Equipment Operator

Salary: $48,600.00 - $68,000.00 Annually
Location : Lake Woodard Annex, 3324 Lake Woodard Drive, Raleigh, NC
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 2026-00587
Department: PU Sewer Maintenance
Opening Date: 08/06/2026
Closing Date: 8/20/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Work Hours: Monday - Friday; 6:30 am to 3:00 pm
Hiring Range: $48,600.00 - $58,300.00


Job Description
This position functions as the supportive manual labor component of a two-person crew assigned to the Preventative Sewer Cleaning Program within the Sewer Maintenance Division. Crews within this program are tasked with completing assigned work orders for conducting inspections and maintenance of the sewer collection system. Additionally, crews are tasked with responding to calls to investigate the conditions of sanitary sewer mains. Staff assigned to this role are responsible for the operational deployment of the SL-RAT acoustic rapid assessment tool for the purpose of sewer system pipeline evaluation. Additional duties may be assigned as needed to support Utility Operations including site maintenance, operating equipment and tools, and participating in organizational events.

Work is conducted in a crew setting primarily in an outdoors environment in close proximity to heavy equipment, vehicle traffic, open manholes, and open excavations. May involve entering areas with uneven or rough terrain to include creek beds, wetlands, or forested areas. May be required to work extended shifts including shifts outside of normal business hours and work on weekends and/or holidays
Regular scheduled working hours are Monday through Friday, 6:30 am to 3:00 pm. This position carries with it an on-call requirement which includes 8 hours of paid standby per on-call week, plus the potential to earn overtime pay at 1.5 times the normal hourly rate for hours worked over 40. This position will report to the Lake Woodard Operations Center, located at 3324 Lake Woodard Drive, Raleigh, NC 27604.

About You:
You are comfortable working in a crew setting, primarily in an outdoor environment in close proximity to heavy equipment, vehicle traffic, open manholes, and open excavations. You follow established safety policies and procedures and applicable codes and regulations, provide attention to detail in assignments, and can operate assigned tools and equipment. You are prepared to fulfill call duty on a rotating basis, including weekends and/or holidays, and may be required to work extended shifts outside of normal business hours.

About Us:
The City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department, now also known as Raleigh Water, provides water and sanitary sewer services to roughly 198,000 metered customers and a service population of about 600,000 people in Raleigh, Garner, Wake Forest, Rolesville, Knightdale, Wendell, and Zebulon areas. Our mission is to provide safe, sustainable water services for our customers while protecting public health and contributing to the economic, environmental, and social vitality of our communities.

The benefits of being a City of Raleigh Equipment Operator include:

• Education provided to learn Water Distribution/Wastewater Collection Operator standards and earn certification
• Qualifying Equipment Operators are eligible for training certifications that provide stipends of additional pay up to 12.5%

Duties and Responsibilities
The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by employees in this job. Employees may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

• Operates and maintains assigned equipment and tools; performs inspections to ensure safe operating conditions; performs routine repairs and/or replacement of parts; cleans and performs maintenance; monitors need for replacement or advanced repairs of equipment
• Assist with inventory counts and monitoring of needed tools and supplies
• Assist with setup/teardown of traffic control work zones and various safety equipment
• Complete various manual labor tasks such as, assisting with the walking of the SL-RAT down easements for deployment, loading/unloading equipment, setup of traffic control work zones, opening manhole covers, inserting cleaning nozzles into sewer pipes, monitor cleaning operations to identify any issues, and routine cleaning of truck and tools
• Assist Lead with response to sanitary sewer overflows and using assigned SL-RAT equipment to investigate sewer pipe.
• Provide support to the City's emergency response in the event of inclement weather, to include support for debris cleanup after severe storms or snow and ice response for Division facilities
• Daily vehicle and equipment inspections. Maintenance of assigned tools
• Assist with work zone setup and teardown. Act as spotter to truck operator
• Assist with truck/supply room inventory. Assist with all other work-related tasks to include inputting data into electronic work order system.
• Performs other duties of a similar nature and level as assigned

