Maintenance Technician III - Sanitary Sewer Crew - INTERNAL ONLY

Maintenance Technician III

The City of Tumwater is seeking a skilled Maintenance Technician III to serve as a technical subject matter expert on the Sanitary Sewer Crew. This advanced journey-level position plays a critical role in maintaining and improving the City's wastewater collection infrastructure, including sewer mains, manholes, lift stations, grinder pumps, and related systems.

In this role, you will perform complex maintenance, repair, inspection, and operational work with a high degree of independence, including advanced troubleshooting and coordination of work activities. You will help respond to emergency sewer system conditions, support reliable wastewater operations, and ensure work is completed safely and efficiently in the field.

As a Maintenance Technician III, you will provide technical guidance and mentorship to Maintenance Technician I and II staff, support team coordination, and help drive safe and effective operations. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced technician ready to take on increased responsibility, apply advanced skills, and continue growing within the City.

Essential Job Duties

Advanced Sanitary Sewer System Maintenance & Repair

• Independently inspect, diagnose, maintain, and repair complex sanitary sewer conveyance systems, including mains, laterals, manholes, and appurtenances.
• Perform advanced sewer cleaning, root removal, and corrective maintenance using vactor and jetting equipment.
• Identify structural deficiencies, infiltration and inflow issues, and system failures and determine appropriate corrective actions.
• Perform or support advanced maintenance activities at lift stations, wet wells, and pumping facilities.

Emergency Response & Environmental Protection

• Lead response efforts to sanitary sewer overflows, backups, and emergency service calls.
• Coordinate spill containment, cleanup, and site restoration activities in accordance with City procedures.
• Identify potential public health or environmental risks and ensure appropriate escalation and documentation.

Equipment, Vehicle & Confined Space Leadership

• Operate advanced sewer maintenance equipment including vactor trucks, jetting systems, pumps, generators, and bypass equipment.
• Lead confined space entry setup, monitoring, and work activities in compliance with safety protocols.
• Perform and oversee routine inspections, greasing, fueling, and preventative maintenance of assigned vehicles and equipment.

Documentation, Compliance & Asset Management

• Ensure accurate and timely completion of work orders, inspection reports, overflow documentation, and maintenance records.
• Review field documentation for completeness and accuracy and assist with correcting deficiencies.
• Update asset condition data, CCTV findings, and maintenance history in asset management and GIS systems.

Traffic Control & Work Zone Safety

• Implements and adjusts traffic control setups in accordance with approved plans, MUTCD requirements, and city standards.
• Serve as traffic control lead or flagger as assigned.

Leadership & Mentoring

• Provide day-to-day technical guidance, mentoring, and training to Maintenance Technician I and II staff.
• Coordinate job site activities, assign tasks, and ensure safe and efficient work practices.
• Serve as a lead worker on complex or multi-day sanitary sewer projects.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Demonstrates expert-level mastery of sanitary sewer systems through extensive, progressively responsible experience appropriate to the role.
• Provides technical leadership and coordination of work activities on job sites when designated.
• Troubleshoots complex issues.
• Serves as a technical subject-matter resource during field operations, as directed.
• Coordinates job-site activities and work sequencing within established plans, procedures, and authority.
• Shares institutional knowledge
• Possesses most/all necessary credentials for service to the assigned team.
• Mentors junior staff on policies and procedures, including (but not limited to): work orders, documentation, task performance safety practices and personal protective equipment use.

Selection Criteria

Advancement process is not automatic. In order to be fully considered for this advancement please refer to the Maintenance Technician (MT) Series Development Program SharePoint site for guidance. This process ensures promotional decisions are based on demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs), required credentials, documented performance, and management review, while complying with the applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), City policies, and departmental guidance. For any questions on this advancement process please direct all questions to Human Resources.

Other Information (If Any) Specific to This Position

Decision Rights & Problem Solving

• Independently plans and executes complex sanitary sewer maintenance and repair tasks.
• Makes field-level technical decisions within established procedures and authority and does not exercise formal supervisory or regulatory authority.
• Performs advanced troubleshooting and determines appropriate corrective actions within established authority.
• Makes field-level decisions related to safety, sequencing of work, and use of equipment.
• Escalates major regulatory, environmental, or safety concerns to supervisory staff.

Supervision Received / Exercised

• Received: General supervision from the Field Crew Lead or Assistant Utility Operations Supervisor
• Exercised: Provides lead direction, mentoring, and task coordination for Maintenance Technician I and II staff; no formal supervisory authority

Key Relationships

• Internal: Sewer Crew members; Water Resources staff; Engineering; GIS; other Operations crews.
• External: Property owners, contractors, regulatory inspectors (as directed)

Tools & Technology

• Vactor and jetting equipment
• CCTV sewer inspection systems
• Portable pumps and generators
• Locating equipment
• Hand tools, power tools, cutting and excavation tools
• City asset management and mapping software

Working Conditions & Physical Demands

Work is performed in a variety of field, operational, or service environments, depending on assignment. Duties may involve exposure to varying weather conditions, noise, traffic, equipment, uneven terrain, and other operational hazards. Work may require prolonged standing or walking, climbing, bending, kneeling, reaching, and heavy lifting, as well as the operation of tools, equipment, or vehicles. Some assignments may involve working in confined or restricted spaces.

Work schedules may include evenings, weekends, holidays, emergency response, or on-call assignments based on operational needs. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified individuals in accordance with applicable laws.

Commitment to Equity, Safety, and Ethics

Employees are expected to perform their duties in a manner that supports equity, safety, integrity, and professionalism. This includes following all safety policies and procedures, treating coworkers and the public with respect, and conducting work ethically and responsibly.

Employees are expected to uphold public trust through fair, transparent, and lawful conduct and to contribute to a safe, inclusive, and respectful work environment.

The City of Tumwater is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor. The City of Tumwater is committed to wellness, safety, the environment and racial equity.