Portland High School to Highway Trainee - job 2 of 2

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Southwest Portland High School to Highway Trainee 
Oregon Department of Transportation 
Delivery & Operations Division – Region 1  
Maintenance Crew 
Southwest Portland

The role:   

We are seeking applicants for our High School to Highway (H2H) trainee program!  

Our exciting training program offers soon-to-be and recent alternative and high school graduates an opportunity to learn about state government, maintenance work and construction projects. As part of your training, you will work on our dedicated maintenance crew to repair and maintain roadways, bridges, structures, signs and facilities and help keep Oregon’s roadways safe for the traveling public. 

Fast facts: 

• Our projected start date for the program is July 2025 with an estimated end date of June 2026.  

• Your salary will start at $3,856 per month. After six months in the program, the salary will increase to $4,023 per month.  

• After successful completion of this program, you will have the skills and experience to meet the minimum qualifications for our transportation maintenance specialist classification (currently $4,207 - $5,842 per month). We encourage our trainees to apply for permanent positions!  

This is a great opportunity to work and learn outdoors as part of a team while working closely with a mentor. Don’t delay, take the first step in making a lasting difference in your community by applying today! 

We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply for our positions. We hope you’ll join us on our path to increasing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging through our values, commitments, strategies and actions. 

Before applying, visit our applicant information website to learn more about our process. If you are a current State of Oregon employee, you must apply through your employee Workday profile. 

A day in the life: 

• Perform manual labor to repair roadway surfaces and shoulders.

• Complete weather-related operations including snow removal, deicing and sanding. 

• Set up traffic control after crashes or other emergencies. 

• Maintain drainage systems, clean ditches and repair culverts. 

• Clear brush, mow grass and spray roadside vegetation. 

• Repair guardrails, milepost markers and fences. 

• Service and repair tools and motorized equipment. 

• Work in other specialties such as bridge, sign or landscape maintenance, and striping and traffic line operations. 

• Exposure to noise, extreme heights, heavy equipment, pesticides and hazardous waste materials is expected. 

• Must be able to move around rough terrain, on uneven slopes, work in all weather conditions and may need to lift up to 100 pounds. 

• May need to be available after hours, on weekends and holidays for emergency and weather related purposes. 

• To request a copy of the position description, which includes all duties and working conditions, please email ODOTRecruitment@odot.oregon.gov.  

What you will learn: 

• Gain fundamental highway maintenance skills. 

• Practice and adhere to maintenance policies and safety procedures. 

• Conduct job hazard assessments. 

• Radio operations. 

• How to respond to crashes and incidents. 

• Work zone traffic control and flagging. 

• First aid and CPR. 

• How to use equipment safely. 

• How to maintain and repair different structures and surfaces. 

• Training to obtain a class A commercial driver license. 

What’s in it for you: 

• As a full-time limited duration employee, you are eligible for health benefits, sick leave, 11 paid holidays a year and, after six months of employment, retirement benefits and enrollment in the Oregon Savings Growth Plan. 

• The salary ranges listed are the non-PERS monthly salary ranges. If you are already a participating PERS member or once you become PERS eligible, the salary range will increase by 6.95%. 

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness opportunity! 

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Eligibility criteria: 

We will consider applications from applicants who have received their high school diploma or General Education Development (GED) between January 1, 2023, and July 1, 2025. 

Special qualifications: 

This position requires a maximum 45 minute response time to 9637 SW 35th Drive Portland, OR 97219 for emergency call-outs. 

Employee will be required to use a commercial motor vehicle to conduct business.  

• You must have the ability to obtain a class A commercial learner permit within 60 days of hire.  

  • To obtain a class A commercial learner permit, the DMV requires you to be at least 18 years old, have one year of driving experience (either with a learner’s permit or driver’s license) and a valid, unexpired Oregon driver license or commercial driver's license.  

  • You must have one year of driving experience and be 18 years of age on or before September 1, 2025 in order to obtain a permit within 60 days of hire. 

AND 

• You must have the ability to obtain a commercial driver's license A (CDL-A) with a tanker endorsement and no air brake restrictions, no 5th wheel restrictions and no manual transmission restrictions within six months of hire (ODOT will cover training costs). 

OR  

• You must possess a current, valid commercial driver's license A (CDL-A) with a tanker endorsement, no air brake restrictions, no 5th wheel restrictions and no manual transmission restrictions to be considered eligible for this position.  

Note: A valid driver license at the time of hire (June 2025) and an acceptable driving record are required for this position. We will conduct pre-employment driving records checks, including Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Clearinghouse registration and full query check for our final candidate(s) and annual query for current employees. These positions are subject to the drug and alcohol testing requirements of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA). For more information, please go to DOT Drug & Alcohol Testing. 

What we’d like to see: 

If you have these attributes, let us know in your application materials! You do not need to have all these qualities to be eligible for this position. We may also use transferable skills, experience, education and alignment with ODOT values to help us decide who will move forward. 

• Experience operating a variety of tools and equipment such as farming or landscaping equipment. 

• Experience working well with others on a team or in a group. 

• Experience following directions. 

How to apply:  

• Complete the following required steps: 

• Fill out the application or attach a resume.  It is not necessary to attach a resume or fill out the experience application fields if you don’t have any prior work or volunteer experience. Please contact the recruiter under the ‘Need help?’ section if you have any questions about how to fill out the application or to attach a document. If filling out the experience and education fields or attaching a resume, it must include dates (MM/YYYY) for each job, volunteer experience and educational institution. 

• Complete questionnaire. Answer the checkbox-style questions before submitting your application. 

• After you submit your application, please respond to the public records request authorization and gender identity questionnaire. This screen will come after you submit and will complete the process. If you are a current State of Oregon employee, the tasks will come to your Workday inbox. 

• If you are a veteran, you may receive preference. The task to upload your documents will be available after you submit your application. For privacy reasons, please do not attach your military service document(s) to your application or combine it with any other required document attachments.  

Need help? 

• For questions, call 503-930-6376 or email ODOTRecruitmentSS@odot.oregon.gov.  

Additional information: 

• This program uses 504(e) federal funding to develop youth career opportunities in surface transportation as specified by the Federal Highway Administration. 

• We do not offer visa sponsorship. If you are hired, you will be required to fill out the US Department of Homeland Security’s I-9 form confirming you are able to work in the US. We are not an E-Verify participating employer, and we are unable to proceed if E-Verify participation is required [e.g., STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) Extension].  

• We may use this recruitment to fill multiple or future vacancies. 

• We will conduct name-based criminal background checks on final candidates, not including current ODOT employees. All applicants may be subject to additional pre-employment check(s) such as driver license, LEDS (Law Enforcement Data System), and/or education verification as required for the position. 

• You will be represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).  

ODOT is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or any other class protected by state or federal laws in admission or access to our programs, services, activities, hiring, and employment practices. Applicants with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. For questions, concerns, or complaints regarding EEO/AA/ADA, contact 1-877-336-6368 (1-877-EEO-ODOT). This information can be made available in an alternative format by contacting ODOT Recruitment at 503-986-3700. Oregon Relay Service can be reached by calling 7-1-1. 

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