HIGHWAY OPERATIONS TECHNICIAN 3
Career Family: HIGHWAY OPERATIONS TECHNICIAN
In New Jersey, Highway Operations Technician 3 is filled through the competitive process: candidates take a civil service exam and are hired off a ranked list, not picked at will.
Of the 3 Highway Operations Technician grades this one pays the most, sitting just above Highway Operations Technician 2. Qualifying turns on 3 years of relevant experience. The FY 2027 range lands between $50,059 and $72,550, and state payroll currently lists about 39 people in the title, most of them at Transportation.
How to apply
This title is filled by competitive examination.
See every real route in, and where to apply. One agency employs it. We don't track live vacancies.
See where to apply for this title →Who employs this title
Highway Operations Technician 3 appears on the State payroll at one department, Department of Transportation.
State departments
| Employer | Employees |
|---|---|
| Department of Transportation | 39 |
State payroll and independent authority payroll are separate systems and are never merged. See data sources.
Pay ladder: Highway Operations Technician series
- Highway Operations Technician 1 — $42,084 – $60,577
- Highway Operations Technician 2 — $45,874 – $66,294
- Highway Operations Technician 3 — $50,059 – $72,550 (this title)
Its top salary lands around the 15th percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.
Rungs are ordered by FY 2027 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 39 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $63,577. The agencies employing the most are:
- Transportation (39)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.
Definition
Under general supervision of a Crew Supervisor in a highway operations crew within the Department of Transportation (NJDOT), performs unskilled and semiskilled work involving repair and maintenance of the State's highway systems including right of way and all ancillary highway structures which may involve a variety of duties requiring physical exertion, manipulative ability, the use of hand, machine, and complex power tools; operates complex mechanized highway maintenance and construction equipment and checks, services, and makes emergency and non-emergency repairs to same; acts as lead crew member of a segment crew in performing daily highway operations including construction and maintenance assignments; does related work as required.
Examples of work
- Acts as the lead worker of a small group of employees for the repairs of the New Jersey State transportation system in accordance with NJDOT specifications.
- Acts as lead worker in complex vegetation management scenarios, pesticide application projects, and other landscaping tasks.
- Attends Department of Environmental Protection and Energy authorized training programs on new pesticides, application techniques, safety, and equipment.
- Usesasphalt materials and various aggregates for the repair and maintenance of varied types of highway pavements and shoulders.
- Acts as the lead worker in patching of potholes in roadways with asphalt and/or concrete.
- Acts as the lead worker in repairing, cleaning, and maintaining State highway drainage systems (inlets, basins, culverts, etc.) and structures of all types.
- Performs skilled extensive concrete formwork.
- Acts as a lead worker when repairing, erecting, and installing complex highway signs in accordance with NJDOT Signage Standards and the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
- Acts as a lead worker for crack sealing operations.
- Operates trucks, graders, front-end loaders, air compressors, jackhammers, concrete mixers, excavation equipment, lifts, boom trucks and other complex construction and road maintenance equipment including snow equipment.
- Maintains, and services all equipment associated with highway repair and construction.
- Acts as a lead worker in removing graffiti and repairing vandalism and in constructing, painting, and maintaining guide rails.
- Operates and transports tow behind equipment (e.g. arrow boards, compressors, hotboxes, etc.)
- Instructs crew members in the proper handling, mixing, and application of pesticides.
- Acts as lead worker in the complex construction of sidewalks, curbs, inlets, manholes, headwalls, gutters, wing walls, and roadway repairs.
- Guides and instructs crew members in the mixing of concrete and mortar.
- Acts as lead worker in the installation of safety devices (barriers, cones, barrels, crash trucks, etc.).
- Installs and removes snow plows and spreaders.
- Loads and unloads State vehicles.
- Performs general housekeeping duties in the yard such as weeping, mopping, cleaning, etc.
- Identifies and solves problems involving the operation of mechanized highway and other construction equipment; NJDOT signage; construction of sidewalks, curbs, inlets, manholes, headwalls, gutters, wing walls, and roadway repairs; vegetation, pesticides, and other landscaping tasks; and traffic safety and safety devices.
- Performs minor fence repair.
- Operates and maintains torch cutting equipment.
- As required, acts as a service attendant by dispersing fuel, oil, and other related supplies.
- Uses hand-held machine tools and complex power equipment and power tools.
- Estimates material and/or labor needed or used to complete work assignments.
- Works at heights using rigging, boatswains' chairs, and other equipment.
- Utilizes measurement equipment (tape measurement, wheel, etc.).
- Transports, stores, mixes, and applies pesticides and prepares detailed daily pesticide application records.
- Performs snow removal and ice control work at any time of day or night as required.
