Motor Equipment Operator - Public Works, Bureau of Highways, Cooksville Shop

Howard County Government Job Opportunity

Howard County, conveniently located in the heart of central Maryland between Baltimore and Washington, offers the charm of a historic past mixed with the excitement of a cosmopolitan community. Howard County Government is a leader in innovation, sustainability, and consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and work in the country. In 2025, Howard County Government received a record-breaking 83 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) – the highest number of annual NACo awards achieved in the history of the State of Maryland, and the highest number of awards out of any county in the State of Maryland which received a collective 136 awards.

NACo is the leading organization representing county-level government operations. These awards recognize innovative and transformative programs that provide new services for county residents, improve existing programs, upgrade working conditions, and enhance citizen participation and public policy making. We are looking for outstanding individuals to join our team and contribute to excellence in Howard County operations. What you'll like most about working at Howard County Government:

• We are committed to workplace excellence in every area of County government.
• We have a highly talented, diverse, and inclusive workplace. Your input will not only be heard, but it will be encouraged!
• We offer competitive compensation and great benefits including medical, retirement, and wellness programs.
• As a member of the Howard County Government team, you'll be helping drive our culture and directly impact what makes us an amazing place to work.

Position Summary:

This is work involving the driving of trucks and the operating of less complex types of motor and mechanical equipment. Starting salary hiring range: $22.08 - $24.39/hourly $45,933 - $50,732/annually. This is the anticipated starting salary range for this position. Please note that the final salary will be determined by the Office of Human Resources, commensurate with experience and aligned to ensure internal equity with similarly situated roles.

Class

Description:

This is work involving the driving of trucks; the operating of less complex types of motor and mechanical equipment; the performing of a variety of skilled and semi-skilled manual tasks involving such equipment and a variety of hand and power tools. Work includes tasks needed in the construction and maintenance of public works projects. This is a Classified position, meaning that it is a part of the Howard County Classified Service upon completion of a probationary period of at least six (6) months.

This position has been designated as "essential personnel," meaning an employee is expected to report for regular work shift during inclement weather, emergency situations, County holidays and on an on-call basis.

Equipment Operation and Transportation:

• Operates dump trucks hauling sand, stone, pipe, tools, and other materials for road construction and maintenance.
• Operates motor vehicles and equipment with attachments/tools (chipper, compressor, tamping machine, trencher) for salting, ditch work, pipe installation, grass cutting, and similar activities.
• Operates a highway striping vehicle, paint spray carriage, and personnel lift truck for control device maintenance, tree trimming, and related duties.
• Operates forklift or loader to load/unload heavy materials; manually loads/unloads other materials.
• Operates snow plows and salt spreaders; plows and salts roads.
• May operate more complex motor equipment, hand tools, and power tools (loader, roller, skid loader, compactor, chipper).

Road, Infrastructure and Maintenance Work:

• Performs semi-skilled manual labor tasks including painting, raking and shoveling stone, mixing cement, flagging traffic, mulching and seeding, jackhammer work, and other highway maintenance activities.
• Patches roads and shoulders.
• Directs traffic flow during work activities.

Vehicle, Equipment and Tool Maintenance:

• Inspects vehicles, equipment, and tools.
• Performs minor routine and preventive maintenance, including checking tires, air pressure,…