Maintenance Worker I/II

City of Modesto; Modesto (CA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Modesto is seeking a Maintenance Worker I/II to perform semi-skilled maintenance across parks, streets, and city facilities. You will shovel, patch asphalt, prune trees, spray herbicides, and assist in traffic control while supporting the public works team.

Requirements include a high school diploma or GED (or equivalent). A valid California driver’s license is needed; Class B may be required by probation. Experience is desirable but not mandatory.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED equivalency.

Responsibilities

• Perform semi-skilled labor in maintenance and repair of parks, streets, and city facilities.
• Operate and maintain construction equipment and power tools safely.
• Assist with graffiti removal, tree care, and general park maintenance.
• Read maps/blueprints and follow safety procedures.

Education

High School diploma or GED equivalency

Job description

Join a team that keeps Modesto looking sharp, safe, and welcoming! As a Maintenance Worker, you’ll care for parks, trim trees, battle graffiti, and help keep our city running smoothly. If you enjoy hands–on work, variety, and making a real impact in your community, we’d love to have you apply!

The Maintenance Worker I/II is responsible to perform semi-skilled labor in the maintenance and repair of parks and park facilities, streets, trees, sewer systems, parking lots, bus shelters, traffic control markings, fire hydrants, and/or other public works or neighborhood preservation unit functions.

Salary Incentives

• 2.5% Education Incentive (bachelor's degree)
• 5% Education Incentive (master's degree)

Tentative Testing Schedule

Online Exam

September 29, 2026 - October 5, 2026

The City of Modesto is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of equity and inclusion. A City application is required, including Supplemental Questionnaire.

The City of Modesto does not sponsor H-1B Visas.

Salary offered depends on candidate’s experience.

Essential Functions

• As part of a street maintenance crew; shovel and spread asphalt and asphalt base in patching, repairing, and reconstructing streets; remove graffiti from City and citizen property and facilities.
• Use concrete cutting and breaking equipment; operate a jackhammer; pour and assist in finishing concrete and masonry work; construct concrete forms and perform rough carpentry work.
• Install street barricades and cones prior to the performance of street repair activities; direct and control traffic around work sites.
• Clean and maintain City restrooms, pools, picnic areas, buildings, parking garages, and other public facilities.
• Clean up debris form parking lots, walkways, ditches, alleys, streets, and storm drains.
• As part of the spray crew, spray right-of-ways, planters, ballfields, and other City areas with herbicides; perform weed abatement duties.
• Perform tree inspections.
• Trim, prune, plant, and maintain City trees; work in a tree trimming crew; operate a chain saw, chipper, stump digger, and root cutter.
• Mow, edge, fertilize, and maintain grass and turf; remove weeds, prune shrubs, plant, and maintain plants and flowers; operate a mower, edger, blower, and tractor; apply pesticides.
• Maintain and repair public sprinkler systems; monitor and make routine corrections to irrigation systems that service parks or other landscaped City areas.
• Inspect and clear obstructions from storm drains; maintain and rebuild rockwells.
• Identify equipment needs for each assigned project.
• Pick up and transport refuse to the appropriate dumping site.
• Operate and perform routine maintenance to construction equipment such as dump trucks, rollers, front loaders, and power tools such as compressors, jack hammers, paint sprayers, sandblasters, and concrete saws.
• Perform routine carpentry and repair work to City facilities and buildings.
• Assist with the repair and installation of pipes related to the City’s treatment plant facilities.
• Read water meters and report data for billing purposes.
• Retrieve temporary signs and shopping carts from public right of way; collect penalties as assigned.
• Use sandblasting, pressure washing, and other painting supplies and equipment to remove graffiti from public and private properties.
• Assist with the installation, maintenance, and repair of traffic control signs, pavement markings, parking meters, ticket dispensers, and related equipment; clean graffiti from signs; assist traffic painting crews, as needed.
• Assist with the placement and retrieval of traffic counting devices.
• Document and maintain inventory records of assigned areas; maintain a variety of maintenance records.
• Photograph, document, and record graffiti incidents.
• Maintain records of maintenance repair and daily event logs.
• Perform work in emergency situations as required.
• Operate a variety of vehicular and stationary mechanical equipment in a safe and effective manner in routine situations.
• Work independently in the absence of on–site supervision.
• Use and operate hand tools, mechanical equipment, and power tools and equipment required for the work in a safe and efficient manner.
• Read and interpret basic maps and blueprints.
• Respond to requests and inquiries from the general public.
• Maintain parking equipment, including cleaning, routine maintenance, repair, and refilling equipment supplies such as tickets, ink ribbons, receipt paper, etc.
• Collect, process, and transport monies from City parking meters to prescribed bank or secure location.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other City employees, and the public using principles of good customer service.
• Observe and maintain a safe working environment in compliance with established safety programs and procedures.

Marginal Functions

• Perform related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of

• Basic uses and purposes of general construction tools and equipment.
• Safe work practices.

Ability to

• Understand and follow oral and written directions.
• Learn to perform unskilled and semi-skilled tasks in a variety of construction and maintenance activities.
• Operate collection and parking meter equipment.
• Learn streets and meter locations within the City.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

Experience and Training Guidelines

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience

None is required. Six months of paid work experience involving the performance of routine maintenance tasks is desirable.

Training

High School diploma or GED equivalency.

License or Certificate

• Possession of, or the ability to obtain, a valid California driver’s license.
• Most assignments require the possession of a valid Class B California driver’s license by the end of the probationary period.
• Failure to obtain any of the required licenses/certificates within the prescribed time, and/or failure to pass the federally mandated DOT drug/alcohol test after obtaining the license, may result in release from probation or termination.

Maintenance Worker II:

In addition to the qualifications for Maintenance Worker I:

Knowledge of

• Methods, techniques, and tools and the operational characteristics of mechanical equipment used in the construction and maintenance of asphalt and/or concrete facilities.
• Methods, techniques, and tools and the operational characteristics of mechanical equipment used in maintenance of buildings, park areas, trees, and golf courses and removal of graffiti.

Ability to

• Perform skilled maintenance, construction, and repair work in the area of work assigned.
• On a continuous basis, know and understand maintenance activities and observe safety rules.
• Intermittently analyze problem equipment; identify safety hazards; locate equipment.
• Identify safety hazards.
• Interpret work orders and explain jobs to other employees.

Experience and Training Guidelines

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience

One year of responsible experience equivalent to a Maintenance Worker I in the City of Modesto.

Training

High School diploma or GED equivalency.

License or Certificate

Most assignments require the possession of a valid Class A or Class B California driver’s license including specified endorsements within 60 days of appointment.

Failure to obtain any of the required licenses/certificates within the prescribed time, and/or failure to pass the federally mandated DOT drug/alcohol test after obtaining the license, may result in release from probation or termination.