New York State Hiring Hundreds Of Highway Workers For Winter

The New York State Department of Transportation is looking to hire nearly 500 people across the state, including here on Long Island, for permanent and seasonal maintenance positions.

Acting Commissioner Paul A. Karas announced the hiring initiative on Thursday. The department is looking to hire and train applicants in the fall on equipment and best practices so they'll be ready to plow snow as winter rolls in.

“Once again, we are looking for hard-working, dedicated professionals to join our agency,” Karas said. “Our maintenance forces are the lifeblood of everything we do at NYSDOT, especially during snow and ice season. Keeping our roads safe this winter is a top priority for the Department and a dedicated workforce is front and center in these efforts.”

Applications are being accepted for the Highway Maintenance Worker Trainee 2 position. 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 the job.

Those hired will be trained and evaluated on several pieces of essential equipment. 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.

During the winter months, maintenance workers mainly assist in snow and ice removal, but can also be expected to perform highway repairs and maintenance. Shifts vary depending on location, but run from early morning to early afternoon, and from early afternoon to late evening. During storms, the eight-hour shifts can be extended to form two, 12-hour shifts to ensure 24 hour a day, seven day a week response.

DOT intends to hire permanent and temporary maintenance workers across the state, including:

• Capital Region – 71 employees
• Mohawk Valley – 43 employees
• Central NY – 34 employees
• Finger Lakes – 35 employees
• Western NY – 59 employees
• Western Southern Tier – 34 employees
• Eastern Southern Tier – 57 employees
• North Country - 40 employees
• Hudson Valley – 66 employees
• Long Island – 31 employees

Qualified candidates can find more information about the positions available and how to apply by clicking here.

Photo: Shutterstock