Utility Worker I, II, III

Utility Worker I, II, III

Salary

See Position Description

Location

City of Bellingham, WA

Job Type

Full Time

Job Number

26- UW I, II, III

Department

Public Works

Opening Date

07/02/2026

Closing Date

7/17/2026 4:30 PM Pacific

FLSA

Non-Exempt

Bargaining Unit

Local 1937

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Nature of Work

Join the team that keeps our city running strong! As a Utility Worker, you'll help maintain the City of Bellinghams essential infrastructure-using tools, equipment, and teamwork to make a real, hands-on impact.

This series performs progressively responsible manual and semi-skilled labor in the construction, maintenance, and service work of all public works facilities. Employees in this classification may be assigned to the following units: Street and Stormwater Collection, Wastewater Collection, or Water Distribution. Operates hand and power tools and motorized mobile equipment and/or electronic and hydro test equipment, depending upon the assigned unit. Usually works as part of an assigned crew in an assigned section but may have an individual or specialized assignment. Works indoors and outdoors in all weather conditions and sometimes under hazardous conditions. May be called out for emergency work. Attention to safety and protection of personnel and equipment is integral to work.

WHY JOIN OUR TEAM?

Joining the City of Bellingham means becoming a part of a team that believes our greatest impact comes from working together with purpose, humility and a shared commitment to our community. Every employee contributes to delivering meaningful results for the people who live, work and visit here. We value people who approach challenges with curiosity, respect and collaboration. If you are motivated by building a career in public service, we encourage you to apply.

SALARY AND BENEFITS INFORMATION:

The 2026 starting hourly rate is at Step 1. The full salary ranges for each position are:

• Hourly Rates:
• Utility Worker I: Starting hourly rate is at Step 1 ($31.69/hour) for full time positions. The full salary range for this position is $31.69/hour - $41.35/hour.
• Utility Worker II: Starting hourly rate is at Step 1 ($33.59/hour) for full time positions. The full salary range for this position is $33.59/hour - $43.83/hour.
• Utility Worker III: Starting hourly rate is at Step 1 ($35.61/hour) for full time positions. The full salary range for this position is $35.61/hour - $46.46/hour.

An individual in this position will move through the series in non-competitive promotions upon completion of the requirements and certifications at each level.

Employees receive step increases annually in accordance with the Guild of Pacific Northwest Employees, Local 1937 Collective Bargaining Agreement and City policy. For internal candidates, placement within the range is based on City Pay Placement Procedures.

At the City of Bellingham, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that helps you thrive in both your career and personal life. Join our team and enjoy the peace of mind knowing that you and your loved ones are well cared for. Here's a closer look at the outstanding benefits that come with being part of our team. You can find more details on our employment benefits page and labor agreements page.

• 10 hours of vacation leave per month, with increased accrual over time
• 12 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday per year
• 8 hours sick leave accrued monthly
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families
• Life insurance and long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts and medical insurance opt-out program
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Washington State Retirement plan (DRS) for retirement security
• Optional 457 deferred compensation (Retirement Savings Plan) with employer match

Leave accruals are based on 1.0 FTE, accruals are pro-rated if part-time and require employees to be in paid status at least 120 hours/month.

Closing Date/Time: Fri., Jul 17, 2026 at 4:30 PM Pacific Time

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Depending on the unit to which assigned and level of experience:

• Shovels, rakes, picks, cleans, hammers, sands, and other such manual labor.
• Operates machinery and power equipment on an interchangeable basis (for example, five-, ten-and 12-yard dump trucks, trucks and trailers, backhoes, excavators, paving machines, loaders, rollers, brush cutters, tapping machine, jet truck, boom truck, service and pick-up trucks, boring machines, etc.) or may be regularly assigned to a single piece of mobile equipment requiring substantial manual dexterity, without direct supervision and responsible for reporting maintenance problems and determining whether immediate service by a skilled mechanic is required (for example, street sweepers). Utility Worker III operates Vactor truck, camera inspection vehicle, and Gradeall.
• Performs many heavy manual semi-skilled and skilled tasks such as operating chain saws, jack hammers, drills, pipe saws, pavement saws, mowers, street sweepers, and raking asphalt in an accomplished fashion; may perform right-of-way patching, pavement overlays, maintenance and repair of guardrails, concrete sidewalk repairs, repair storm drainage catch basins, Sewer manholes, and surrounding pavement repairs involving masonry, concrete and asphalt work. Utility Worker III includes trenchless pipe repairs, hydrant and valve replacements, water main repairs, and locates and marks water mains and water services using electronic pipe locating devices.
• May install, replace and repair sewer pipes, inspect and clean sewer mains and make repairs involving appropriate machine or device; may raise manholes and make related street grade adjustments; may respond to citizen complaints. Utility Worker III make repairs involving operation of a rodding machine; may operate a video scanner to assess sewer system conditions and identify problems.
• Assists workers in higher classes: cuts, fits, lays, connects, installs various sizes of water, sewer and storm lines; installs valves, tees, crosses, reducers, sleeves, manholes, catch basins, etc., per instructions.
• Turns on or shuts off water services to customers per order and according to established procedures.
• Sets up traffic control devices including barricades, flags, and performs other safety-related duties.
• Logs information, completes work orders and paperwork as necessary. Utility Worker II, III field checks measurements and locations of facilities, marks-up maps and drawings used for updating computer maintenance and GIS records.
• Responds to afterhours call-outs and investigates customer service requests.

