Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO)

Salary : $53,272.00 - $78,713.00 Annually
Location : 1600 Mist Lake Dr., Durham, NC
Job Type: Full time with benefits
Job Number: 25-05775
Department: Water Management
Opening Date: 03/03/2025
Closing Date: Continuous


Position Description
Work, Serve, Thrive. With the City of Durham

Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve.

Hiring Range: $53,272 - $59,617

Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
The City of Durham's wants YOU to join our team of more than 380 talented and dedicated employees that provide critical water and sewer services for Durham's 309,000 plus residents. Not only do we deliver the Best Tasting Water in the state to our customers each and every day, but we also make sure that the wastewater leaving our facilities is carefully treated to protect the environment. We have a wide-ranging variety of positions open to match your skill set - mechanics, engineers, maintenance specialists, technicians, customer billing techs, and much more. If you have a passion for managing vital water resources, protecting the environment, providing excellent customer service, and keeping the water and wastewater in the pipes, bring your skills and talent to Durham!

Water Management has some vacancies for a Heavy Equipment Operators (HEO) within the Water & Sewer Maintenance Division. HEOs, no matter where they are assigned, are expected to operate specialized and heavy-duty motorized equipment and vehicles which have complex operating requirements. Work involves responsibility for the safe and efficient operation of at least 3 of the following : Backhoe, Track-hoe, Skid-Steer, Excavator, Rubber Tire Loader, Front-end Loader and/or tractor with attachments, Track Loader, dump truck, Jet Vac truck, flushers, and pump-oriented water tanks.


In accordance with DOT, this role also operates vehicles that haul heavy loads and/or tow equipment with or without a trailer; bulldozers, tractor-type construction equipment, and other types of similar heavy earthmoving equipment of comparable operating difficulty. This job works in close proximity to high voltage wires & other lines often climbing on equipment higher than 4 feet & working within tight spaces. This job is required to work weekend rotation for stand-by/recall, overtime, and/or call back for emergencies and during all types of weather conditions.

HEOs normally work on teams within Outfall Maintenance or as part of the Excavation teams and cross train in the various work-groups listed below:

• Excavation: Maintains pipelines, installing new services, hydrants, valves, manholes and meters
• Outfall Maintenance: clears easements & assists with manhole repair & inspections; responds to sanitary sewer overflow
• Distribution Systems: Repairs and maintain valves and fire hydrants
• Collection Systems: Assists with closed circuit television inspections, flush truck operations & sanitary sewer overflow

Duties/Responsibilities

• Operating construction equipment including, but not limited, to backhoes, excavators, dump trucks, front-end loaders, rollers, compactors, camera trucks and flush trucks.
• Performs and/or assists with coordinating maintenance operations; installs, operates, and/or repairs vehicles, signs, networks, cameras, pumps, pipes, water lines, radio systems, and other devices and equipment at assigned facilities or sites; performs skilled plumbing, carpentry, concrete work, masonry, painting, and welding duties; and/or performs preventative maintenance on HVAC equipment, tools, and small engines.
• Inspects conditions of equipment, vehicles, signs, networks, cameras, radio systems, devices, and other materials at assigned facilities or sites; sets up work safe zones and detour routes; directs traffic; and addresses safety issues to detect and troubleshoot maintenance-related issues; and ensures compliance with established safety and operational policies and practices.
• Prepares and maintains reports and records, performs data entry, receives and processes work orders and service requests, and updates work order systems and related databases, to document and facilitate maintenance operations, and ensure compliance with applicable policies and procedures.
• Performs other duties of a similar nature and level as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications & Experience

• High School Diploma or equivalent (GED, HiSet, TASC)
• Four years of equipment operation, or technical repair experience in areas related to assignment.

• A valid North Carolina Class A Commercial Driver's License with a satisfactory driving record is required
• Must complete job related and/or safety training based on assignment, such as (but not limited to) lock out/tag out, confined space entry, ladder safety, respirator and emergency evacuation training.
• Ability to safely and efficiently operate of at least 3 of the following : Backhoe, Track-hoe, Skid-Steer, Excavator, Rubber Tire Loader, Front-end Loader and/or tractor with attachments, Track Loader, dump truck, Jet Vac truck, flushers, and pump-oriented water tanks.
• Must be comfortable climbing on equipment higher than 4 feet & working within tight spaces including trenches and confined spaces.

