Asphalt Plant Operator Salary $79,976.00 - $88,171.20 Annually Location Tacoma, WA Job Type Classified Job Number 5015-25 Department Public Works Division Public Works, Street Operations Opening Date 07/07/2025 Closing Date 7/28/2025 5:00 PM Pacific + Description + Benefits + Questions Position Description The City of Tacoma, Public Works Department is recruiting to establish an eligible list for the position of Asphalt Plant Operator. Under the direction of an Asphalt Plant Crew Leader, this position is responsible for the efficient operation and maintenance of the City's asphalt mixing plant. The Ideal Candidate Will: + Be a team player + Work well in a team environment + Be someone who takes initiative + Knowledgeable about the production and properties of Hot Mix Asphalt Responsibilities Include: + Assist in the day-to-day activities of the asphalt plant and property + Safely operate a variety of equipment related to asphalt plant operations in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures + Ensure pollution requirements and safety rules and regulations are met at asphalt plant and property + Participate in the development and maintenance of Standard Operating Procedures for the operation and maintenance of the asphalt plant and equipment + Inspect, maintain, and repair the asphalt plant equipment and other equipment as necessary in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures + Work with staff to track the sale and production of materials at the asphalt plant + Perform the duties of the Asphalt Plant Crew Leader as needed; provide work direction to others as required + Operate a variety of heavy and light equipment, and trucks as necessary for the operation of the asphalt plant + Operate and maintain material screening equipment + Train and provide work direction to staff as necessary + Maintain related records and reports + Perform related duties as assigned Physical Requirements & Working Conditions: + Asphalt plant environment; subject to extreme heat and noise + Position requires pushing, pulling, bending, lifting and climbing + Lift up to 50 lbs. properly and safely without assistance and up to 100 lbs. with assistance + Employees in this class may be exposed to potentially hazardous materials Qualifications Qualifications One year of experience performing street maintenance work, or rights of way construction including the repair of asphalt pavement LICENSES, CERTIFICATES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS A valid Washington State Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Class A with Tanker Endorsement and Air Brake Restriction removed at time of application with maintenance thereafter Must obtain a valid flagging and traffic control card and a First Aid and CPR card prior to completion of probation with maintenance thereafter Knowledge & Skills + Asphalt, aggregates and mixtures and their physical properties including asphalt mixing formulas as they relate to appropriate mix for proper application + Tools and equipment used in an asphalt plant and material screening equipment + Applicable safety procedures + Interpersonal skills using tact, patience and courtesy + Accurately evaluate condition of materials and equipment and take effective action to avoid plant stoppages + Maintain related records and prepare reports + Operate trucks and other vehicles as needed + Observe legal and defensive driving practices + Principles of training and providing work direction + Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others + Methods and practices utilized in maintaining asphalt plant and equipment + Pollution and safety rules and regulations as they relate to asphalt plant operations and activities + Technical aspects of field specialty + City operations, policies and objectives + Proper methods of storing equipment, materials and supplies + Communicate with internal departments, local businesses and other organizations + Add, subtract, multiply and divide accurately + Read, interpret, apply and explain codes, rules, regulations, policies and procedures + Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action + Meet schedules and timelines + Work independently with little direction + Complete work with many interruptions Selection Process & Supplemental Information City of Tacoma Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion Tacoma's diversity is its greatest asset. Tacoma embraces its multi-cultural and multi-ethnic character. Communities of color and immigrant communities are fundamental to Tacoma's entrepreneurial spirit, workforce, and long-term success. In Tacoma, equity and empowerment are top priorities, meaning that all Tacoma residents must have equitable opportunities to reach their full potential and share in the benefits of community progress. One of our goals is for the City of Tacoma workforce to reflect the community it serves. We actively work to eliminate racial and other disparities and welcome candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or multicultural skill sets and experiences. Our goal is for Tacoma to be an inclusive and equitable place to live, work, and play. Apply Interested City of Tacoma current employees should apply online and attach a detailed resume and cover letter that includes job experience, major responsibilities and accomplishments related to this position. