to 6 months.

What You Will Do

No two days are exactly the same in CDOT highway maintenance. Your daily work activities change based on project needs and also vary based on weather, environment, and road conditions. You will be on-call on a rotating basis as well as subject to call to respond to weather and other emergencies. You will typically work in a team environment, as each maintenance patrol location has at least one lead highway maintenance specialist and multiple highway maintenance specialists. Your main job activities include:

• Installing pavement markings/striping
• Installing and repairing guardrail, highway markers and signs, warning signs, and lighting
• Plowing snow
• Operating heavy equipment, such as tandem dump truck, loader, tractor mower, etc.
• Mowing grass and weeds
• Removing debris from roadways, including rock, mud, and deceased animals
• Removing debris from culverts, tunnels, etc.
• Shoveling gravel, sand, concrete, and asphalt
• Digging ditches
• Filling potholes and roadway cracks
• Setting out signs and cones for traffic control
• Removing and covering graffiti
• Stopping or slowing traffic in emergency situations
• Maintaining equipment and performing minor repairs
• Following safety guidance and wearing proper safety equipment

What Impact You Will Have

Your work is critical to keeping Colorado’s roadways open and safe. Your work also positively impacts quality of life for all Coloradans and visitors and helps our economy to thrive.

What CDOT Provides

• Personal protective equipment, such as uniforms, boots, hard hats, gloves, safety vest, respirator, and tools
• Full payment for your CDL physical, after your first year with CDOT
• Partial reimbursement (up to 50%) for your CDL renewal, after your first year with CDOT
• CPR and first-aid training
• Variety of career training opportunities
• 40-hour work weeks, with opportunity for overtime during weather emergencies
• 4-day work schedule (10-hour days Monday-Thursday) during the summer months, typically May through September
• Opportunities to learn new equipment
• Opportunities for advancement

Your Work Environment

• Exposure to loud noise
• Exposure to fumes, odors, gasses, dusts, etc. that may affect breathing, eyes, and skin
• Required to use appropriate personal protective equipment
• Required to work with chemicals and cleaning products
• Some equipment requires the use of respirators
• Work near traffic, sometimes high-speed traffic
• Use ladders and scissor lifts for heights of approximately 10’–20’
• Required to drive CDOT vehicles
• Frequently respond to emergencies outside regular work hours and may work overtime including weekends and holidays
• Must be willing and be physically able to work in extreme temperatures (hot and cold), variable weather conditions, and at varying elevations up to 12,000 feet for long periods of time

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Must have at least two (2) years of physical labor and/or heavy equipment operation experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Has a strong commitment to working safely
• Has a desire to learn
• Wants to work outdoors
• Likes physically demanding work
• Takes pride in a job well done
• Adapts efficiently to changing conditions and priorities
• Works effectively in a team environment and looks out for team members
• Communicates effectively, especially in safety-critical situations
• Has a strong commitment to providing good customer service
• Likes to solve problems and figure out better ways to do things
• Has experience operating equipment, such as single and tandem axle dump trucks, front end loaders, bulldozers, backhoes, etc.
• Has experience using hand tools