Utility Worker I, II, III - City of Bellingham, WA : Job Details

Salary: $27.24 Hourly Location : City of Bellingham, WA Job Type: Full Time Job Number: 24-UW I, II, III - Nov Department: Public Works Opening Date: 11/26/2024 Closing Date: 12/16/2024 8:30 AM Pacific FLSA: Non-Exempt Bargaining Unit: Local 1937 Nature of WorkDo you have experience or related training using hand and power tools and motorized equipment to perform construction, maintenance and service work? The City of Bellingham's Public Works Department is seeking a Utility Worker I, II, III to join their team!The Utility Worker I, II, III series performs progressively responsible manual and semi-skilled labor in the construction, maintenance, and service work of all public works facilities. Employees in this classification may be assigned to the following units: Street and Stormwater Collection, Wastewater Collection, or Water Distribution. Operates hand and power tools and motorized mobile equipment and/or electronic and hydro test equipment, depending upon the assigned unit. Usually works as part of an assigned crew in an assigned section but may have an individual or specialized assignment. Works indoors and outdoors in all weather conditions and sometimes under hazardous conditions. May be called out for emergency work. Attention to safety and protection of personnel and equipment is integral to work. SALARY AND BENEFITS: An individual in this position will move through the series in non-competitive promotions upon completing the necessary requirements and certifications for each Level. NOTE: A person with the requisite experience and training may be hired in at the Utility Worker II or III level. The 2025 starting hourly rate is at Step 1. The full salary ranges for each position are:

• Utility Worker I: $27.24 - $33.30 per hour
• Utility Worker II: $28.84 - $35.24 per hour
• Utility Worker III: $30.54 - $37.39 per hour

Employees receive step increases annually in accordance with the and City policy. For internal candidates, placement within the range is based on City Pay Placement Procedures. City of Bellingham employees receive medical, dental, and vision insurance as well as life insurance and long-term disability. Additional benefits include flexible spending accounts, a medical insurance opt-out program, and access to our employee assistance program. All eligible City employees are enrolled in a pension plan. Additionally, employees may elect to participate in the City's 457 deferred compensation retirement savings plan. Employees will receive 12 paid holidays in addition to one paid floating holiday each year. Employees accrue 8 hours total of contract and state sick leave per month in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement and Washington State Law. At the time of hire, employees will accrue 7.33 hours of vacation per month. Vacation accruals increase based on years of service. Leave accruals are based on 1.0 FTE, accruals are pro-rated if part-time and require employee to be in paid status at least 120 hours/month. For additional information regarding benefits and compensation Information please visit the following: Closing Date/Time: Monday, December 16, 2024, 8:30 AM PSTESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Depending on the unit to which assigned and level of experience:

Shovels, rakes, picks, cleans, hammers, sands, and other such manual labor.

Operates machinery and power equipment on an interchangeable basis (for example, five, ten and 12 yard dump trucks, trucks and trailers, backhoes, excavators, paving machines, loaders, rollers, brush cutters, tapping machine, jet truck, boom truck, service and pick-up trucks, boring machines, etc.) or may be regularly assigned to a single piece of mobile equipment requiring substantial manual dexterity, without direct supervision and responsible for reporting maintenance problems and determining whether immediate service by a skilled mechanic is required (for example, street sweepers). Utility Worker III operates Vactor truck, camera inspection vehicle, and Gradall.

Performs many heavy manual semi-skilled and skilled tasks such as operating chain saws, jack hammers, drills, pipe saws, pavement saws, mowers, street sweepers, and raking asphalt in an accomplished fashion; may perform right-of-way patching, pavement overlays, maintenance and repair of guardrails, concrete sidewalk repairs, repair storm drainage catch basins, Sewer manholes, and surrounding pavement repairs involving masonry, concrete and asphalt work. Utility Worker III includes trenchless pipe repairs, hydrant and valve replacements, water main repairs, and locates and marks water mains and water services using electronic pipe locating devices.

May install, replace and repair sewer pipes, inspect and clean sewer mains and make repairs involving appropriate machine or device; may raise manholes and make related street grade adjustments; may respond to citizen complaints. Utility Worker III make repairs involving operation of a rodding machine; may operate a video scanner to assess sewer system conditions and identify problems.

Assists workers in higher classes: cuts, fits, lays, connects, installs various sizes of water, sewer and storm lines; installs valves, tees, crosses, reducers, sleeves, manholes, catch basins, etc., per instructions.