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will have their responses to the supplemental questions evaluated by a panel of subject matter experts. These questions will be scored on the basis of the information provided; therefore, it is the responsibility of the applicant to carefully list all pertinent experience and training. The evaluation committee will not have access to the candidate's application. Providing false information will result in disqualification. Candidates must pass this evaluation in order to be placed on the eligible list for interview and hiring consideration. Communication from the City of Tacoma: We primarily communicate via e-mail during the application process. E-mails from tacoma.gov and/or governmentjobs.com must be placed on your safe domain list to ensure that you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk e-mail folders. If you have any additional questions regarding this position, please contact the Human Resources Department at 253.591.5400 prior to 4pm on the date of this posting closing. The City of Tacoma provides excellent medical, dental and vision plans for the whole family; paid holidays and paid leave; participation in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System (alternate plan for Police/Fire); continuing education and advancement opportunities and a growing variety of City-sponsored health and wellness opportunities and incentives. Medical Coverage: For eligible employees and their families, including domestic partners and dependent children age 26 or younger. Dental Coverage: For eligible employees and their families, including domestic partners and dependent children age 26 or younger. Vision Coverage: For eligible employees and their eligible dependents. Paid Leave: City employees are entitled to received paid holidays, sick/vacation leave or personal time off (PTO), depending upon union affiliation and appointment type. Insurance Plans: Employees are covered by a long-term disability plan. Short-term and expanded long-term disability insurance plans are also available to employees. The State Industrial Insurance Act also covers employees. Deferred Compensation: Income can be set aside on a pretax basis and invested for supplementation of normal retirement income. Retirement: All employees of the City, except members of the Police and Fire services, Tacoma Rail and certain project employees, are included in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System. Information on the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System can be found at www.cityoftacoma.org or by calling (253) 502-8200. Other Employment Information Direct Deposit: Employees are paid on a bi-weekly schedule by direct deposit. Salary Increases: Based on satisfactory job performance, the City provides for a regular progression of salary increases for most classifications according to the salary schedule. Union Affiliation: Many job classifications are covered by union security provisions which require union membership, dues, or payment of equivalent service fees. Note: The provisions of this job announcement do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provision contained herein may be modified and/or revoked without notice. 01 Responses to supplemental questions must be original content created by the applicant using their own words. The use of online tools or resources to create responses, such as Artificial Intelligence (ChatGPT, etc.), Google, Bing, etc., or plagiarism in any form, is considered cheating and falsification of the application. I understand that any form of cheating or falsification will disqualify my application for further consideration. + Yes + No 02 Do you have one year of experience performing street maintenance work, including the repair of asphalt pavement? + Yes + No 03 Do you possess a valid Washington State Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Class A with Tanker Endorsement and Air Brake Restriction removed? + Yes + No 04 INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING TEST: Questions #5-11 are the experience and training test that will be used to establish the eligibility list. These questions will be scored by subject matter experts who will not have access to any of your application materials, and will provide scores based solely upon your answers to the questions. Your answers must stand on their own merit. DO NOT RESPOND WITH "SEE RESUME" in lieu of answering this question, as raters will not have access to your resume or application and this will result in a score of 0 points and you will fail the test. Your score on the experience and training test will ONLY reflect your response to the questions asked. Please indicate "Yes" that you have read and understand the instructions for questions #5-11 Have you read and understand this advice? + Yes + No 05 Do you have any experience operating an Asphalt Plant? + Yes + No 06 How many years of experience do you have operating an Asphalt Plant? + No experience + 0 through 5 years of experience + More than 5 years of experience 07 In 500 words or less, in detail, please describe your experience operating and maintaining an asphalt plant and stockpile management. Describe your experience and knowledge related to Hot Mix Asphalt mix designs and properties of aggregates. If you do not have any experience in this area, please respond with "N/A". 08 What are some common problems that can occur during asphalt production and how do you resolve them? 09 In 500 words or less, in detail, please explain how you handle unexpected downtime due to mechanical failure or other issues. 10 In 500 words or less, in detail, please describe you’re approach to solving a potential safety hazard at an asphalt plant. 11 Describe how do you ensure the quality and uniformity of the asphalt mix throughout the production process? 12 Please tell us how you learned about this job opening. Select one. + Job Interest Card notification + Professional organization + Military organization + City of Tacoma employee + Online job board posting + Word of mouth + LinkedIn + Tacoma Training & Education Program (TTEP) + Indeed + Facebook + Instagram + Careers in Government + Government Jobs + Outreach Event + National Diversity Network + African American Job Network + Disability Job Network + Asian Job Network + Latino Job Network + Retirement Job Network + LGBT Job Network + Veteran Job Network + International Association of Venue Managers + Teamwork Online + Venue Coalition + Venues Now + International Entertainment Buyers Association + Other (see below) 13 Please provide specific information regarding how you learned about this job opening. Thank you, your feedback will be used to evaluate our success reaching the public and refine our methods for future job postings. Required Question Employer City of Tacoma Address Human Resources Department 747 Market Street Tacoma, Washington, 98402-3764 Phone 253-591-5400 Website http://www.tacoma.gov Apply Please verify your email address Verify Email