- Maintains essential records.
- Will be required to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Experience
Three (3) years of experience in work involving repair and maintenance of the State's highway systems including right of way and all ancillary highway structures which may involve a variety of duties requiring physical exertion, manipulative ability, the routine use of hand, machine, and power tools and performing tasks requiring the operation of power mowers; complex power equipment; and single-axle trucks.
<b>LICENSES AND CERTIFICATION</b>
Appointees must possess a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) and applicable endorsements for the class and type of vehicle being operated.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of NJDOT Signage Standards and the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Standards.
- Knowledge of the procedures for making drainage pipe repairs and cleaning drainage systems.
- Knowledge of the applicable procedures for performing crack sealing and patching of potholes in roadways with asphalt.
- Knowledge of the procedures used in concrete repairs and concrete construction work.
- Knowledge of the proper use and care of hand, machine, and power tools.
- Knowledge of standard practices in laboring operations.
- Knowledge of safety procedure associated with the operation, repair, and maintenance of trucks, State vehicles, and equipment.
- Knowledge to operate complex power tools and complex mechanized construction equipment.
- Ability to lead crew members in repairs of the New Jersey State transportation system.
- Ability to lead crew members in the repair of concrete and concrete construction work.
- Ability to lead crew members in traffic sign installation and repair.
- Ability to lead crew members in the application of pesticides and to transport, store, mix, and apply pesticides and prepare detailed daily pesticide application records.
- Ability to lead crew members in patching potholes in roadways with asphalt and/or concrete.
- Ability to lead crew members in the use of bituminous materials and various aggregates.
- Ability to lead crew members in repairing and cleaning of drainage systems such as inlets, basins, culverts, etc.
- Ability to lead crew members in crack sealing operations.
- Ability to lead crew members in removing graffiti and repairing vandalism and in constructing, painting, and maintaining of guide rails and minor fence repairs.
- Ability to mentor and lead crew members in meeting the goals of the organization.
- Ability to lead crew members in a wide variety of manual tasks such as painting, sweeping, mopping, cleaning, removal of litter, maintaining vegetation on roadside, etc.
- Ability to lead crew members in the setup of safety equipment for traffic control.
- Ability to work in a team environment in providing ideas, information, and work effort to accomplish team goals and establish and maintain a positive working environment.
- Ability to identify and solve the more complex problems involving the operation of various highway and construction equipment and repairs to the New Jersey State transportation system.
- Ability to effectively communicate information and instructions to crew members.
- Ability to interpret and follow procedures, standards, and manuals and provide guidance to crew members.
- Ability to identify and solve problems involving various equipment, signs, concrete construction and repairs, roadway repairs, landscaping tasks, and traffic safety and safety devices.
- Ability to perform skilled extensive concrete formwork.
- Ability to operate, maintain, and service complex mechanized highway maintenance and construction equipment/snow equipment.
- Ability to understand, remember, and carry out oral and written instructions.
- Ability to install snow plows and spreaders.
- Ability to respond to emergency situations including snow removal and ice control.
- Ability to disperse fuel, oil, and other related supplies.
- Ability to operate and maintain torch cutting equipment.
- Ability to perform heavy manual labor such as loading and unloading vehicles and clearing brush and large debris for prolonged periods of time under varying temperatures and climatic conditions.
- Ability to work at varying heights.
- Ability to utilize hand-held machine tools; complex power equipment and power tools; and measuring equipment.
- Ability to maintain records.
- Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
- Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
- Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible if they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
Note
A segment crew is defined as a subset of the entire crew compliment.
Employees at this mastery level receive general, sporadic supervision, and perform the complex work involved in highway operations including construction and maintenance assignments. These positions display a comprehensive understanding of the procedures, standards, and manuals used for the New Jersey State transportation system and ensures work is performed in accordance with NJDOT specifications. Additionally, these positions provide guidance and leadership to lower level Highway Operations Technicians and function as lead workers. Employees in this class are expected to be experienced and possess the broad job knowledge necessary to independently perform the full range of responsibilities within the assigned function and independently identify and solve problems or issues of diverse scope and determine solutions.
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.
The responsibility for ensuring that employees possess the required motor vehicle license, commensurate with the class and type of vehicles operated, rests with the Appointing Authority.
Appointees must possess a Level 2 NJDOT Highway Operations Skills Certification issued by the Department after successful completion of the classroom and on-the job training and achieving the required proficiency.
Appointees will be required to obtain and maintain a Registered Commercial Pesticide Applicator License issued by the Department of Environmental Protection and Energy, valid in New Jersey, within six (6) months of appointment. The inability of the employee to attain the pesticide license within six (6) months of hire shall constitute grounds for removal from the Highway Operations Technician 3 title.