State DOT looks to fill 500 positions to maintain safe roads this winter
CAPITALREGION, N.Y. » The New York State Department of Transportation is actively preparing for the inevitable arrival of winter weather by making applications available for approximately 500 positions as permanent and seasonal maintenance staff across the state.
Each September, the Department begins to hire and train staff on equipment and best practices, with the aim of having them ready to plow snow as soon as winter weather begins.
Employees can expect a base salary plus likely overtime pay, training provided by highly professional and experienced equipment operator instructors and storm managers, and an allowance for footwear.
“Our maintenance workers are the heart and soul of everything we do at DOT, especially during New York’s harsh winter season,” NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez stated.
“They play a vital role during and after winter storms, clearing snow and ice to enhance highway safety, maintaining access for first responders and, in smaller storms, allowing businesses to remain open so the public can get the goods and services they need. We are seeking hard-working, dedicated professionals to join our team who take pride in what they do and positively impact the traveling public,” Dominguez added.
Applications are being accepted for the Highway Maintenance Worker Trainee positions. To apply, a candidate must be at least 18-years- old, pass a physical and drug test, have a valid, clean Class A or B commercial driver license, and be certified to operate DOT heavy dump trucks within two weeks after start of employment.
Those hired will be trained and evaluated on several pieces of essential equipment and are expected to perform productive work while gaining experience. Physical labor is required, as is work with backhoes, front end loaders, stump grinders and other heavy equipment, while being trained on more complex equipment.
Returning seasonal employees and retirees qualify for the Highway Maintenance Worker 1 position. Those employees are expected to operate a variety of equipment, including hydraulic excavators, graders, bulldozers, and more, and are required to perform other maintenance activities, such as mounting and dismounting plows, making small equipment repairs and changing oil. Temporary employment often leads to a permanent position for the right candidates.
During the winter, maintenance workers primarily assist in snow and ice removal, but also are expected to perform general highway repairs and maintenance such as cold patching. Shifts vary depending on location, but run from early morning to early afternoon, and from early afternoon to late evening. During storms, those eight-hour shifts can be extended to form two, 12-hour shifts to ensure 24 hour a day, seven day a week snow and ice response.
The State Department of Transportation employs approximately 3,700 full time snow and