Highway Maintenance Specialist

Job Title

Transportation Maintenance Specialist 2 – Highway Maintenance Specialist

Oregon Department of Transportation, Delivery & Operations Division – Region 5, La Grande County

Do you want to use your skills to make a difference? Join our hardworking La Grande maintenance crew and help keep Oregon’s roads and travelers safe! As part of our team, you will operate equipment necessary to maintain and repair roadways, highways, bridges, and structures. You will also help with emergency cleanup and traffic control after storms, spills, incidents and more.

• Operate heavy and light equipment and tools to maintain and repair various surfaces.
• Assist with weather related emergencies and operate snowplows, deicer trucks and other equipment to clear snow from roadways.
• Perform minor surface repairs including pothole and concrete patching and small inlay work.
• Clear debris, brush, mow grass and spray roadside vegetation.
• Maintain and repair fences, guardrails, concrete barriers and milepost markers.
• Maintain drainage systems, dig and clean ditches and repair culverts, inlets and erosion.
• Maintain wooded areas which includes replanting, pruning, thinning or trimming trees, shrubs and ground cover.
• Service and repair tools and motorized equipment.
• Perform minor maintenance including janitorial work, landscaping, painting and light carpentry.
• Exposure to noise, extreme heights, all weather conditions, heavy equipment, pesticides and hazardous waste materials is expected.
• Must be able to move around rough terrain, bend and stoop for extended periods and may need to lift up to 60 pounds.

• Work/life balance, 11 paid holidays a year, flexible work schedules, paid leave and so much more.
• Comprehensive and equitable base salary offer within the listed range. Through an equal pay assessment, we will determine the salary offer using the information you provide in your submitted application materials.
• The salary range listed is the non-PERS monthly salary range. If you are already a participating PERS member or once you become PERS eligible, the salary range will increase by 6.95%.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness opportunity.

• One year of experience performing basic highway maintenance work, or
• Two years of general landscaping, maintenance, mechanical, farming, logging, and/or construction experience or training.

• This position requires a maximum 30 minute response time to 3014 Island Ave, La Grande, OR 97850 for emergency call-outs.
• You must possess a current, valid commercial driver's license A (CDL-A) with a tanker endorsement, no air brake restrictions, no 5th wheel restrictions and no manual transmission restrictions; or have the ability to acquire a class A commercial learner permit within 60 days of hire and a CDL-A with a tanker endorsement and restrictions removed within six months of hire (ODOT will cover training costs) to be considered eligible for this position.
• A valid driver license and an acceptable driving record are required for this position. We will conduct pre‑employment driving records checks, including FMCSA Clearinghouse registration and full query check for our final candidate(s) and annual query for current employees.
• As of Sept. 29, 2025, the FMCSA has rescinded prior guidance that allowed state DMVs to issue limited term commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). As a result, individuals who hold a lawful employment authorization document (EAD) are no longer eligible to obtain a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) or commercial driver’s license (CDL). This federal policy change may impact candidates applying for positions that require a CDL.
  
  For more information, please refer to the FMCSA announcement and the accompanying FAQ.
• This position requires the final candidate obtain their Public Pesticide Applicator’s license within six months of hire.

• Experience in road maintenance, construction or in a maintenance training program such as ODOT High School to Highway program, ODOT/ODF Fire and Ice program, Job Corps, etc.
• A current, valid commercial driver's license A (CDL-A) is preferred.
• Winter…