Equipment Operator III- Streets/Stormwater

Equipment Operator III- Streets/Stormwater

Location

Stormwater Division, 245 Operations Center Drive, NC

Job Type

Full Time-Regular

Job Number

FY27-00009

Department

Transportation

Opening Date

07/15/2026

Closing Date

7/28/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Post-Offer Required Pre-Employment Screenings

Driving History Check

Criminal History Check

Education Verification

Drug Screen

Post Offer Employment Testing

Approved Hiring Salary/Range

$25.38 - $32.36

Full Salary Range

$25.38 - $39.34

Working Hours

THIS POSITION REQUIRES WORKING OUTDOORS IN ALL TYPES OF WEATHER CONDITIONS. MONDAY - THURSDAY 6:00 A.M. - 2:30 P.M., AVAILABLE TO WORK DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER EVENTS SUCH AS HURRICANES, SNOW, AND ICE, AND ON-CALL ROTATION

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

The City of Wilmington is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Position Description

One City. One team. One mission.

Are you a skilled equipment operator who takes pride in precision, teamwork, and making a visible impact in your community?

We are recruiting for our Equipment Operator III position, where you can work outdoors, learn valuable trade skills, and be part of a crew that looks out for each other. Team members work in small crews operating tools and specialized equipment while maintaining streams and public spaces across the city. Employees gain hands-on experience, opportunities to earn a CDL, CPR/First Aid certifications, heavy equipment training, and cross-training across multiple operational teams. This is a strong fit for hardworking, dependable people who want to learn new skills, grow their career, and move up through experience and initiative.

The purpose of this position is to maintain and improve the City's stormwater drainage system and/or assist in the maintenance of public roads to ensure safety and reliability. This is accomplished by operating power-driven equipment requiring a CDL (Commercial Driver's License) in the construction and maintenance of public roads and sidewalks and/or in the construction and maintenance of stormwater drainage systems.

This position is part of the Equipment Operator career series. You'll handle more complex equipment and tasks than entry and mid-level operators, requiring strong technical ability, attention to detail, and confidence in operating machinery with accuracy. Your work will include operating equipment such as motor graders, dump trucks with snow plows and brine tanks, crack sealers, sweepers, vac-cons, and road patchers. While your primary focus will be on heavy equipment, you may occasionally operate lighter machinery as needed.

Beyond equipment operation, you'll support your team by assisting crew members in the field, helping train less experienced staff, maintaining equipment, and completing daily logs and documentation. You'll work under regular supervision while contributing to essential infrastructure that impacts the entire community.

Typical Tasks

The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required and assigned.

• Heavy Equipment Operation: Operates complex heavy equipment to perform digging, grading, trenching, loading, and material movement for City infrastructure and maintenance projects.

• Project Execution & Precision Work: Plans and executes work to ensure accurate grading, slopes, and placement while minimizing impact to property and avoiding underground utilities.

• Equipment Transport & Care: Identifies equipment needs; transports, inspects, and secures equipment before and after use.

• Specialized Equipment Use: Operates backhoes, motor graders, excavators, and boom mowers for construction, maintenance, and right-of-way work, including hard-to-reach areas.

• Maintenance & Documentation: Performs basic preventive maintenance and maintains daily logs and records of completed work.

• Manual Labor Support: Assists crews with general labor tasks, including digging, grading, and handling materials and equipment.

• Safety & Traffic Control: Ensures safe work zones by following safety procedures, monitoring surroundings, directing traffic, and placing appropriate signage and barriers.

• Operational Support: Assists with storm response, special events, and other assigned duties.

• Lead Worker Responsibilities: Provides guidance and training to lower-level staff.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• High school diploma or GED, with vocational or technical training in the operation of CDL-operated vehicles; supplemented by a minimum of three years of progressively responsible experience in construction, maintenance, groundskeeping or a related field, as well as a minimum of three years of progressively responsible experience operating the types of equipment identified in this class; or any combination of education, training, and experience which provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Other Requirements:

• Valid Drivers license, ability to obtain Class B within 90 days of hire
• Knowledge of the basic operation and maintenance requirements of the equipment operated by this classification.
• Ability to communicate and work cooperatively with colleagues, City leadership, and the general public.
• Ability to obtain Flagger & WorkZone Safety certifications within 90 days of hire.
• Ability to apply principles of logical thinking to work tasks and handle practical situations and requests made by supervisor and/or lead workers; to comprehend and respond to a variety of situations in an efficient manner; to understand and follow simple oral and written directives and perform the relative tasks using sound judgment.

Supplemental Information

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Exerting 50-100 lbs. occasionally, 10-25 lbs. frequently, or up to 10-20 lbs. constantly.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• This position will require outdoor work in all types of weather conditions.
• Emergency work in storm events is required, this positions is considered essential and may be required to work before, during and after inclement weather events.
• All positions will be required to participate in On-Call program on a rotating basis with other employees/ operating sections.

Our Core Values:

INCLUSION | COLLABORATION | CREATIVITY | ACCOUNTABILITY

Our Mission Statement: Through forward-thinking policies and responsible stewardship, we are creating a better city every day with excellent core services and quality of life for all.

What we offer:

The City of Wilmington believes that employees are one of our most important resources. We offer an excellent salary and competitive benefits package to serve the needs of our employees and their families. Our benefits package includes:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance + many other insurance options
• Excellent retirement benefits, including a city provided 4.5% contribution each pay period into a 401(k) account and automatic enrollment into the North Carolina Local Government Employees' Retirement System
• Employer-paid health & wellness clinic
• Free on-site city gym access
• Paid sick and vacation leave + 13 paid holidays per year
• 6-weeks paid parental leave
• Paid volunteer & blood donation leave to give back to our community
• Flex schedule and telework availability, depending on your position
• Professional development trainings & leadership initiatives
• Tuition assistance benefits

Applicant Status Updates: After the closing date for this position, applications will be screened by Human Resources. Applicants who meet the minimum and/or preferred qualifications will be referred over to the hiring department. All updates regarding an application can be viewed through your applicant portal.

