Bridge Maintenance Specialist

Current employees: Please apply through the employee portal to be considered for this opportunity.

Pay Range:

$31.94 - $39.11 Hourly

Department:

Department of Community Services (DCS)

Job Type:

Regular Represented

Exemption Status:

United States of America (Non-Exempt)

Closing Date (Open Until Filled if No Date Specified):

February 18, 2026

The Opportunity:

*Only apply for this position once. If you are interested, please apply without delay! This recruitment will close once we've reached 150 applications or the closing date, whichever comes first.*

 

OVERVIEW

The Transportation Division of the Department of Community Services at Multnomah County is seeking an experienced Journey-level Bridge Maintenance Specialist to ensure the safety and longevity of the county’s iconic bridges. 

In this role, you will maintain a variety of steel and concrete bridge structures through hands-on repair and seasonal emergency response. This work includes, but is not limited to:

• Performing repairs and routine maintenance

• Completing inspections

• Making modifications and improvements

• Removing snow and de-icing roadways, sidewalks and stairs

The Multnomah County Bridge team manages and maintains six Willamette River bridges and over 20 smaller bridges located within the county’s boundaries. The primary goals of the division are to provide safe transportation facilities for the public (river traffic, car, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic), to protect the public investment by preserving historic bridges and to help plan for the transportation needs of the population of the metropolitan area, which is projected to be more than 2.8 million people by 2030. The team is divided into three work groups, each with a unique function:  Engineering, Operations, and Maintenance. For more information on Multnomah County’s bridges, check out this video series.

The Bridge Maintenance Specialist works on operation machinery, gears, bearings, brakes, hydraulic systems, expansion joints, decks, rails and all bridge operation systems. The incumbent performs strenuous manual labor either individually or as a member of a team, climbing ladders, walking up and down stairs, kneeling and lifting up to 100lbs. The successful candidate will have the ability to perform all the essential functions of the position in all weather conditions, in heavy traffic conditions, and at heights up to 160 feet.

Essential functions include the following:

• Performing maintenance and repairs using hand and power tools and equipment to work with metal, wood, concrete, pipes, cables, etc. Tools/equipment used include: wrenches, pipe cutters, trowels, tape measures, grease guns, chain hoists, stationary cranes, grinders, air tools, various saws, tube benders, coping machine, drills, generators, weed eaters, chipping guns, iron worker, torches, pressure washers, winches, concrete mixers, sand blasters, AC/DC welders, torches and plasma cutter. 

• Replace sidewalks, concrete walls, assorted steel railing, repair bridge joints, cribbing and jacking of structures.

• Assist with design of bridge improvements, fabricate and install catwalks, scaffolding and handrails to OSHA safety standards. 

• Performance of these tasks requires the ability to read, understand and calculate material lists off blueprints.

• Performing preventive maintenance such as greasing, lubricating, painting, power washing.

• Operating equipment such as flusher trucks, loaders, truck mounted cranes, ten yard and dump truck, skid steer loader, backhoe, dozer, excavator, inspection boat, bucket trucks, snooper truck, aerial work platform, spider basket, and hydro platform.

• Maintaining traffic control with appropriate equipment.

• This job requires a knowledge of and the use of personal fall protection practices and procedures, rigging techniques, ropes and pulleys for raising and lowering tools and materials to the tops of bridges and down under bridges.

• Working over traffic (boats, cars, pedestrians, cyclists).

• Respond to emergencies.

• Winter operations include: Plowing, sanding, shoveling snow, using walk behind snow blowers and applyi