Turns on or shuts off water services to customers per order and according to established procedures.

Sets up traffic control devices including barricades, flags, and performs other safety-related duties.

Logs information, completes work orders and paperwork as necessary. Utility Worker II, III field checks measurements and locations of facilities, marks-up maps and drawings used for updating computer maintenance and GIS records.

Responds to after hours call-outs and investigates customer service requests.

ADDITIONAL WORK PERFORMED: Utility Worker I, II

Performs other duties within the scope of the classification and of the classes below.

Participates in job-related training to improve knowledge and skills.

Utility Worker III

May lead a group of lower classified and/or extra labor employees in the completion of smaller, less complex assignments.

Provides guidance and on-the-job training to less experienced co-workers.

Other related duties as assigned.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT: Work is performed primarily outdoors in all weather conditions on City streets and rights-of-way, in close proximity to roadway traffic, or in an industrial plant environment. The work involves moderate risks which require special safety precautions, e.g. working around moving equipment, high speed or high voltage equipment, or with exposure to irritant chemicals or raw sewage. Hazards may include: fumes, dust, gases, and asbestos, moving mechanical equipment parts, extreme temperatures, maintenance and repair of pressurized (up to 200psi) water systems, inadequate lighting, confined spaces, trenches, loud noises and exposure to traffic. Employees may be required to use protective clothing such as coveralls, rain gear, hard hats, safety vests, masks, boots, goggles, gloves, or shields. Physical ability to perform the essential functions of the job, including:

• Manual dexterity sufficient to operate hand and power equipment safely and efficiently.
• Correctable vision to read instructions and work safely around equipment.
• Adequate hearing to effectively hear voice radio and crew communications, roadway traffic and alarms in a noisy environment.
• Physical ability to continuously stoop, bend, climb, occasionally work in confined spaces or from heights, and frequently lift and carry heavy objects in the 50 lb. range, and occasionally weights of approximately 100 lbs. utilizing proper body mechanics, mechanical and other assistance. Some positions require the ability to work from heights up to 180 feet on a ladder truck or communication tower.
• Positions in Water Distribution, Wastewater Collection, Street and Stormwater Collection require the physical ability to operate a 60 lb. jackhammer for extended periods of time intermittently throughout the year.

Experience and TrainingUtility Worker I:

• High School Diploma, or equivalent
• One year of experience or related training using hand and power tools and motorized equipment to perform manual labor required.

Utility Worker II:

• High School Diploma, or equivalent. AND
• Two (2) years' experience as Utility Worker I, OR three years equivalent experience performing manual labor in the construction, maintenance, and service work of public facilities, AND
• Possess and maintain the following certifications, based on the requirements of the unit to which assigned:
  • Streets and Stormwater Collection Units:
    • Certified Erosion and Sediment Control Lead (CESCL) with in one (1) year of promotion, transfer, or placement to Utility Worker.
  • Wastewater Collection Unit:
    • Washington Wastewater Collection Personnel Association (WWCPA - 1) with in one (1) year of promotion, transfer, or placement to Utility Worker II.
  • Water Distribution Unit:
    • Washington State Certification as Water Distribution Manager I within one (1) year of promotion, transfer, or placement to Utility Worker II.

Utility Worker III:

• High School Diploma, or equivalent,

AND

• Two years of experience in Public Works Operations Utility Worker I and 2 years of experience in the Utility Worker II classification, OR five years equivalent experience performing manual and semi-skilled labor in the construction, maintenance, and service work of all public facilities,

AND

• Possess and maintain the following certifications, based on the requirements of the unit to which assigned:
  • Street and Stormwater Collection Units:
    • Certified Erosion and Sediment Control Lead (CESCL) within one (1) year of promotion, transfer, or placement to Utility Worker III.
  • Wastewater Collection Unit:
    • Washington Wastewater Collection Personnel Association (WWCPA-1) within one (1) year of promotion, transfer, or placement to Utility Worker III.
  • Water Distribution Unit:
    • Washington State Certification as a Water Distribution Manager I within one (1) year of promotion, transfer, or placement to Utility Worker III.
    • Training Certificate in Asbestos Pipe Work Practices within one (1) year of promotion, transfer, or placement to Utility Worker III.

