Sr, Maintenance Specialist

Job Overview

The City of Durham’s Department of Water Management (DWM) provides critical water and sewer services to the 309,000‑plus residents of Durham. This position is a Maintenance Specialist in Water & Sewer Maintenance who works closely with water distribution, wastewater collection, and related infrastructure.

Hiring Range: $52,146 – $63,399

Hours:

7:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

• Provide specialized paraprofessional and skilled technical maintenance work, reconcile and verify the work of others, train colleagues, and serve as an escalation point for problem‑solving.
• Perform highly technical maintenance work or lead work crews performing basic and complex labor, equipment operation, construction, and repair tasks.
• Maintain daily activity logs and reports; assign work; inspect work; ensure quality control; operate complex equipment; perform the most complex tasks related to the assignment.
• Serve in various work groups, including Meter Services, Excavation, and Distribution Systems Maintenance, and cross‑train across these groups.
• Operate complex equipment such as aerial lift trucks, knuckle boom loaders, chipper, chainsaw, crane, stump grinder, and other specialty machinery.
• Provide customer service: respond to customer questions, concerns, and trouble calls; troubleshoot complex issues; provide information on policies and procedures.

• High School Diploma or equivalent (GED, HiSet, TASC).
• One year of additional technical training in the area of assignment.
• Four years of equipment operation/driving experience or technical maintenance experience related to the assignment.
• Completion of job‑related and safety training (lock‑out/tag‑out, confined space entry, ladder safety, CPR, respirator, emergency evacuation).
• Willingness and ability to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) within 1 year (department provided training).
• OSHA Competent Person, Confined Space Entry, and Trenching/Shoring certifications (or to be obtained within 1 year of hire).
• NC Grade C, B, or A Water Distribution; NC Grade I, II, III, or IV Wastewater Collections.
• One or more years of supervisory experience in a field position leading a crew.
• Willingness to work during all weather types; willingness to serve on week‑long rotations of Stand‑by/Recall Duty providing overtime and emergency call‑back.
• Willingness to cross‑train in the various work groups.

• Meter Services:
  Preferred certifications include OSHA Competent Person, OSHA Trenching/Shoring, NC Grade A Water Distribution, NC Grade II Wastewater Collection, and AWWA Meter Technician.
• Excavation:
  Preferred certifications include OSHA Competent Person, OSHA Trenching/Shoring, NC Grade C Water Distribution, and NC Grade II Wastewater Collections.
• Distribution Systems Maintenance:
  Preferred certifications include OSHA Competent Person, OSHA Trenching/Shoring, NC Grade B Water Distribution, and NC Grade II Wastewater Collections.