ADDITIONAL WORK PERFORMED:

Utility Worker I, II

• Performs other duties within the scope of the classification and of the classes below.
• Participates in job-related training to improve knowledge and skills.

Utility Worker III

• May lead a group of lower classified and/or extra labor employees in the completion of smaller, less complex assignments.
• Provides guidance and on-the-job training to less experienced co-workers.
• Other related duties as assigned.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

Work is performed primarily outdoors in all weather conditions on City streets and rights-of-way, in close proximity to roadway traffic, or in an industrial plant environment. The work involves moderate risks which require special safety precautions, e.g. working around moving equipment, high speed or high voltage equipment, or with exposure to irritant chemicals or raw sewage. Hazards may include: fumes, dust, gases, and asbestos, moving mechanical equipment parts, extreme temperatures, maintenance and repair of pressurized (up to 200psi) water systems, inadequate lighting, confined spaces, trenches, loud noises and exposure to traffic. Employees may be required to use protective clothing such as coveralls, rain gear, hard hats, safety vests, masks, boots, goggles, gloves, or shields.

Physical ability to perform the essential functions of the job, including:

• Manual dexterity sufficient to operate hand and power equipment safely and efficiently.
• Correctable vision to read instructions and work safely around equipment.
• Adequate hearing to effectively hear voice radio and crew communications, roadway traffic and alarms in a noisy environment.
• Physical ability to continuously stoop, bend, climb, occasionally work in confined spaces or from heights, and frequently lift and carry heavy objects in the 50 lb. range, and occasionally weights of approximately 100 lbs. utilizing proper body mechanics, mechanical and other assistance. Some positions require the ability to work from heights up to 180 feet on a ladder truck or communication tower.
• Positions in Water Distribution, Wastewater Collection, Street and Stormwater Collection require the physical ability to operate a 60 lb. jackhammer for extended periods of time intermittently throughout the year.

Experience and Training

Utility Worker I:

• High School Diploma, or equivalent
• One year of experience or related training using hand and power tools and motorized equipment to perform manual labor required.

Utility Worker II:

• High School Diploma, or equivalent. AND

• Two (2) years experience as Utility Worker I, OR three years equivalent experience performing manual labor in the construction, maintenance, and service work of public facilities, AND

• Possess and maintain the following certifications, based on the requirements of the unit to which assigned:

• Streets and Stormwater Collection Units:

• Certified Erosion and Sediment Control Lead (CESCL) with in one (1) year of promotion, transfer, or placement to Utility Worker.

• Wastewater Collection Unit:

• Washington Wastewater Collection Personnel Association (WWCPA - 1) with in one (1) year of promotion, transfer, or placement to Utility Worker II.

• Water Distribution Unit:

• Washington State Certification as Water Distribution Manager I within one (1) year of promotion, transfer, or placement to Utility Worker II.

Utility Worker III:

• High School Diploma, or equivalent, AND

• Two years of experience in Public Works Operations Utility Worker I and 2 years of experience in the Utility Worker II classification, OR five years equivalent experience performing manual and semi-skilled labor in the construction, maintenance, and service work of all public facilities, AND

• Possess and maintain the following certifications, based on the requirements of the unit to which assigned:

• Street and Stormwater Collection Units:

• Certified Erosion and Sediment Control Lead (CESCL) within one (1) year of promotion, transfer, or placement to Utility Worker III.

• Wastewater Collection Unit:

• Washington Wastewater Collection Personnel Association (WWCPA-1) within one (1) year of promotion, transfer, or placement to Utility Worker III.

• Water Distribution Unit:

• Washington State Certification as a Water Distribution Manager I within one (1) year of promotion, transfer, or placement to Utility Worker III.

• Training Certificate in Asbestos Pipe Work Practices within one (1) year of promotion, transfer, or placement to Utility Worker III.

