Street Maintenance Operator I/II

City of Ceres; Ceres (CA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Ceres is seeking a Street Maintenance Operator I or II to join the Public Works team. The role performs semi-skilled to skilled maintenance, repair, and construction tasks in the streets division, operating a range of equipment under supervision.

Eligibility includes a high school diploma, Class B license within a year, forklift cert, and CWEA Grade I by one year for II. Close date November 5, 2026, or 100 applicants.

Qualifications

• Education: Equivalent to completion of the twelfth grade.
• Operator I: One year of experience in construction or maintenance is desirable; supervised learning path.
• Operator II: Two years of experience in the field equivalent to Operator I; CWEA Grade I certificate within one year; Class B license within one year; forklift cert within one year.

Responsibilities

• Handle complaints and answer questions from the public.
• Perform general electrical, painting, plumbing and carpentry work as needed.
• Make minor adjustments on service equipment; maintain tools and equipment in working order.
• Oversee the work of community service workers.
• Maintain logs of daily activities.
• Assist in other areas as needed.
• Perform related duties as required.
• Repair and replace street surfaces, sidewalks, curbs and gutters; repaving and crack sealing as needed.
• Operate motorized equipment and perform traffic signage and markings.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Class B driver’s license

Forklift certificate

CWEA Collection System Operator Grade I certificate

Job description

• Street Maintenance Operator I/II -November 2026

Street Maintenance Operator I/II -November 2026 (20786403)

Category Public Works

Region Central Valley

Job Type Full-Time

Close Date 11/5/2026 at 11:59pm or until 100 applicants

The City of Ceres is located in the Central San Joaquin Valley, 80 miles south of Sacramento and 95 miles east of San Francisco, in the heart of Stanislaus County. Ceres is in one of the Central Valley's richest and most diverse agricultural areas and is the home of the new $14 million County Agriculture Center. Even the name "Ceres" originates from the Roman goddess of agriculture. The City enjoys a comfortable climate, with 12 inches of rainfall annually. The average low winter temperature is 38 degrees Fahrenheit, the average high temperature in spring and fall is 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and the average high in the Summer is 90 degrees. The Tuolumne River forms part of the northern boundary. Ceres is a growing community with a heartfelt commitment to retaining its small neighborhood personality. Businesses, organizations, and nonprofit community service groups band together for a number of activities throughout the year. Events such as the annual Downtown Street Fair in May, summertime concerts in the park, Halloween Fun Festival, and the Christmas Tree Lane opening are well attended by the community. City government: City Manager’s Office/Administration (City Clerk, City Attorney, Economic Development), Finance, Human Resources/Risk Management, Public Safety (Police, Fire), Engineering, Community Development (Planning, Building/Permits), Recreation, Public Works, Water, and Wastewater Utilities.

Closes November 5, 2026 or 100 applicants (whichever occurs first)

A completed online employment application

Incomplete or late applications will NOT be accepted.

Resumes will NOT be considered in lieu of the required employment application.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Under immediate supervision (Street Maintenance Operator I) or general supervision (Street Maintenance Operator II), performs semi-skilled to skilled maintenance, repair, and construction work assigned to the streets division; operates maintenance and construction tools and equipment; performs a variety of maintenance tasks relative to assigned area of responsibility.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

Street Maintenance Operator I: This is the entry level class in the Street Maintenance Operator series. This class is distinguished from the Street Maintenance Operator II by the performance of the more routine tasks and duties assigned to workers in this series. Employees at this level are not expected to perform with the same independence of direction and judgment on matters related to established procedures and guidelines as are positions allocated to the II level. Since this class is typically used as a training class, employees may have only limited or non directly related work experience. Employees work under immediate supervision while learning job tasks.

Street Maintenance Operator II: This is the full journey level class within the Street Maintenance Operator series. This class is distinguished from the Street Maintenance Operator I by the assignment of the full range of duties assigned. Employees at this level receive only occasional instruction or assistance as new or unusual situations arise, and are fully aware of the operating procedures and policies within the work unit. Positions in this class are flexibly staffed and are normally filled by advancement from the I level.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

1. Handle complaints and answer questions from the public.

2. Perform general electrical, painting, plumbing and carpentry work as needed.

3. Make minor adjustments on service equipment; maintain tools and equipment in working order.

4. Oversee the work of community service workers.

5. Maintain logs of daily activities.

6. Assist in other areas as needed.

7. Perform related duties as required.

8. Repair and replace street surfaces, sidewalks, curbs, and gutters including back filling trenches and evacuations.

9. Perform the maintenance, repair, construction, and installation work of streets, storm drain, parking lots, street lights, traffic striping, and traffic control signs and signals.

