Job Description

Posting number: 27-00011

Department: Public Works

Division: DPW - Utility Service

Job classification: Utility Worker II- Public Works, Bureau of Utilities

Posting type: Open

Categories: Public Works, Maintenance, Utilities

Summary

Howard County:

Conveniently located in the heart of central Maryland between Baltimore and Washington, Howard County offers the charm of a historic past mixed with the excitement of a cosmopolitan community.

Howard County Government:

Howard County Government is a leader in innovation, best practices and sustainability. It is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and work in the country. In 2025, Howard County Government received a record-breaking 83 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) – the most awards in the state of Maryland, and the fifth highest in the nation, as compared to more than 3000 counties. NACo Achievement Awards are the premier national honor to recognize innovative and transformative programs that provide new services for county residents, improve existing programs, upgrade working conditions, and enhance citizen participation and public policy making.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for outstanding individuals to join our team and contribute to excellence in Howard County operations.

What you'll like most about working at Howard County Government:

• We are committed to workplace excellence in every area of County government.
• We have a highly talented, diverse, and inclusive workplace. Your input will not only be heard, but it will be encouraged!
• We offer competitive compensation and great benefits including medical, retirement, and wellness programs.
• As a member of the Howard County Government team, you'll be helping drive our culture and directly impact what makes us an amazing place to work.

POSITION SUMMARY:

This is an outdoor, semi-skilled position that provides both manual labor and equipment operation support to accomplish the organizations objectives of water meter reading, water meter repair, and delinquent account turn-on/offs, working on a sewer cleaning crew performing program maintenance of sewer lines, working on a construction crew repairing buried water and sewer pipes and appurtenances Positions will rotate between the different maintenance and service divisions of the Bureau of Utilities.

STARTING SALARY HIRING RANGE:

$21.03 - $23.22

$43,748 - $48,290

*This is the anticipated starting salary range for this position. Please note that the final salary will be determined by the Office of Human Resources, commensurate with experience and aligned to ensure internal equity with similarly situated roles.*

*This is a Classified position, meaning that it is a part of the Howard County Classified Service upon completion of a probationary period of at least six (6) months*

*Please note that this position falls within a collective bargaining unit and is represented by AFSCME Local 3085, Local 3888, or Local 1810.*

*This position has been designated as "essential personnel," meaning an employee is expected to report for regular work shift during inclement weather, emergency situations, County holidays and on an on-call basis.*

Examples of duties

Meter Reading and Recording:

• Reads residential water meters using electronic devices or manual methods.
• Assists with reading and repairs of large commercial meters.
• Utilizes a handheld computer to locate properties and record meter readings.

Meter Maintenance and Repairs:

• Performs residential water meter repairs in outside meter pits and inside private homes.
• Performs meter pit grade adjustments.

Customer Service and Account Support:

• Turns water service off/on for delinquent accounts.
• May be required to deal directly with the public at the work site.

Training and Leadership:

• Coaches and trains Utility Worker I staff and newly hired or promoted Utility Worker II employees.
• May perform duties of Utility Worker I as needed.

Field Operations and Traffic Control:

• Sets up work zone traffic control.
• Directs traffic during work activities.

Emergency and Stand-By Responsibilities:

• Position is considered emergency essential and may require reporting during inclement weather or emergency situations.
• Assigned stand-by status on a rotational basis.
• Works overtime under emergency conditions or as circumstances warrant.

Equipment and Seasonal Duties:

• May occasionally utilize light-duty vehicles for plowing snow and applying materials.

Other:

• Performs other related duties as assigned or required.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Qualifications

Any combination of education and experience sufficient to provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform semiskilled manual work and one year of experience in general laboring or public works maintenance and construction activities which included the use of small hand and power tools.

REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSES, AND REGISTRATIONS:

• Possession of a valid Maryland Class "C" driver's license.
• Possession of a valid driver’s license.
• Maryland State DOT certified Flagger Certification within six (6) months of employment.
• OSHA 10 Certification within six (6) months of employment.

PREFERRED EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:

• Knowledge of the methods and techniques of operating and caring for hand and power tools and the ability to learn the operation of such tools.
• Knowledge of standard practices of operations.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability of learn safe and correct work procedures.
• Ability to perform heavy labor for prolonged periods of time, often under adverse weather conditions.
• Ability to work overtime under emergency conditions or as circumstances warrant.
• Ability to maintain effective relationships with the public and coworkers.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to outside weather conditions. The employee is frequently exposed to moving mechanical parts and vibration. The employee is occasionally exposed to high, precarious places; fumes or airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals; and risk of electrical shock. The employee is frequently exposed to traffic hazards, walking hazards, confined space hazards, customer pets, poisonous plants. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.

LANGUAGE SKILLS, MATHEMATICAL SKILLS AND REASONING ABILITY:

• Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, memos, and to read a road map. Ability to write simple correspondence and maintain records.
• Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one situations.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions.
• Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.