Road Maintenance Worker I (Open and Promotional)

The County of San Mateo Public Works Department is seeking highly motivated and hardworking individuals to join their team as Road Maintenance Workers. 
 

The Road Maintenance Division of County of San Mateo's Department of Public Works is responsible for routine and emergency repairs to over 315 miles of road surfaces, culverts, shoulders, drainage facilities, and roadside vegetation on roads within the public right-of-way of San Mateo County's unincorporated districts. There are multiple vacancies to be filled throughout the department.  
 
Road Maintenance Workers perform a variety of heavy manual labor tasks including:

• Digging and clearing ditches.
• Trimming and removing vegetation along the roadways.
• Trimming trees.
• Cleaning catch basins.
• Patching streets, repairing potholes.
• Repairing winter damage from slides and slip outs.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Experience performing road maintenance and repair duties requiring strength, agility, and endurance.
• Experience in underground construction and/or working in a Public Works agency.
• A Class A driver's license
• Experience with tree climbing.

Work Schedule
Road Maintenance Workers work 10-hour shifts, four-days per week (either Monday through Thursday or Tuesday through Friday) and must be willing to work overtime. New employees may be assigned to work from the Grant Corporation Yard in Redwood City or one of the three Coast Side Yards (Princeton, Pescadero, or La Honda).

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Road maintenance and construction

• Dig, level, slope, shovel, sweep and remove debris from drainage ditches and culverts.
• Prepare and patch holes in paved and unpaved areas.
• Shovel, rake, roll and smooth asphalt and gravel in patching work.
• Cut, trim, and dispose of brush and weeds.
• Cut, trim, and remove tree limbs and fallen trees.
• Prepare ground for and lay concrete and culvert pipe.
• Slope and prepare road shoulders and banks for seeding.
• Dig ditches for and install culvert pipe.
• Act as safety flag-person.
• Assist Construction Carpenter/Mason in the building of concrete forms.
• Maintain guard rails and shoulders.
• Load and unload trucks.
• Drive and operate construction and road maintenance equipment such ½- and 1-ton trucks, oil trailer, haul behind compressor, crew cab, cone truck, signs and legends truck and ride-on rollers.

 Storm drain maintenance

• Perform inspections of storm drains.
• Rod and flush storm drain systems to remove obstructions.
• Operate pumps to remove debris from damaged or clogged lines.
• Clean catch basins.
• Cut and refinish streets, sidewalks, and driveways; lay cement and asphalt.
• Repair and reconstruct damaged sections of storm drain lines.
• Inspect, repair and construct manholes.
• Operate walk-behind roller.
• Make minor repairs to pumps and other equipment.
• Patrol assigned areas and check drainage pipe, storm drains, and road gates for debris and other potential hazards.
• Drive and operate construction and road maintenance equipment such ½- and 1-ton trucks, oil trailer, haul behind compressor, and walk-behind rollers.

Education and Experience:

Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. 

• A typical way to qualify is one year of construction, inspection, or maintenance experience.

 Licensure/Certification: 

• Possession of a class C California driver license or equivalent.

 

Knowledge of:

• The proper use of hand tools including shovels, rakes, hoes, axes, brooms, picks, trimmers, etc.
• The proper use of power tools and light equipment including power saws, drills, air powered tools, concrete saws, portable and stationary pumps, generators, compressors, vibratory rollers, motorized tampers, weed cutters, etc.
• Methods, and materials used in road maintenance and repair.
• Methods and materials used in sewer and storm drain systems maintenance and repair.
• Methods and materials used in the installation, maintenance, and repair of water services facilities.
• County and CAL OSHA safety rules, procedures, and equipment.

 

Skill/Ability to:

• Perform road, storm drain and water distribution systems maintenance and repair duties requiring strength, agility, and endurance.
• Operate a wide variety of hand and power tools and equipment.
• Drive and operate ½ and 1-ton trucks, oil trailer, haul behind compressor, crew cab, cone truck, signs, and legends truck and ride-on and walk-behind rollers.
• Work courteously and effectively with the public and with co-workers.
• Follow oral and/or written instructions.
• Bend, stand and walk for extended periods of time.
• Lift and carry heavy equipment (50 lbs. min.) and supplies (50 lbs. min.) used in the course of the work, such as jackhammers, pumps, piping and paving materials.

Open & Promotional. Anyone may apply.  Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, or extra-help/limited term position prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score on this examination.

The examination process will consist of a scored relevant Training and Experience (T&E) (weight: pass/fail) based solely on the candidates' responses to the supplemental questions. Applicants who receive a passing score in the T&E evaluation will be invited to a Performance Exam (weight: 100%). Because of this screening process, all applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement to the next phase of the examination process. Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations. All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California and applicants must participate at their own expense. 

IMPORTANT:  Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the “Apply” button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply. Responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted in addition to the standard County employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required application materials. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.

Tentative Recruitment Schedule

Application Deadline: Wednesday, July 29, 2026 at 11:59 PM PST

Training and Experience Evaluation: Thursday, July 30, 2026

Performance Exams: Tuesday, August 18 through Thursday, August 20, 2026

About the County

San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work. 

  

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels. 

 

Analyst: Sarah Huynh (07082026)(Road Maintenance Worker I – T090)