10. Remove hazards from the roadway and other public rights of way.

11. Operate a variety of motorized equipment and specialized maintenance equipment.

12. Perform repaving, patching, overlaying, chuck hole, and crack sealing repair of asphalt.

13. Perform underground service alert locating, marking and notification.

14. Lay out and install traffic signs and pavement markings.

15. Repair and maintain storm drain lift stations.

16. Conduct traffic count surveys.

17. Maintain storm detention ponds, including cleaning, repairing, and spraying weeds.

18. Respond to hazardous materials spills.

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of:

Principles and practices of maintenance and repair activities related to area of assignment.

Common tools, materials, and motorized vehicles and equipment used in assigned area of responsibility.

The repair and maintenance of pumps and valves.

City street system repair and maintenance.

Basic mathematical principles. Safe work practices and policies.

Techniques and procedures in basic carpentry, metal, masonry, painting, mechanical and electrical work.

Ability to:

Work with the variety of tools related to public works maintenance.

Learn to safely operate a variety of maintenance equipment.

Understand and follow oral and written instructions.

Read and understand schematic diagrams.

Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience Guidelines - Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Street Maintenance Operator I

Education/Training:

Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade.

Experience:

One year of experience in construction or maintenance work is desirable.

License or Certificate:

Possession of a Class B driver’s license within one year of employment.

Possession of a valid forklift certificate within one year of employment.

Street Maintenance Operator II

Education and Experience Guidelines - Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education/Training:

Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade.

Experience:

Two years of experience in area of assignment equivalent to the Street Maintenance Operator I in the City of Ceres.

License or Certificate:

Possession of a Class B driver’s license.

Possession of a valid forklift certificate.

Possession of a valid CWEA Collection System Operator Grade I certificate within one year of employment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

To the conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Environment: Work is performed primarily in an outdoor field environment; travel from site to site; exposure to noise, dust, grease, smoke, fumes, noxious odors, gases, mechanical and electrical hazards, and all types of weather and temperature conditions; work in or around water; exposure to hazardous traffic conditions; work and/or walk on various types of surfaces including slippery or uneven surfaces and rough terrain; work at heights, in confined spaces, and below ground level; incumbents may be required to respond to emergency and public calls after hours including evenings and weekends.

Physical: Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in a field environment; to walk, stand, and sit for prolonged periods of time; to frequently stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, crawl, climb, reach, twist, grasp, and make repetitive hand movement in the performance of daily duties; to climb unusual heights and descend on ladders; to lift, carry, push, and/or pull moderate to heavy amounts of weight; to operate assigned equipment and vehicles; and to verbally communicate to exchange information.

Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction.

Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.

Health:The City contributes toward the combined monthly premiums for medical, dental and vision a maximum of $810, $1,600or $2,250, dependent on level of medical coverage enrollment. One of the monthly plan premium options are currently at no cost to the employee only coverage! Any employee contributions to health premiums are taken as pre-tax deductions. Employees eligible to waive medical coverage receive $200 per month in additional taxable compensation. Carriers include: Two Sutter Health HMO's, Sutter Health HDHP HMO, Two Kaiser HMO's; DeltaDental and VSP Vision.

Retirement/Pension:The City offers a generous defined benefit plan pension (membership required) in the Stanislaus County Employees’ Retirement Association (StanCERA), as governed by County Employees’ Retirement Law of 1937 and Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act (PEPRA). "Classic members" (within the last six (6) months a member of StanCERAorareciprocal retirement plan, e.g. CalPERS) are enrolled in the City’s 2% @ 55 plan; final compensation at retirement is based on the single highest year. Non-classic or"new members"are enrolled in the 2% @ 62 plan, and employees are required to pay 100% of the normal contribution rate as prescribed by PEPRA, currently 9.57%, on a pre-tax basis; final compensation at retirement is based on the average of the three highest years.

Other Benefits:See the Memorandum of Understanding for your group - MOU

Voluntary Benefits & Leave: Employee Assistance Program, voluntary options for Deferred Compensation (457), Short-Term and Long-Term Disability, Voluntary Life and AD&D coverage, 96 hours of sick leave accrued each year with unlimited accrual; vacation accrual based on years of service with maximum accrual of 480 hours and 14paid holidays (including one personal day) each year.

The City also participates in Social Security, which has a mandatory 7.65% contribution for Social Security and Medicare.

Special Instructions

EXAMINATION PROCESS

Those applicants who meet the employment qualifications will be contacted via email regarding the next steps in the recruitment process.

SELECTION PROCESS

Offers of employment may be subject to successful completion of a pre-employment background check, fingerprint clearance, and a physical examination, including a drug test. An additional condition of employment includes employment verification and authorization to work in the United States, by completing the I-9 verification form designated by Immigration and Naturalization Services.

PLEASE NOTE: The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute a contract or offer of employment expressed or implied.

You must include your work experience in the proper sections of this application. Although you may also upload a resume, all work information MUST be entered into the sections of this online process.