Equipment Operator I

Salary: $19.57 - $32.29 Hourly
Location : 7000 Florida Street Punta Gorda 33950, FL
Job Type: Full-time
Job Number: 2026-00024
Department: PW - ROAD MAINT & OPERATIONS
Opening Date: 09/15/2026
Closing Date: Continuous
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Bargaining Unit: IUPAT


How You Can Help Us Make a Difference
Are you someone who enjoys working with heavy equipment and seeing the results of your work take shape every day? In this role, you'll operate heavy trucks, tractors, and a wide range of medium-sized equipment to support public works, utilities, parks, landfill, and construction projects that keep our community running smoothly. From roadways and storm drainage systems to landscaping and excavation work, your skills will help maintain and improve essential County infrastructure.

You'll spend most of your time behind the controls-safely operating equipment such as dump trucks, loaders, excavators, backhoes, graders, mowers, and other specialized machinery. Your work may include grading, ditching, leveling, hauling materials, and assisting with construction and maintenance activities. You'll also use hand and power tools, load and unload materials, and keep job sites clean and safe.

In addition to operating equipment, you'll perform routine maintenance and minor adjustments, set up work zones to protect crews and the public, and complete daily or weekly activity reports. At times, you may assist with the handling of hazardous materials, always following proper safety procedures.

If you take pride in safe equipment operation, enjoy hands-on outdoor work, and want a role where your efforts directly support your community, this position offers a dependable, impactful way to put your skills to work every day.

Your Purpose & Day-To-Day Journey

Education and Experience:
An equivalent combination of relevant training, education and experience:

• High school diploma or GED.
• One (1) year of experience in operating equipment in the construction, repair, and/or maintenance of public infrastructure.

Licenses and/or Certificates:

• Must maintain a valid "A" Commercial Driver's License (CDL), including appropriate endorsements.

Education & Credentials That Power This Role

What You Bring:
You bring a solid understanding of departmental policies, modern office practices, and the computer tools needed to support daily operations, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other job-related applications. You're familiar with traffic laws and regulations related to transporting and operating equipment on public roadways, as well as the safe handling and transport of hazardous materials.

You have working knowledge of construction and maintenance operations, including excavation, drainage, surfacing, and street paving processes, along with the materials used such as asphalt and aggregates. Safety is a priority for you-you understand operational hazards and consistently follow applicable rules and regulations.

You're skilled in operating vehicles and assigned equipment in compliance with traffic laws, and you're comfortable performing hands-on work, sometimes in challenging weather conditions. Organized and dependable, you can prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and work independently while following written and verbal instructions.

Clear communication and teamwork are among your strengths. You're able to maintain accurate records, prepare reports and correspondence, provide guidance and customer assistance, and build positive working relationships with coworkers, supervisors, partners, and the public. Above all, you bring a practical, service-oriented mindset and a commitment to getting the job done safely and effectively.
Extra Details You Should Know
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Stooping, crouching, walking, pulling, lifting, grasping, hearing, seeing up close, seeing far away, kneeling, reaching, pushing, talking, standing, finger movement, repetitive motions, depth perception, crawling, climbing. Frequent lifting of 10 to 25 pounds; occasional lifting of up to 50 pounds.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
Work is performed in a relatively safe, and secure work environment. Work is exposed to outdoor weather conditions or irate customers, extreme noise, odors, heights, and/or dust.

RISK/SAFETY CONDITIONS
The position requires moderate exposure or risk related to physical and/or mental health and safety (e.g., exposure to environmentally hazardous material, heavy equipment, assault and battery, communicable disease, etc.).

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.

Charlotte County is an Affirmative Action/ADA/Veterans' Preference and Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities are Encouraged to Apply.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE/RECOVERY ACTIVITIES:

All County employees are required to work before, during, or after an emergency as needed. This may include temporarily being assigned to work and performing duties outside of the normal scope of their position, location and work schedule to fit the needs of the County and its citizens.

Charlotte County is an Affirmative Action, ADA and Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to applyAs a veterans' preference employer, certain service members and veterans, and the spouses and family members of such service members and veterans, who claim and meet eligibility requirements of veterans' preference, receive preference and priority in employment and are encouraged to apply. In addition, certain servicemembers may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.

All positions with Charlotte County may be subject to drug testing in accordance with the Drug-Free Workplace Program and/or County policy.
Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners offers a comprehensive benefits package to regular full-time employees.
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Do you have a valid "A" Commercial Driver's License (CDL)?

• Yes
• No

Required Question