Heavy Equipment Operator IV, Vac-Truck Operator - Durango

Applications will be considered from residents and non-residents of Colorado.

• New employees to the State will be paid biweekly. There are 26 biweekly pay periods in a year.
• This location is eligible for an additional $500/month housing stipend.

CDOT employees make a difference by providing freedom, connection, and experience to the traveling public, while also keeping them safe. The State of Colorado offers competitive medical, dental and vision insurance, life and disability insurance, and flexible spending and health savings accounts. The state also offers PERA retirement, great optional PERA plans such as 401K, a generous paid time off package of annual, sick, holiday and other leave, strong career growth, tuition reimbursement and professional development.

Perks include Colorado Employee Assistance Program (CSEAP) counseling, wellness, credit union membership and employee discount program.

CDOT’s strength is our people, and our commitment to our people is to shape, support, and sustain the employee experience, and ultimately, create a supportive workplace where everyone, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status, education, disability, socio-economic status, or any other identity, has the opportunity to thrive.

This Heavy Equipment Operator IV works as part of the Colorado Department of Transportation's Region 5 Special Crews Maintenance Team in Durango. This team maintains the CDOT highway system and facilities to as near original conditions as constructed utilizing available resources, personnel, equipment and material, ensuring a safe roadway for the traveling public.

This position operates a vac‑truck and other heavy, large specialized roadway equipment with complex controls requiring a high degree of skill gained through experience and training. This position is expected to serve as an expert in the operation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and transporting of heavy and specialized equipment. This position mentors others on safe equipment operation and maintenance. This position performs maintenance of roadside surface, facilities, structures, and appearance;

provides traffic control and traffic services; operates and maintains equipment; performs skilled labor activities; and effectively uses resources through active planning and administration.

• Operates Hydro‑Vac truck Camel 1200 to clear heavy debris, mud, rocks and blockages from culverts. Selects and configures specialized nozzles and hoses based on pipe conditions. Performs daily inspections and minor mechanical troubleshooting.
• Safely and proficiently drives and operates standard equipment such as tandem trucks, front end loader, backhoe, motor grader, sweepers, etc. to effectively support the skilled labor during maintenance activities.
• Safely and proficiently drives and operates specialized equipment in complex situations, such as tractor trailer combinations, tandem axle, triple axle lowboy, paving machines, lay down machine, shoulder machine, polecat, attenuator, dozer, paint truck, tow plow, aggregate spreaders, grade‑all power shovels, tractor mower combinations, excavators, screening plants, pneumatic and steel drum rollers, road oil distribution trucks, tunnel and fire equipment.
• Ensures equipment is in safe operating condition to meet guidelines established by the Federal Motor Safety Carriers Act.
• Loads, secures and hauls heavy equipment; determines the weight and chooses appropriate route.
• Operates technology systems in the equipment to help with operational decision‑making, inspections, and maintenance. Example systems include Truck and Equipment Controller Systems, Maintenance Decision Support Systems (MDSS), electronic fleet management systems, Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) System, etc.
• Maintains knowledge and skill in operating hand tools, including learning new pieces/types of tools and related technology.
• Completes equipment work orders in SAP.
• Performs routine work with road maintenance patrols.
• Maintains, replaces, and installs signs,…