Typical Qualifications
Education and Experience:
High School diploma or G.E.D. equivalency; Less than 1 year experience in light to medium construction equipment operation or related work

OR


Any equivalent combination of training and/or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities may be substituted
Examples of preferred relatable experience include:

• Construction: grading, storm drain, site work, builder, plumber, any utility construction (including fiber installation), road construction.
• Landscaping: installer, maintenance, irrigation
• Mechanics: heavy equipment, HVAC, hydraulic systems
• Farming: manual labor, equipment operating
• Moving Company: labor, truck driver
• General Municipal Worker: utility inspector; Tech School Student: mechanical; Firefighter: full or part-time

Licenses or Certifications:

• Valid North Carolina Class C Driver's License with a satisfactory driving record, or the ability to obtain within 60 days of hire
• Valid North Carolina Class A Commercial Driver's License with a satisfactory driving record, or the ability to obtain within 90 days of hire

Additional Information
Knowledge of:

• Standard practices, methods and materials of assigned work
• Specialized equipment relevant to area of assignment
• Occupational hazards and safety guidelines
• Uses and properties of supplies and equipment

Skill in:

• Verbal and written communication
• Establishing and maintaining productive working relationships

Ability to:

• Perform routine inspections to ensure safe operating conditions
• Follow instructions provided by a supervisor

ADA and Other Requirements:

Work Environment and Physical Effort:
Medium: Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, up to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.

Work Environment:
Work is typically performed in an outdoor environment, street environment (near moving traffic), at a construction site and in and around vehicles. Employees may occasionally be in confined spaces, and warehouse or shop environments.

Work Exposures:
There is frequent exposure to extreme cold (below 32 degrees), extreme heat (above 100 degrees), moving mechanical parts, fumes and airborne particles and loud noises. Employees may occasionally interact with individuals who are hostile or irate and communicable diseases.

City of Raleigh is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. Accommodations for individuals with disabilities are provided upon request.
When you join the City of Raleigh's work family as a full-time employee, your benefits are an important part of your "total rewards". Your benefits impact many aspects of your life including your health, your finances, and the protection of your family. The City provides a comprehensive benefits package as part of our total rewards program to support you through important events in your life, to enhance your life outside work, and to help you plan and prepare for the future.


To find out about the City's benefits package, and other programs, please visit our Employee Benefits page:

The City employs temporary and seasonal employees who generally are scheduled to work on a short-term basis. However, if you are hired as a temporary or seasonal employee, or as an intern, you are not eligible for the City of Raleigh's benefits.
01


Please select your highest level of education completed.

• Some high school
• High school diploma (or GED)
• Some college
• Associate's degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree
• PhD or other professional degree

02


How much relevant or comparable work experience do you have in light to medium construction equipment operation or related work?

• None
• Less than 1 year
• 1 to less than 2 years
• 2 to less than 3 years
• 3 to less than 4 years
• 4 to less than 5 years
• 5 to less than 6 years
• 6 to less than 7 years
• 7 to less than 8 years
• 8 to less than 9 years
• 9 to less than 10 years
• 10 years or more

03


Do you have a valid North Carolina Driver's License Class C or the ability to obtain one within 60 days of hire?

• Yes, I currently have a valid NC Driver's License.
• I do not currently have a valid NC Driver's License, but I can obtain one within 60 days of hire.
• No, I do not currently have a valid NC Driver's License and NO, I cannot obtain one within 60 days of hire.

04


Do you have a valid North Carolina Class A (CDL) Commercial Driver's License or the ability to obtain within 90 days of hire?

• Yes, I currently have a valid NC Class A Driver's License.
• No, I do not currently have a valid NC Class A Driver's License, but I can obtain one within 90 days of hire.
• No, I do not currently have a valid NC Class A Driver's License and NO, I cannot obtain one within 90 days of hire.

05


Have you ever been terminated or forced to resign from a position?

• Yes
• No

06


If you answered "yes" to being terminated or forced to resign, please provide an explanation and the date.
Required Question