Necessary Special Requirements

• Employment contingent upon passing a criminal convictions check and child and adult abuse records check (see Fair Hiring Practices below).
• Valid Washington State driver's license and good driving record. Candidate considered for hire must submit an abstract of his/her driving records for the past three-years; with biennial submission of driving abstract to department, to be forwarded to Human Resources (Policy ADM 10.03.02.4).
• Ability to obtain and maintain Flagging/Traffic Control Card within one year of employment.
• Ability to obtain and maintain First Aid/CPR Card within one year of employment.
• Some positions require the ability to secure a Commercial Driver's License (Class a CDL) with air brakes endorsement within six months of initial hire and to maintain a valid CDL during length of employment.
• Must pass CDL-related drug and alcohol testing throughout term of employment.
• Some positions require Fork Lift Operator's Card within one year of employment.
• Must be able to report to Operations Division for emergency call-out and serve on standby in accordance with bargaining unit agreement.

Failure to obtain appropriate certifications within established time limits will result in demotion to the lower class for which qualified, until such time as the required unit certification is achieved. Selection Process**You are encouraged to print a copy of this job announcement for your reference as the process moves along**Please ensure your application is complete and all required information has been provided. Standard completeness means all application fields (contact information, personal information, education, work experience, references, and required supplemental questions). The information provided in your application must support your selected answers in the supplemental questionnaire. Provide as much detail as you believe will fully describe your experience and training.Application Review process:

Minimum Qualifications: Candidates must provide specific, detailed information so an initial determination can be made regarding your level of qualifications for this position. Applicant status will be updated on or around December 17, 2024.

If there are more than 16 qualified candidates;

Applications will go through an Experience and Training Rating. Relevancy of your experience and training, together with composition, grammar, spelling, and punctuation will be considered when evaluating responses. Applicant status will be updated on or around December 27, 2024.

Applicants will be notified via email of Final Scores & Ranks. The final ranking of the register will be based on total scores for the following:

• If 16 or less candidates meet the minimum qualifications, the Oral Board Interview will be 100% of overall score.
• If there are 17 or more applicants that meet minimum qualifications, applicants will go through Experience and Training Review.
  • The top 16 candidates from the Experience and Training Rating will be invited to participate in the Oral Board

If no Experience and Training review Interviews tentatively scheduled for the week of December 30, 2024.

With Experience and Training review Interviews tentatively scheduled for the week of January 6, 2025. Interview score must be 60% or higher to be placed on the eligibility register.

Experience and Training rating counts for 40% and Oral Board Interview counts for 60% of the overall score. If you wish to claim Veterans' Preference Points, please complete the and upload it to your application with your DD214. Final candidates will be referred to the department for additional examination, assessment, or test. This recruitment process will create a Civil Service eligibility register that will be used to fill current and future vacancies as they become available. Please Note: Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently, including your spam folders for messages filtered by your email providers.Equal Opportunity: Our environment is characterized by respect for cultural backgrounds, belief systems, and ethnic diversity. The City of Bellingham is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in its work force. We do not make decisions on the basis of an individual's race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40+), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. All are encouraged to apply for employment. Fair Hiring Practices

• The City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment.
• The City will not inquire about an applicant's criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made.
• The City will disregard the prior arrest and conviction record of an otherwise qualified individual unless the offense is directly related to the job position for which the individual has applied.
• The City will notify an otherwise qualified applicant about a potentially disqualifying conviction and give the applicant an opportunity to submit information regarding the accuracy of the criminal records as well as evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as appropriate.

There are many good reasons for working at the City of Bellingham. The work is rewarding and you have an opportunity to serve your community. Another good reason is the great benefits that the City offers its employees. See our for additional information. This position is represented by The Guild of Pacific Northwest Employees, Local 1937 bargaining unit. Specific benefit information including Holidays, Vacation Accruals, Health, Dental and Vision Plans with cost sharing and Deferred Compensation Match can be found in the This position is covered by the State of Washington Department of Retirement Systems PERS plan. PERS requires mandatory employee and City contributions. Please visit the for more information on PERS. Civil Service Information This position is subject to the Bellingham Civil Service Commission. When a vacancy occurs, the top fifteen candidates or the top 25% of the register will be forwarded to the department for further consideration. All new Civil Service employees are subject to a one-year probationary period. A candidate may challenge the scope, content, or method of an examination or test, and a protest may be filed in writing with the Examiner within five (5) days following the date of the challenged examination. A candidate may also challenge the scoring of an examination or test, failure of the candidate on any part of an examination, or clerical error in examination results of any examination or test, and a protest may be filed in writing with the Examiner within five (5) days of notification of the challenged result. The Examiner shall consider all timely filed protests and make appropriate corrections if an error is demonstrated. Veteran's Scoring Criteria Applicants who have been honorably discharged from active military duty may be eligible to receive veteran's scoring criteria points as provided by Washington State Law (RCW 41.04.010). If you wish to claim Veterans' Preference Points, please complete the and upload it to your application with your DD214. 01 Do you have a high school diploma or equivalent (GED)?

