Laborer-Public Works

Lowerpaxton PA; Colonial Park (PA); On-site; USD 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Lower Paxton Township is hiring a Laborer to support the Public Works Department. The role requires performing a variety of manual duties, driving light trucks, and operating hand tools and equipment across roadways, parks, and facilities.

The position is full-time with a six-month probationary period. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED, be at least 18 years old, and hold a valid PA driver’s license. Public works experience is preferred.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED; 1 year general laborer experience.
• Valid Pennsylvania Driver’s License.
• Minimum age 18 years.
• Training or experience in public works construction or safety procedures is desired.

Responsibilities

• Work in heavy construction site conditions, including exposure to dust, noise and traffic.
• Drive a vehicle to work activities within and outside the Township.
• Operate hand tools and small equipment as required.
• Perform routine and some specialized tasks under supervision.
• Maintain attendance and work hours as scheduled.
• Assist in maintenance of roadways, parks, and municipal facilities.

Skills

General laborer experience

Driver's license (PA)

Age 18+

Public works knowledge

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

Job Opportunities

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The Laborer is a semi-skilled, manual work position in Public Works Department. The Department is responsible for the operation and maintenance of roadways, traffic signals, and street and regulatory signs and pavement markings; the operation and maintenance of stormwater collection systems; the maintenance of parks and recreation facilities; the operation of the compost facility; the curbside collection of leaf waste; and Township-wide fleet maintenance.

The Laborer performs manual work in connection with the functions and activities of the Public Works Department and is required to drive trucks having a gross vehicle weight of less than 26,000 pounds.

The Laborer is required to apply judgment based upon training and work experience. This employee works independently under general supervision. The Laborer performs varied duties requiring the use of a large variety of hand tools, both power and manual, in many different tasks, which frequently require the application of skills acquired on the job. Work is reviewed by supervisors through observation, and advice and assistance are provided on unusual or difficult tasks.

New duties are assigned with instructions, and the use of hand tools and proper work methods are usually demonstrated. All work is subject to close supervision. Routine, repetitive duties, once learned, may be performed independently. The Laborer is directly responsible to the Public Works Foreman or the Department Supervisor with overall responsibility for the area of operation in which work is performed.

EMPLOYMENT STATUS

The position of Laborer is included within the AFSCME Public Works Bargaining Unit. This is a full-time position with six-month probationary period.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Must be able to work in heavy construction site conditions, including exposure to noxious materials, poisonous vegetation, vehicular traffic, noise, vibration, fumes, odors, and dust.
• Must be able to work indoors or outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions.
• Must be able to sit or stand for extended periods of time and walk to various work areas on a job site or within a building(s).
• Must be able to drive a vehicle, sometimes for extended periods of time, to work activities within and outside the Township.
• Must be able to drive a truck, sometimes for extended periods of time, equipped with and operate a snowplow and/or materials spreader during winter maintenance operations, removing snow and ice from roadways.
• Must be able to understand and carry out oral and written instruction in the English Language.
• Must be able to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees, service providers, and general public.
• Must be able to bend at the waist, kneel on hard surfaces, reach with arms fully extended, and climb a ladder.
• Must be able to push or pull a broom, shovel, rake, and other hand tools, and operate various pieces of small equipment.
• Must be able to lift above the waist, carry, drag, push, or pull objects that may weigh more than 50 pounds, but typically less than 100 pounds.
• Must be able to use hand tools with effective hand/eye coordination and upper body strength.
• Must be able to operate a telephone and mobile radio.
• Must be able to maintain regular, consistent, punctual, and predictable attendance in the workplace.
• Must be able to work more than the standard workday or the standard workweek, when duties and responsibilities require said effort.
• Must be able to work evenings, nights, holidays, or weekends, when duties and responsibilities require said efforts.

EXAMPLES OF WORK

• Load and unload materials and tools from trucks.
• Patch highway surfaces by cleaning broken or unsuitable material from holes, trimming edges, filling holes with patching material, and leveling material surface using pneumatic tampers.
• Drive truck or equipment with adjustable attachments to remove snow and ice from paved surfaces and apply anti-skid materials.
• Dig drainage ditches, fill in washouts, and clean out culverts, catch basins and other storm system
• Cut grass along roadsides and in parks using hand scythes, trimmers, and mowers.
• Assist in the paving and resurfacing of streets, including raising manhole covers using jackhammers, pneumatic tampers, and other tools.
• Build and position forms for pouring concrete, and dismantle forms using saws, hammers, and pry bars.
• Work on ladders and pneumatic lifts at heights of up to 40 feet to change out-door light bulbs, cut limbs, or maintain pavilion roofs.
• Work in trenches, with depths of 10 feet or more, to install stormwater facilities.
• Smooth and finish freshly poured cement or concrete, using float, trowel, screed, or powered, cement finishing tool.
• Apply caulking compounds by hand or with caulking gun to seal crevices.
• Position, join, align, and seal structural components, such as concrete wall sections and pipes.
• Assist in the installation and maintenance of guide rails.
• Assist as a helper in the repair and maintenance of equipment.
• Lubricate and clean machinery, equipment, vehicles, and tools.
• Paint crosswalks, lines, and pavement markings, and install plastic pavement markings.
• Mix and apply chemicals along roadsides and in animal burrows to eliminate unwanted roadside vegetation, rodents, and insects.
• Mix ingredients to create compounds, used to cover or clean surfaces.
• Clean work area using shovels, brooms, rags, and cleaning compounds.
• Perform other work as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Graduation from high school or a high school equivalent diploma through GED testing. One (1) year of work experience as a general laborer.
• Possession of a valid Pennsylvania Driver’s License.
• Minimum of age 18 years of age.
• Training or experience in public works construction, maintenance, and safety procedures is desired.

HOURS OF WORK

Normal work week is Monday through Friday 6:30am to 2:30pm, subject however, to the Employer establishing different work hours in accordance with contractual provisions.

Lower Paxton Township is an equal opportunity employer.