Additional Preferred Skills

• 1+ years of supervisory experience in a field position leading a crew
• OSHA Competent Person, Confined Space Entry, & Trenching/Shoring certifications or obtained within 1 year of hire
• NC Grade C, B, or A Water Distribution
• NC Grade I, II, III, or IV Wastewater Collections

Benefits - General Full-Time Employees

• 12-13 paid holidays per year
• 13 standard work days of vacation per year
• 13 standard work days of sick leave per year, which accumulates indefinitely; sick leave may be used toward early retirement
• 2 weeks paid military leave per year
• Medical, dental, vision, and supplemental life insurance plans
• State and City retirement plans
• Short and long term disability plans
• Paid temporary disability leave for specified conditions
• City contribution of 13.6% into the N.C. State Retirement System
• Paid funeral leave
• Employee Assistance Program - personal and family counseling
• Paid life insurance equal to annual salary
• 48 hours for volunteer work each year*
• 4 hours parental leave each year
• Workman's Compensation Insurance
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plans

Benefits - Part-Time (1,000 hours or more per year)

• 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
• State retirement plan

Benefits Part-Time (Average 30 hours per week over 12 month period)

• 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
• State retirement plan effective first day of the month following date of hire
• Health insurance effective first day of the month following date of hire
• Dental and life insurance, after one year of service
• Pro-rated vacation, pro-rated sick, pro-rated floating holiday, parttime holiday pay (based on scheduled hours for that day) after one year of service

01


Where did you first hear about this opportunity?

• City of Durham Website
• Walk in
• Job fair
• Employee referral
• Professional organization ***Please list the organization in "other" box below***
• Internet posting ***Please list the specific web site in the "other" box below***
• Craig's List
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• GlassDoor
• governmentjobs.com
• Monster.com
• Indeed.com
• Employment Security Commission
• Magazine/Newspaper
• Other

02


If you listed "other" above please give specific web site, organization, or publication.
03


Please select your highest level of COMPLETED education.

• Less than a High School Diploma or Equivalent (GED, HiSET, TASC)
• High School Diploma or Equivalent (GED, HiSET, TASC)
• Associates Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• PhD or Juris Doctorate

04


How many years of related experience do you have in equipment operation, or technical repair experience in areas related to assignment?

• No related experience
• Less than 1 year of related experience
• 1 year but less than 4 years related experience
• 4 years but less than 8 years related experience
• 8 or more years related experience

05


Do you have a valid, unrestricted, North Carolina driver's license? (If you have a valid license from a State other than North Carolina, you must be willing and able to obtain a valid, unrestricted NC driver's license within 60 days of hire)

• I have a valid, unrestricted NC driver's license.
• I have a valid license from another State and I am willing to obtain a valid, unrestricted NC driver's license within 60 days.
• I do not have a valid, unrestricted driver's license.

06


How many years of experience do you have in a supervisory/management capacity leading a crew?

• No supervisory experience
• Some supervisory experience but less than 1 year
• 1 year experience but less than 3 years
• 3 years experience but less than 5 years
• 5 or more years supervisory experience

07


Do you have an OSHA Competent Person Certification?

• Yes
• No

08


Do you have a current and valid North Carolina Commercial Driver's License (CDL) level A?

• Yes
• No

09


Do you have a North Carolina Grade C, B, or A Water Distribution certification?

• Yes
• No

10


Do you have a NC Grade I, II, III, or IV Wastewater Collections certification?

• Yes
• No

11


Do you have an OSHA Confined Space Training/Certification?

• Yes
• No

12


Do you have an OSHA Trenching/Shoring certification?

• Yes
• No

13


Are you willing and able to work weekend rotation for stand-by/recall, overtime, and/or call back for emergencies and during all types of weather conditions?

• Yes
• No

14


Are you comfortable climbing on equipment higher than 4 feet & working within tight spaces including trenches and confined spaces?

• Yes
• No

15


Do you have experience working with the following heavy equipment (check all that apply):

• None of these
• Backhoe
• Track-hoe
• Skid-Steer
• Dump trucks
• Excavator
• Rubber Tire Loader
• Front-end Loader and/or tractor with attachments
• Track Loader
• Jet Vac truck
• Flushers
• Pump-oriented water tanks

Required Question