Highway Materials & Tests Technician III

The work we do matters!

Hiring Agency

Transportation - Agency 27

Lincoln, NE

$21.646

JR Highway Materials & Tests Technician III (Open)

(If no date is displayed, job is posted as open until closed): 02-18-2026

Join a dynamic team with the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT). This position is responsible for conducting pavement field testing across the state, including the extraction and evaluation of concrete cylinders, to support the construction and long-term performance of Nebraska's highway system. As a member of this team, you will play a vital role in ensuring the structural integrity, durability, and safety of the state's transportation infrastructure.

This opportunity combines hands‑on fieldwork with applied engineering practices, directly contributing to projects that enhance mobility and strengthen communities statewide. We reward our employees' hard work with a friendly and supportive work environment and a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• State‑matched retirement contribution of 156%
• 13 paid holidays
• Generous leave accruals that begin immediately
• Military leave
• Tuition reimbursement program
• Dependent tuition reimbursement program with partnering Nebraska community colleges
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF) through the Federal government
• 79% employer‑paid health insurance plans
• Dental and vision insurance plans
• Employer‑paid $20,000 life insurance policy
• Wide variety and availability of career advancement as the largest and most diverse employer in the State
• Opportunity to be part of meaningful work and make a difference through public service
• Training and Development based on your career aspirations
• Job security and stability, even during times of economic hardship
• Employee Assistance Program
• Fun, inviting teammates
• Free parking

• Conduct work on Nebraska roadways to assist with maintenance, construction, and research projects.
• Review data and plan sets to determine locations and dates of sampling.
• Determine priority of sampling and testing while maintaining accurate records.
• Check and calibrate testing equipment used by the Materials and Research Division.
• Direct and/or perform concrete and asphalt pavement coring operations to include locating designated core sites and the drilling, measuring, and marking of cores.
• Hands‑on work with the NDOT pavement friction program, including operation, maintenance, and calibration of the computer‑controlled pavement friction tester.
• Collection of pavement friction data at locations statewide.
• Preparation of pavement friction reports and recommendations on pavement friction.
• Work with contractor personnel to inspect and certify profilograph equipment.
• Operate a High Speed Profiler to measure pavement roughness on location statewide, calculate a roughness index from raw data, and maintain historical data files.

A high school education or the equivalent, and experience in highway construction inspection, materials testing, or other laboratory operations

• Experience with the procedures and policies involved in the sampling, testing, and inspection of materials used in concrete construction.
• Experience working with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word and Excel.

• Must have a valid driver’s license or the ability to provide independent authorized transportation.
• Overnight travel is 10%, but varies as field testing locations change.
• Regular and reliable attendance is required.
• Must be able to lift 60 pounds.
• The physical ability to climb onto machinery 5 feet high and crawl under if necessary.

• Techniques and procedures involved in the sampling, testing, and inspection of materials used in the construction and maintenance of highways.
• Occupational hazards and safety precautions applicable to the work, such as the proper use of safety equipment, equipment operation, and materials handling.
• The use of commonly issued testing equipment, devices, scales, ovens, moisture chambers, and strain gauges.
• Materials sampling techniques, terms, and symbols.
• Basic engineering…