• Yes
• No

02 Do you have a valid Washington State driver's license or the ability to obtain one by the time of hire and a good driving record? The successful candidate(s) must submit a three-year driving record abstract prior to hire, with periodic submission of driving abstract per City policy.

• Yes
• No

03 This position requires a CDL license within 6 months of hire, please select your status:

• I currently possess a valid CDL license and will be able to maintain a valid CDL during length of employment
• I am willing to obtain a CDL within the required 6 months and will be able to maintain a valid CDL during length of employment (Training is provided by the City.)
• I do not have a CDL and will not obtain one

04 Do you have or are you willing to obtain First Aid and CPR certifications within one year of employment? (Training is provided by the City.)

• Yes
• No

05 Do you have or are you willing to obtain a Flagging/Traffic Control Card within one year of employment? (Training is provided by the City.)

• Yes
• No

06 Some positions may require a Fork Lift Operator's card. Do you have or are you willing to obtain a Fork Lift Operator's Card within one (1) year of employment? (Training is provided by the City.)

• Yes
• No

07 Are you able to work evenings or weekends when required, and respond to emergency call-out within one-hour response time?

• Yes
• No

08 Work is performed primarily outdoors in all weather conditions on City streets and rights-of-way, in close proximity to roadway traffic, or in an industrial plant environment. The work involves moderate risks which require special safety precautions, e.g. working around moving equipment, high speed or high voltage equipment, or with exposure to irritant chemicals or raw sewage. Hazards may include: fumes, dust, gases, and asbestos, moving mechanical equipment parts, extreme temperatures, maintenance and repair of pressurized (up to 200psi) water systems, inadequate lighting, confined spaces, trenches, loud noises and exposure to traffic. Employees may be required to use protective clothing such as coveralls, rain gear, hard hats, safety vests, masks, boots, goggles, gloves, or shields. Are you able to accept these working conditions?

• Yes
• No

09 IF YOU ANSWER YES TO THE FOLLOWING SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE READ THE QUESTIONS CAREFULLY AND PROVIDE ALL REQUIRED INFORMATION: The information provided in your responses will be used in part to determine placement within the series. -Employer -Dates of employment (mo / year) -Brief description of experience/training

• Yes, I will provide all information that is required.
• No, I will not provide the required information and understand my application will be marked as incomplete.

10 Do you have one year of experience or related training using hand and power tools and motorized equipment to perform manual labor?

• Yes
• No

11 If you answered yes to question #10, describe in detail what specific experience or training was obtained; include all experience with power and hand tools, vehicles and machinery. Employers and dates required. 12 Do you have two (2) years' experience as a Utility Worker I, OR three (3) years equivalent experience performing manual labor in the construction, maintenance, and service work of public facilities? (Includes water, sewer, storm services, sidewalks, streets, and roads.)

• Yes
• No

13 Do you have five (5) years equivalent experience performing manual and semi-skilled labor in the construction, maintenance, and service work of all public facilities? (Includes water, sewer, storm services, sidewalks, streets, and roads.)

• Yes
• No

14 If you answered yes to questions #12 and/or #13, describe in detail what specific experience or training was obtained; include all experience performing manual labor in the construction, maintenance, and service work of public facilities. (Includes water, sewer, storm services, sidewalks, streets, and roads). Employers and dates required - must demonstrate applicable years of paid experience.The info provided in your response will be used in part to determine placement within the series. 15 Describe your experience working cooperatively within diverse teams and work groups to achieve group and organizational goals. 16 If you are requesting Veteran's Preference points, a completed Veterans Scoring Criteria Status Declaration is required along with a copy of your DD214. The required form is in the Selections Process section of the Job Posting. Check YES here if you are attaching a Veteran's Declaration form and DD214.

• Yes
• No

Required Question