County of Santa Barbara is hiring: Heavy Equipment Operator in Santa Barbara

Overview

We are accepting applications to fill three (3) full-time Heavy Equipment Operator vacancies. One vacancy in the Transportation Division in Santa Barbara, one vacancy in the Resource Recovery and Waste Management Division in Santa Barbara, and one vacancy in the Flood Control District in Santa Maria.

THE POSITION: Under general supervision, the selected candidate performs skilled work operating heavy equipment in the maintenance and construction of roads, public works or flood control facilities; leads maintenance staff as needed; performs related duties as required.

NOTE: The County may provide reimbursement for reasonable relocation expenses, and, at the discretion of the CEO, can provide flexible relocation assistance, housing and student loan offsets, cash incentives, and/or vacation and sick leave pre-accruals in the interest of attracting the best talent to the organization.

We are also accepting applications to establish employment lists for future Full-Time, Part-Time, Civil Service Rule 1414* and Extra-Help Heavy Equipment Operator vacancies at All Locations.

CSR 1414*: Position vacated as a leave of absence (CSR 1414) and the duration of the appointment shall be subject to the return of the individual who is on a leave. A person appointed to the position under CSR 1414 may be able to transition into a regular position in the classification without re-application or re-testing, depending on the performance of the appointee and the needs of the department.

Benefits Overview

• Vacation: 12 to 25 days per year depending on length of public employment.
• Holidays: 13 days per year.
• Sick Leave: 12 days sick leave per year. Unlimited accumulation, one year of which can be converted to service credit upon retirement.
• Health Plan: Choice of medical and dental plans (with vision care). County contributes toward the employee's premium.
• On-Site Employee Health Clinics: in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria for eligible employees and dependents over age 15.

Note: Applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for retirement reciprocity and time and service credit towards an advanced vacation accrual rate. Please note that most assignments offer flexible 9/80 and 4/10 regular work schedules.

Distinguishing Characteristics

This class is distinguished from Maintenance Worker I/II and Heavy Truck Driver by the primary assignment of operation of heavy construction equipment on a regular basis, with possible lead supervision as a secondary assignment.

Ideal Candidate Will Possess

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Dedication and team loyalty
• Good judgment and solution-oriented approach
• Team player with crews and others
• Ability to safely load, legally secure, and unload equipment from trucks and trailers
• Ability to safely operate equipment in and around live traffic and ground personnel
• Experience utilizing the USA/Dig Alert system and understanding its function
• Ability to follow direction and instruction related to tasks
• Experience creating Daily Work Reports
• Ability to organize, prioritize work, and meet deadlines
• Attention to detail while handling multiple projects with competing priorities
• Ability to develop and maintain sound working relationships with diverse people
• Customer service-oriented mindset
• Professionalism with diplomacy and integrity
• Ability to lead and manage multiple situations simultaneously
• Adaptability to change and new information
• Judgment in answering questions and releasing information; analyzing consequences of decisions
• Experience using MUTCD is desirable

About the Public Works Department

The Santa Barbara County Public Works Department consists of five divisions: Transportation, Resource Recovery and Waste Management, Water Resources (Flood Control, Water Agency and Project Clean Water), the County Surveyor's Office, and Administration. To learn more, visit www.countyofsb.org/pwd/.

1. Operates heavy construction equipment including motor graders, loaders, bulldozers, excavators, scrapers, cranes, steel rollers and chip spreaders on various projects.
2. Performs minor maintenance and repair of equipment.
3. Performs manual labor and other work as needed.
4. May act as lead worker over maintenance crews.

Specific duties include assignments listed below:

Road Maintenance: Cuts, slopes and grades roadbeds and shoulders; constructs and maintains roads and berms; clears rock and mud slides; excavates roadways and trenches; spreads sand, gravel, base, soil and hot asphalt premix; compacts material; other road maintenance operations.

Flood Control Maintenance: Cuts, slopes, and grades flood control channel beds and hillsides; constructs and maintains creek beds and dams; clears rock and mud slides from flood control channels; spreads and compacts materials; other flood control operations.

Solid Waste Disposal: Cuts, slopes, and grades hillsides and landfill sites; prepares and levels refuse; may operate diesel tractor-trailer on an intermittent basis.

Possession of a valid California Class A Driver's License without air break or automatic transition restrictions AND:

• Two (2) years of experience operating heavy construction equipment; OR
• One (1) year of experience performing duties equivalent to the class of Maintenance Worker II with Santa Barbara County, including the operation of heavy construction equipment; OR
• A combination of training, education, and experience equivalent to the above and providing the required knowledge and abilities.

Appointees to those positions requiring a Class A license will be subject to mandatory drug testing prior to beginning work; on the job, incumbents will be subject to drug and/or alcohol testing on a random, reasonable suspicion, post-accident, return-to-duty, and follow-up basis.

Knowledge of: mechanical operation of heavy diesel and gas-powered equipment; heavy construction practices.

Ability to: operate, maintain and service equipment; learn and apply departmental procedures; follow written and oral instructions; work well with others.

Working Conditions: Requires physical exertion including lifting up to 50 pounds. Willingness to work different shifts, weekends, and in emergencies.

Application and Selection Process

1. Review applications and supplemental questionnaire to determine meeting minimum qualifications.
2. Supplemental Questionnaire Ranking. Responses evaluated and scored; final score determines eligibility list. May be eliminated if fewer than 11 qualified applicants. Do not enter see resume when responding to supplemental questions.

Candidates must receive at least 70% on the Supplemental Questionnaire. Names on the employment list for a minimum of three months. At list establishment, applicants will receive written notice of score, rank, and duration.

Note: The hiring department will conduct interviews with top candidates. Interviews may include a Performance Examination.

Conditional Job Offer: After a conditional offer, a background check, conviction history check, and reference checks are required. A post-offer medical evaluation may be required.

Recruiters will correspond with applicants by e-mail during each step. Check spam filters during the process to avoid missed deadlines.

Reasonable Accommodations: The County is committed to accommodations for applicants. Contact the recruiter listed on the job posting for needed accommodations; verification may be required from a professional source.

The appointee must satisfactorily complete a 12-month probationary period.

Disaster Service Worker: Pursuant to Government Code section 3100, all County employees are disaster service workers as assigned by superiors or by law.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement: The County provides equal employment opportunities and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. The County is committed to merit-based selection and to reducing barriers to attract and retain top qualified candidates.

Deadline: Application and Supplemental Questionnaire deadline: November 11, 2025, by 4:59 PM PDT. Applications and job bulletins available at www.sbcountyjobs.com.

Contact: Kim Clark, Human Resources Specialist, kiclark@countyofsb.org