Necessary Special Requirements

• Employment contingent upon passing a criminal convictions check and child and adult abuse records check (see Fair Hiring Practices below).
• Verification of ability to work in the United States by date of hire.
• Valid Washington State drivers license and good driving record. Candidate considered for hire must submit an abstract of his/her driving records for the past three-years; with biennial submission of driving abstract to department, to be forwarded to Human Resources (Policy ADM 10.03.02.4).
• Ability to obtain and maintain Flagging/Traffic Control Card within one year of employment.
• Ability to obtain and maintain First Aid/CPR Card within one year of employment.
• Some positions require the ability to secure a Commercial Drivers License (Class a CDL) with air brakes endorsement within six months of initial hire and to maintain a valid CDL during length of employment.
• Must pass CDL-related drug and alcohol testing throughout term of employment.
• Some positions require Fork Lift Operators Card within one year of employment.
• Must be able to report to Operations Division for emergency call-out and serve on standby in accordance with bargaining unit agreement.

Failure to obtain appropriate certifications within established time limits will result in demotion to the lower class for which qualified, until such time as the required unit certification is achieved.

Selection Process

You are encouraged to print a copy of this job announcement for your reference as the process moves along

Please ensure your application is complete and all required information has been provided. Standard completeness means all application fields (contact information, personal information, education, work experience, references, and supplemental questions). Application materials should comprehensively document your experience and skills related to the position responsibilities and experience/training requirements. As part of the City's commitment to reducing bias in the hiring process, Human Resources redacts personally identifiable information for reviewers. Only the documents listed as required will be reviewed.

Application Review process:

• Minimum Qualifications: Applicants must provide specific, detailed information so an initial determination can be made regarding your level of qualifications for this position. Applicant status will be updated on or around July 20, 2026.
• Experience and Training Rating: Applicants that meet minimum qualifications will go through an Experience and Training Rating. Applicant status will be updated on or around August 3, 2026.
• The top 20 applicants from the Experience and Training Rating will be invited to participate in an Oral Board Interview, tentatively scheduled for the week of August 10, 2026. Applicants must have a passing score of 60% or higher to be placed on the eligibility register.
• Applicants will be notified via email of Final Scores & Ranks. The final ranking of the register will be based on total scores for the following Experience and Training Rating (40%) and Oral Board Interview (60%).

Final candidates will be referred to the department for additional examination, assessment, or test.

This recruitment process will create a Civil Service eligibility register that will be used to fill current and future vacancies as they become available. There is currently 1 full-time vacancy in Public Works. This position is represented by a union.

If you wish to claim Veterans' Preference Points, please complete the Veterans Scoring Criteria Declaration Form and upload it to your application with your DD214.

Please Note: Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently, including your spam folders for messages filtered by your email providers.

Equal Opportunity:

The City of Bellingham is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not make decisions on the basis of an individuals race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40+), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. All are encouraged to apply for employment.

Fair Hiring Practices

• The City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment.
• The City will not inquire about an applicants criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made.
• The City will disregard the prior arrest and conviction record of an otherwise qualified individual unless the offense is directly related to the job position for which the individual has applied.
• The City will notify an otherwise qualified applicant about a potentially disqualifying conviction and give the applicant an opportunity to submit information regarding the accuracy of the criminal records as well as evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as appropriate.

There are many good reasons for working at the City of Bellingham. The work is rewarding and you have an opportunity to serve your community. Another good reason is the great benefits that the City offers its employees. See our benefits section for additional information.

This position is represented by The Guild of Pacific Northwest Employees, Local 1937 bargaining unit. Specific benefit information including Holidays, Vacation Accruals, Health, Dental and Vision Plans with cost sharing and Deferred Compensation Match can be found in the Local 1937 labor agreement.

This position is covered by the State of Washington Department of Retirement Systems PERS plan. PERS requires mandatory employee and City contributions. Please visit the DRS website for more information on PERS.

Civil Service Information

This position is subject to the Bellingham Civil Service Commission. When a vacancy occurs, the top fifteen candidates or the top 25% of the register will be forwarded to the department for further consideration. All new Civil Service employees are subject to a one-year probationary period. A candidate may challenge the scope, content, or method of an examination or test, and a protest may be filed in writing with the Examiner within five (5) days following the date of the challenged examination. A candidate may also challenge the scoring of an examination or test, failure of the candidate on any part of an examination, or clerical error in examination results of any examination or test, and a protest may be filed in writing with the Examiner within five (5) days of notification of the challenged result. The Examiner shall consider all timely filed protests and make appropriate corrections if an error is demonstrated.