Health Benefits are offered to employees working at least 30 hours per week.

Health Insurance - The City offers two options for health coverage: a standard PPO plan and a High Deductible Health Plan with an associated Health Savings Account. Coverage becomes effective the first day of the month following hire for employees and their eligible dependents. Both you and the City contribute to the overall cost of coverage.

Dental Insurance - Coverage becomes effective the first day of the month following hire. Employees, their spouse and dependent children are eligible for coverage.

Life Insurance - The city pays to provide coverage valued at one times your annual salary. Supplemental insurance is available for employees to purchase. Optional coverage for dependents is also available for purchase.

Retirement:

• NC Local Government Retirement System - All benefits eligible employees make a mandatory 6% contribution every pay period.
• Deferred Compensation - The city contributes an amount equal to 4.5% of the annual salary to a 401(k) plan regardless of employee contribution. Employees may choose to contribute additional money to the 401(k) or 457 deferred compensation plans, without a match from the City, within the IRS guidelines.

Paid Leave (offered to employees working at least 1,000 hours annually*):

• Sick Leave - 12 days accrued each year
• Annual Leave - Accrual based on years of service and classification. Employees can earn from 10 to 24 days each year.
• Holidays - 13 paid holidays annually
• Paid Parental Leave - Six weeks of paid leave for the birth, adoption or placement of a child (must run concurrently with FMLA).
• Part-Time Employees will earn paid leave benefits on a pro-rated basis.

Miscellaneous:

• Tuition reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program
• Short & Long Term Disability
• Cancer & Critical Illness
• Accident Insurance
• Whole Life Insurance
• Credit Union membership

Note: The City of Wilmington is on a bi-weekly pay cycle. New employees should expect to recieve their first paycheck approximately 3 weeks after their start date.

This is intended to be a brief overview of the benefits offered. Please visit our website at https://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/Government/Departments-Divisions/Human-Resources/Benefits for more information.

01

Each applicant must complete this supplemental questionnaire as a part of the application screening process. The information you provide will be reviewed and used to determine your eligibility to move forward in the selection process. Incomplete responses, false statements, omissions, or partial information may result in disqualification from the selection process. Do you agree to answer each supplemental question truthfully and that your responses can be verified from information included within the application?

• Yes

02

What type of valid driver's license do you currently hold?

• None
• Valid Drivers License and understand I must obtain a Class B CDL in 90 days
• Class B CDL
• Class A CDL

03

Which best describes your highest level of relevant education to the position?

• High School Diploma or GED
• High School plus Technical training in the operation of CDL-operated vehicles
• Associates Degree
• Bachelors Degree
• Masters Degree
• Doctorate Degree
• None - N/A

04

If Technical training/certification or a higher degree was chosen, please provide the training/certification obtained. If this selection was not chosen, please write NA.

05

How many years of progressively responsible experience in construction, maintenance, grounds keeping or a related field do you have?

• I have no experience
• less than 1 year
• 1 year to less than 3 years
• 3 years to less than 5 years
• 5 years to less than 10 years
• 10 years or more

06

How many years of progressively responsible experience operating the types of equipment identified in this class do you have? Example: Motor grader, snow plows mounted on dump trucks, brine tanks loaded on dump trucks, cracksealers, sweepers, vac-cons, and road patchers

• I have no experience
• less than 1 year
• 1 year to less than 3 years
• 3 years to less than 5 years
• 5 years to less than 10 years
• 10 years or more

07

Please identify the company/agency/organization where you gained the experience described in question #5 and 6. Note: These employers must be listed in the work history section on your employment application to receive credit. Entering "N/A or "See Resume/Application" does not qualify as an acceptable response.

08

Below are the types of equipment used and required for Public Works Operator I. Please check off the equipment you have experience in.

• Concrete saw
• Push Mower
• Chain Saw
• Pole Saw
• Blower
• Pick up/flat bed truck
• Creek boat
• Concrete milling
• Small pump
• Leaf vacuum
• Arrow board/VMS
• Air compressor
• Generator
• Weed eater
• RC mower
• Jon boat
• Ventrac
• Infrared oven
• Hot box
• Mini slope
• None

09

Below are the types of equipment used and required for Public Works Operator II. Please check off the equipment you have experience in.

• Front end loader
• Asphalt roller
• Paver
• Road patcher
• Large pump
• Mini excavator
• Backhoe
• Bulldozer
• Skid steer 1
• Skid steer 2
• Zipper
• Excavator
• Conver
• Air boats
• Boom mower
• None

10

Below are the types of equipment used and required for Public Works Operator III. Please check off the equipment you have experience in.

• Snow plow mounted on a dump truck
• brine tanks loaded on Dump truck
• Cracksealer
• Sweeper
• Vac-con
• Motor grader
• None

11

Do you have the ability to obtain Flagger & WorkZone Safety certifications within 90 days of hire?

• Yes
• No

12

The hiring salary for the position is posted on the job posting. Salary determination is supported by budget availability and qualifications of the candidate to maintain internal equity. Please acknowledge that you understand this process.

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer City of Wilmington

Address PO Box 1810

929 N. Front Street, 11th Floor

Wilmington, North Carolina, 28401

Phone 910-341-7840

Website http://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/jobs