Equipment Operator I

Equipment Operator I

Salary

$40,372.80 - $64,563.20 Annually

Location

Streets Maintenance building, 235 E. Summit Ave., Burlington, NC

Job Type

Full-time

Job Number

2026-00138

Department

Public Works

Division

Streets

Opening Date

07/29/2026

Closing Date

8/16/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Hiring Range

40372.80-44410.08

• Description
• Benefits

Job Description

About us:

The Street Division oversees the maintenance of city streets, alleys, sidewalks, curbs, and gutters, excluding privately maintained streets. It repairs road surfaces and infrastructure impacted by water and sewer work, maintains the stormwater drainage system within city rights-of-way, and implements the Winter Weather Plan to ensure safe travel during snow, ice, and natural disasters.

What you will do:

This position involves operating medium equipment and specialized power tools such as dry and wet saws, and jackhammers to complete street maintenance and sidewalk projects. Responsibilities include forming and finishing concrete for curbs, sidewalks, and driveways, installing storm sewer pipes, and maintaining storm drains. The role also includes tree removal, ice and snow removal, and emergency water/sewer repairs. The employee is responsible for street repairs, patching, laying asphalt, and clearing City properties, all while adhering to departmental rules and policies.

Examples of Duties

• Concrete Work & Street Repairs: Sets, forms, pours, and finishes concrete for repairs of curbs, gutters, driveways, and sidewalks; performs street patching and asphalt laying; clears roadside and City properties by cutting brush, raking, and hoeing.

• Debris Removal & Snow/Ice Clearing: Cleans streets, gutters, storm drains, catch basins, and sidewalks by shoveling, raking, and sweeping; removes ice and snow to ensure safe passage.

• Tree & Vegetation Management: Uses chainsaw and loppers to cut limbs and eliminate sightline hazards; operates weed eater to edge grass along curbs and sidewalks.

• Winter Weather Response: Drives snowplow to clear streets during winter weather; ensures streets remain safe by removing snow and ice.

• Crack Maintenance & Equipment Operation: Utilizes air compressors to clear cracks and hot lance to dry them for repair; operates maintenance vehicles and street sweeper, performing routine equipment maintenance.

• Storm Drain Maintenance: Performs regular storm drain cleaning and spraying to maintain effective drainage.

• On-Call & Emergency Response: Available for emergency response during weekends, nights, and adverse weather conditions.

• Additional Duties: Completes related tasks to maintain the safety and upkeep of city streets and properties.

Qualifications

Mechanical & Equipment Expertise:

• Equipment Operation & Maintenance: Considerable knowledge of automotive and mechanical equipment operation and general maintenance in a municipal setting. Proficient in operating backhoes, forklifts, loaders, mowers, tractors, dump trucks, leaf blowers, weed eaters, and more.
• Street & Traffic Maintenance: Extensive experience in the practices, methods, materials, tools, and equipment used in public street construction, repair, and traffic marking. Skilled in concrete and asphalt work, ensuring proper safety protocols and hazard management.
• Concrete & Asphalt Expertise: Skilled in concrete construction, including techniques for street and sidewalk repairs, with a focus on quality, safety, and efficiency.

Safety & Procedure Adherence:

• Safety Standards: Strong ability to follow safety procedures and adhere to standard operating procedures for all street division tasks, ensuring a safe work environment for all involved.

• Maintenance Identification: Ability to assess and identify maintenance needs for structures, grounds, and facilities, providing proactive reporting to supervisors.

Collaboration & Communication:

• Effective Teamwork: Skilled in maintaining positive and effective working relationships with fellow employees, contractors, and the public to ensure smooth operations and high-quality service delivery.

Operational Efficiency:

• Instruction & Task Execution: Adept at receiving and carrying out instructions from supervisors, ensuring accurate and timely completion of all assigned tasks in street maintenance and related functions.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or GED equivalency and some prior equipment operation and maintenance experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Valid NC Drivers License

Special Requirements:

• Valid Commercial Drivers License (CDLs) or the ability to obtain in 6 months.

Supplemental Information

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:

• Work in this class is described as medium and frequently requires physical exertion to complete tasks and move objects.
• This employee must have the visual acuity to determine the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of work assigned.
• Work typically involves the ability to physically perform the basic life operational functions of climbing stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, grasping, feeling, and repetitive motions.
• The worker is required to have the visual acuity to be the operator of trucks, forklifts, cranes and other equipment.
• Employee is subject to hazards, including mechanical equipment, electrical current, noise and vibration and atmospheric conditions due to exposure to fumes, odors, and dusts. Working conditions include both inside and outside environmental conditions.

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Inclement Weather Classification: Essential

Benefits for full-time employees of the City of Burlington (with the exception of full-time sworn police officers) are as follows:

• Paid vacation and sick leave
• Ability to transfer North Carolina local government earned sick leave.
• Paid holidays for New Years Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Good Friday, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas
• Enrollment in the Local Government branch of the North Carolina State Retirement System
• Enrollment in Empower 401k
• Health and dental insurance coverage for employee and children; spouses may be added to the policy if they are not offered coverage at their own place of employment
• Voluntary enrollment in a Flexible Spending Plan
• Life insurance
• Long-term care insurance
• Other voluntary insurances and deferred compensation plans

Employer City of Burlington NC

Address PO Box 1358

Burlington, North Carolina, 27216-1358

Phone 336-222-5105

Website http://www.burlingtonnc.gov