Field Maintenance Apprentice: Traffic & Safety

Highway Maintenance Apprentice – Greeley (Traffic and Safety)

Salary: $41,516.80 annually (LTC Trainee IV, $19.96/hr) or $43,700.80 annually (LTC Trainee V, $21.01/hr). One position will be filled at either level depending on experience and CDL license status. No experience is required.

No two days are exactly the same in CDOT highway maintenance. Your daily work activities change based on project needs and also vary based on weather, environment, and road conditions. You will be on‑call on a rotating basis as well as subject to call to respond to weather and other emergencies. You will typically work closely with your mentor in a team environment, as each maintenance patrol location has at least one lead highway maintenance specialist and multiple highway maintenance specialists.

• Installing pavement markings/striping
• Installing and repairing guardrail, highway markers and signs, warning signs, and lighting
• Plowing snow
• Operating heavy equipment, such as tandem dump truck, loader, tractor mower, etc.
• Mowing grass and weeds
• Removing debris from roadways, including rock, mud, and deceased animals
• Removing debris from culverts, tunnels, etc.
• Shoveling gravel, sand, concrete, and asphalt
• Digging ditches
• Filling potholes and roadway cracks
• Setting out signs and cones for traffic control
• Removing and covering graffiti
• Stopping or slowing traffic in emergency situations
• Maintaining equipment and performing minor repairs
• Following safety guidance and wearing proper safety equipment

Your work is critical to keeping Colorado's roadways open and safe. It positively impacts the quality of life for all Coloradans and visitors and helps our economy to thrive.

• Full benefits, PERA retirement and paid leave.
• Personal protective equipment such as uniforms, boots, hard hats, gloves, safety vest, respirator, and tools.
• No cost CDL Entry Level Driver Training and testing using CDOT equipment and tester.
• CDOT pays for the required CDL medical certificate evaluation.
• Partial reimbursement (up to 50%) for CDL renewal after first year.
• CPR and first‑aid training.
• Variety of career training opportunities.
• Guaranteed 40‑hour work weeks, with opportunity for overtime during weather emergencies.
• 4‑day work schedule (10‑hour days Monday‑Thursday) during summer months (typically May‑September).
• Opportunities to learn new equipment and for advancement in a stable, long‑term career.

• Exposure to loud noise.
• Exposure to fumes, odors, gases, dusts, etc. that may affect breathing, eyes, and skin.
• Required to use appropriate personal protective equipment.
• Required to work with chemicals and cleaning products.
• Some equipment requires the use of respirators.
• Work near traffic, sometimes high‑speed traffic.
• Use ladders and scissor lifts for heights of approximately 10‑20 feet.
• Required to drive CDOT vehicles.
• Work on a rotating shift schedule including nights, weekends and holidays.
• Frequently respond to emergencies outside regular work hours and may work overtime including weekends and holidays.
• Must be willing and physically able to work in extreme temperatures (hot and cold), variable weather conditions, and at varying elevations up to 12,000 feet for long periods.

No previous education or experience is required.

• Demonstrated success with duties listed in the Description of the Job section.
• Highest work/personal ethics and integrity.
• Strong commitment to working safely.
• Desire to learn.
• Wants to work outdoors.
• Likes physically demanding work.
• Takes pride in a job well done.
• Adapts efficiently to changing conditions and priorities.
• Works effectively in a team environment and looks out for team members.
• Communicates effectively, especially in safety‑critical situations.
• Strong commitment to providing good customer service.
• Likes to solve problems and figure out better ways to do things.
• Experience operating equipment such as single and tandem axle dump trucks, front‑end loaders, bulldozers, backhoes, etc.
• Experience using hand tools.
• Basic computer skills and ability to learn new software/equipment.
• Years of State service experience related to the duties of…