Heavy Equipment Operator - Maintenance Mechanic 3 - Permanent - Two Openings - 2026-06474

Title

Heavy Equipment Operator

Maintenance Mechanic 3

Two (2)

Full-Time/Permanent

WDFW Program:
Capital and Asset Management Program (CAMP) – Lacey Construction Shop

Duty Station:
Lacey, Washington – Thurston County

This recruitment is scheduled to be posted until September 3, 2026. First review of applications will take place August 19, 2026. Application review is ongoing, and applicants are encouraged to submit their materials as soon as possible. Following the first review date, this recruitment may be closed at any time.

This position requires a valid, current Class A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) at the time of application.

Photo Caption:
Estuary Restoration Construction – Photo Credit: WDFW

Join our team at the Capital and Asset Management Program, where we provide essential engineering, construction, and maintenance services to support the agency’s facilities, infrastructure, and ecosystems.

With your expertise in operating heavy machinery, you will skillfully maneuver machinery around sensitive utilities and structures while providing support to projects.

In this dynamic position, your work on various projects and enhancements, from maintaining gravel roads to wetland restoration, will benefit wildlife, fisheries, and the public.

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Heavy Equipment Operator will,

• Expertly operate construction and earth moving equipment, such as but not limited to:
  Excavators of various sizes;
  Track loaders more than 70 net flywheel horsepower;
  Wheel loaders more than 80 net flywheel horsepower;
  Crawler tractors having 80 or more net flywheel horsepower;
  Motorized graders;
  Compacting rollers;
  Rubber tired loader/backhoe combination 51 or more net flywheel horsepower.
• Provide subject matter expertise in the recommendations of material and equipment staging, utility location, etc.
• Operate heavy equipment in a safe and effective manner to minimize the risk of injury, property damage, or loss of life.
• Perform all safety inspections on equipment to ensure safe operational order.

• Proficiently operate GPS technology and rotating laser levels to shoot grades and establish various elevation of a jobsite, correcting or maintaining grade/elevations.
• Set grade stakes and paint marks to guide earth moving equipment operators in sloping roadway and fill embankments, using measuring instruments and hand tools.
• Read grading plans and cut and fill stakes.
• Read and understand blueprints, sketches, building plans, and drawings.

• Operate vehicles rated at 80,000 Gross Combined Weight (GCW) or more, including semi-tractor/trailer equipment.
• Operate truck with lowboy trailer.
• Operate 12-yard dump truck to spread aggregate on road base.
• Direct or participate in loading and unloading equipment, material, or supplies.
• Perform pre-trip and post-trip inspection of vehicles and trailers to ensure safe operational order and report maintenance or repair issues.

• Install, maintain, and repair culverts and catch basins.
• Inspect water mains, fixtures, and valves to determine need for maintenance and repair.
• Diagnose and repair problems in the field with vehicles and equipment.
• Demolish or alter buildings, sheds, concrete forms, and other structures from plans, sketches, or instructions.
• Ensure the site is ready for installation by removing old signage and preparing the surface for mounting, construction, and installation of new signage.

Work Setting, including hazards:
Duties are performed at construction sites at the Hatcheries and Wildlife Areas, and occasionally in an office setting. Hazards include working on rough terrain, riverbanks, slippery slopes, in confined and difficult to reach spaces, and all types of weather conditions.

Bend, stoop, squat, twist, push, pull, and occasionally lift 50 pounds repetitively when loading/unloading trucks or moving materials around a project site. Operate motor vehicles in hazardous weather conditions, such as snow and ice…