Veterans Scoring Criteria

Applicants who have been honorably discharged from active military duty may be eligible to receive veterans scoring criteria points as provided by Washington State Law (RCW 41.04.010). If you wish to claim Veterans' Preference Points, please complete the Veterans Scoring Criteria Declaration Form and upload it to your application with your DD214.

01

Thank you for your interest in this position at the City of Bellingham! To ensure a consistent review, only the City of Bellingham job application and required supplemental documents will be reviewed. Cover letters and resumes are not reviewed unless they are required as part of the process. When applying for this position, you must thoroughly complete each section of your application, and provide a thorough response to each of the supplemental questions. Please do not indicate "see resume" or copy content that is unrelated to the position being applied for from your resume when answering these questions.

Have you read and understood the information listed above?

• Yes
• No

02

Work is performed primarily outdoors in all weather conditions on City streets and rights-of-way, in close proximity to roadway traffic, or in an industrial plant environment. The work involves moderate risks which require special safety precautions, e.g. working around moving equipment, high speed or high voltage equipment, or with exposure to irritant chemicals or raw sewage. Hazards may include: fumes, dust, gases, and asbestos, moving mechanical equipment parts, extreme temperatures, maintenance and repair of pressurized (up to 200psi) water systems, inadequate lighting, confined spaces, trenches, loud noises and exposure to traffic. Employees may be required to use protective clothing such as coveralls, rain gear, hard hats, safety vests, masks, boots, goggles, gloves, or shields. Are you able to accept these working conditions?

• Yes
• No

03

Are you willing and able to possess and maintain the following cards/certifications as outlined on the job announcement during the length of employment? Training is provided by the City.

• First Aid Card
• Flagging/Traffic Control Card
• Fork Lift Operators Card (required for some positions)
• Valid Commercial Drivers License (CDL) (required for some positions)
• Yes
• No

04

Please select the Cards and/or certifications that you currently have.

• First Aid Card
• Flagging/Traffic Control Card
• Fork Lift Operators Card
• Valid Commercial Drivers License (CDL)

05

Are you able to work evenings or weekends when required, and respond to emergency call-outs and serve on standby in accordance with the collective bargaining unit?

• Yes
• No

06

As part of the classification series, incumbents are required to possess and maintain certifications based on their assigned unit, as outlined in the job announcement. Do you agree to possess and maintain the required certifications as outlined per level? The City of Bellingham pays for trainings and certifications.

• Yes
• No

07

Please select the appropriate qualification that you believe is demonstrated through your application materials:

NOTE: A person with the requisite experience and training may be hired in at the Utility Worker II or III level. Public Facilities may include water distribution, sewer & stormwater services, sidewalks, streets & roads.

How We Count Work Experience: Your experience must be equal to full-time paid work. If you worked part-time, we'll calculate your experience based on the total number of hours you worked in a year. For example, if you worked 10 hours per week for 12 months, that equals 3 months of full-time experience (10 hrs x 52 weeks= 520 hrs/173.33 full time hrs per month = 3 months).

• Utility Worker I: High School Diploma, or equivalent AND One year of experience or related training using hand and power tools and motorized equipment to perform manual labor required.
• Utility Worker II: High School Diploma, or equivalent AND Three years of equivalent experience performing manual labor in the construction, maintenance, and service work of public facilities OR Two years of experience as Utility Worker I.
• Utility Worker III: High School Diploma, or equivalent AND Five years of equivalent experience performing manual and semi-skilled labor in the construction, maintenance, and service work of all public facilities, OR Two years of experience in Public Works Operations Utility Worker I and 2 years of experience in the Utility Worker II classification.
• I do not meet any of the listed requirements.

08

Depending on your selection in question above, describe in detail what specific experience or training was obtained that qualifies you for the indicated level. Employers and dates required.

NOTE: Public Facilities may include water distribution, sewer & stormwater services, sidewalks, streets & roads.

09

Working in utility and public works roles often requires learning and operating a variety of equipment and adapting to different job assignments. Explain how you approach learning new tools or machinery, and discuss a time when you successfully adapted to a new or unfamiliar task.

10

Utility work involves teamwork, problem-solving, and responding to urgent or unexpected situations (such as customer service requests or after-hours emergencies). Describe how you prioritize tasks, communicate with others, and contribute to resolving issues effectively.

11

If you are requesting Veterans Preference points, a completed Veterans Scoring Criteria Status Declaration is required along with a copy of your DD214. The required form is in the Selections Process section of the Job Posting. Check "YES" here if you are attaching a Veterans Declaration form and DD214.

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer City of Bellingham

Address 104 West Magnolia Street

Bellingham, Washington, 98225

Phone 360-778-8220

Website http://www.cob.org/employment