Maintenance Specialist Apprentince

Multco; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 37,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Multnomah County’s Department of Community Services Transportation Division seeks a Maintenance Specialist Apprentice to join the Road Maintenance team in Portland, OR. You will learn hands-on outdoor tasks and work toward a Class A CDL with endorsements within two years.

The role emphasizes safety, teamwork, and adaptability to extreme weather as you gain experience toward a Maintenance Specialist 1 position. This is an earn-and-learn opportunity with strong community impact.

Qualifications

• Apprentice learns a core set of outdoor, manual labor skills and safety practices.
• Willingness to work in all weather conditions and perform strenuous tasks.
• Ability to learn to operate hand and power tools and equipment.
• Commitment to earning a Class A CDL with endorsements within two years of hire.

Responsibilities

• Perform street cleaning, sanding, and clearing of roadways.
• Transport materials and tow equipment as needed.
• Apply pavement treatments and maintain drainage systems.
• Manage vegetation and perform right-of-way and shoulder maintenance.
• Participate in emergency operations as required.

Job description

Pay Range: $26.86 - $33.04 Hourly

Department: Department of Community Services (DCS)

Job Type: Regular Represented

Exemption Status: United States of America (Non-Exempt)

Closing Date (Open Until Filled if No Date Specified): October 06, 2026

OVERVIEW

The Department of Community Services Transportation Division is looking for a Maintenance Specialist Apprentice to join its Road Maintenance team. This position will learn a wide variety of skills while working outdoors and performing manual labor. This is an amazing opportunity to give back to the community working for Multnomah County as a Maintenance Specialist Apprentice where you will train to become a Road Maintenance Specialist 1 and get a Class A Commercial Driver License with endorsements within two years of hire.

As a Maintenance Specialist Apprentice, you will learn a number of tasks that include:

• Street cleaning
• Sanding and clearing of roadways
• Transporting materials
• Towing equipment
• Applying pavement treatments
• Maintaining drainage systems
• Vegetation management
• Right-of-way and shoulder maintenance
• A wide range of other diverse activities, including emergency operations

Apprentices are expected to learn and be able to demonstrate a core set of skills in safe hand and power tool operation, equipment operation, and earn a Class A Commercial Driver License (CDL) with air brake, tanker and combination vehicle endorsements within two years of hire. After successful completion of the training program (including the successful completion of the CDL exam with required endorsements), apprentices will be appointed to the Maintenance Specialist 1 classification and will serve a one-year probationary period. This is an "earn and learn" opportunity and can lead to a great career at Multnomah County!

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for a self-motivated, positive, and professional individual who thrives in a team environment and has a passion for learning and giving back to their community. We want someone who has a lot of energy and zest for life and the work they do. We are looking for someone who is safety conscious and responsible. We are looking for someone that’s willing to work in the elements, work hard, and is adaptable. We want you!

This position requires teamwork and the ability to perform strenuous manual labor outdoors during all kinds of weather extremes such as heat, cold, rain, storms, snow, floods, etc. While employees will have regular work schedules, they may also be expected to report to work at all hours of the day, night, holiday or weekend in the event of emergencies requiring road, bridge, or traffic maintenance.

Who We Are

The Multnomah County Transportation Division manages and preserves the County road infrastructure and provides a safe and efficient transportation system that supports economic and community vitality. With 297 miles of roads, 6 Willamette River bridges, over 20 smaller bridges, and over 1,750 culverts to manage, our staff is committed to maintaining the community's livability. Our primary goals are to help people safely get to where they need to go, to protect the public investment by preserving our transportation infrastructure, to support social equity and economic well being, and to help plan for the future transportation needs of Multnomah County.

As part of the Department of Community Services, it is our department's mission is to preserve harmony between natural and built environments, keep people and pets safe, and ensure every voice is heard through a diverse group of programs including Land Use Planning, Transportation, Animal Services, Elections, and Business Services. This department is an incredibly diverse department and your role will be too.

At Multnomah County we are committed to maintaining an effective, respectful and inclusive workplace. We value collaborative problem solving and strive for continuous improvement. We strongly believe in workforce equity, diversity and inclusion. Visit our Workforce Equity Strategic Plan (WESP) to see where Multnomah County is headed with these values.

Multnomah County offers an exceptional benefits package, including employer-funded retirement savings; health and dental insurance at very low cost to full-time employees and their dependents; paid parental leave; wellness programs; a focus on work-life balance; and much more. Find more details on our website.

We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific about how your background is relevant.