Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
  • Operations & Maintenance Technician IV - (Motor-Grader)

  • Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
  • Riverside, California United States View Map

Job Description

At the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, we deliver reliable water to a region with 19 million people—and to  accomplish  this, we rely on a team of Talented Employees: innovators, problem-solvers, and collaborators who make it all possible.

This recruitment may result in an Eligibility List* .

The O&M Technician Operator IV (Motor-Grader) functions as a journey-level professional who leverages extensive field experience and technical knowledge to manage both light and heavy machinery.

This role requires the precise operation and safe highway transportation of a diverse fleet, ranging from standard vehicles and multiple-axle trucks to complex earthmoving gear . Operators routinely operate excavators, dozers, backhoes, loaders, tractors, dump trucks, water trucks, tanker trucks, vac trucks and cranes to facilitate large-scale infrastructure projects.

The O&M Technician Operator IV (Motor-Grader) focus centers on the construction, improvement, and preventative maintenance of expansive water treatment, distribution, and hydroelectric systems . Operator s execute construction techniques to repair and fortify critical water utility assets, assemblies, and supporting infrastructure .

Daily tasks include operating equipment with constant attention to safety while servicing large gates, valves, pipelines, specialized vaults, and drain cover . Beyond direct equipment operation, the position demands proficiency in fleet logistics and field maintenance. In this role, you’re responsible for the safe loading, securing, and transport of heavy machinery using specialized trucks and trailers, alongside performing routine minor maintenance to ensure equipment readiness.

The O&M Technician Operator IV (Motor-Grader) will build and improve vital roadways, structures, and assets that guarantee long-term water and power reliability for our customers.

Expectations of Hours of Service, Emergency and Stand-by Service: Employees in this position may be required to work off-shift hours and/or stand-by service to address operational needs and emergencies as required . May be required to work extended periods away from the normal reporting location.

What You'll Do
  • Primary Tool : Operate motor-graders for precision grading and leveling.
  • Truck Driving : Drive dump trucks, water trucks, and stake bed trucks .
  • Water Assets : Facility Maintenance including vegetation removal, grading of patrol roads and other repairs on MWD inf ra structure .
  • Roadway Support : Build and maintain access roads and rights-of-way.
  • Hauling : Load and transport equipment using multiple-axle trucks and trailers.


This opening is for the Operations & Maintenance Technician I V - Equipment Operator located in the Construction Services Unit at our Lake Mathews Reservoir Facility in Riverside .

Schedule: 4/10 - (Monday - Thursday 6:00am - 4:30pm)

This job announcement has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work being performed by employees in this classification / job.

To view the full job description click here: Operations & Maintenance Technician IV - Equipment Operator

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

High school diploma or high school equivalency certificate in addition to a minimum of 6 years in a heavy construction equipment operation position.

OR

High school diploma or high school equivalency certificate and attainment of journey level skills through a recognized equipment operator trade training program and/or applicable related experience within a industrial environment .

Relevant Experience: Experience and knowledge as demonstrated by journey-level practical application of techniques and practices specific to heavy equipment operations. The necessary skills include effective, legal and safe operation of a variety of motorized equipment including light and heavy construction equipment . Also requires journey-level skills in preventive and corrective maintenance practices related to general construction that are normally associated with equipment operation and are generally obtained through applicable training and experience .

CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSES, AND REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

Valid Driver's license from a state of residency equivalent to a California Class A (Manual Transmission) with a tanker endorsement and medical certification is required at the time of application.



This position will require the successful candidate to obtain and maintain.
• Crane certification
• Forklift Certification
• Hazardous Materials Certification
• Manlift Certification
• Respirator Certification

CLOSING

Benefits: 
  • Competitive compensation 
    • Excellent medical, dental, life, vision plans. 
    • Deferred compensation in the form of a 401(k) plan (with matching contribution) and a 457 plan. 
    • Retirement benefits under the California Public Employees' Retirement System 
    • Tuition reimbursement 
    • Training and advancement opportunities 
    • Excellent working environment 
    • Public transportation reimbursements 

  For more information on MWD benefits, please use the following link: Benefits Regular FT PT Employees (Represented)

ABOUT MWD

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a state-established cooperative that, along with its 26 cities and retail suppliers, provides water for 19 million people in six counties. The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.



The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Qualified individuals with disabilities, who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process, please call (213) 217-7738 or email: jobs@mwdh2o.com .



Metropolitan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected characteristic(s).



Application Filing Period: Closes at 4:30 pm PT on the date stated in the job announcement. However, it may close prior to the filing end date if sufficient applications have been received. If sufficient applications have not been received, then the filing period end date may be extended.



Eligibility List*: An eligibility list is a list of qualified candidates created when a job posting states that one will be established .



Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications listed in the original posting and successfully pass all stages of the recruitment process—but are not selected for the initial vacancy—may be placed on this list for future openings.



The list may be used to invite candidates to participate in a selection interview for a future vacancy in the same classification / title (if there is one). The duration of the list depends on the applicable bargaining unit.



Qualifying Experience: Your resume must at a minimum include the month and year you began and ended employment, name of the organization, your title, and a brief description of your experience. If your employment was part-time, make sure you identify it on your resume next to the month/year.



Sponsorship: Applicants for employment with The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States (i.e., H1-B or other employment-based immigration case).

#LI-Onsite

Closing Date/Time: September 16, 2026 @11:55 pm (PST).
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a consortium of 26 cities and water districts that provides drinking water to nearly 18 million people in parts of Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties.

The mission of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is to provide its service area with adequate and reliable supplies of high-quality water to meet present and future needs in an environmentally and economically responsible way.

Metropolitan currently delivers an average of 1.7 billion gallons of water per day to a 5,200-square-mile service area.

Join our Team

Metropolitan values both fresh voices and the different perspectives that experience brings. We seek out the best, those who bring unique and varied qualities to an organization whose employees reflect the diverse communities we serve across Southern California. And we want colleagues who embrace innovation, equity and a shared greater purpose to the region. We are a public agency and the people who work with us are devoted to public service.

We were built to last and to lead. We are an agency deep in history and experience. We are part of the very fabric of Southern California, having been formed in 1928 by the state Legislature to design, build and operate the Colorado River Aqueduct to bring water to a growing population. Today, our role is much greater than the infrastructure we built and maintain. We are here to ensure reliable and safe water supplies for 19 million people across five Southland counties, operating in an environmentally and economically sound manner.

If you’re already in the workforce and considering Metropolitan as a work option, begin your journey here to learn more. For those still in school or just entering the workforce, scroll down to the section Creating the Next Generation of Workers for the Water Industry to learn about our internship and apprenticeship programs as well as other educational resources to help prepare you for a career in the water industry.

What We Offer

When you come to work at Metropolitan, you don’t come just for a job; you come for a career.  We want to support your career pathway along with your well-being.  One way to do that is to offer very competitive salaries and excellent benefits. We also provide top-notch health and insurance options, as well as retirement benefits.

Our benefits package is above industry standards. Metropolitan contracts with CalPERS, the California Public Employee Retirement System, to provide a wide choice of medical coverages to both active employees and qualified retirees. 

As a regular full-time; regular part-time union represented employee will be eligible for excellent benefits.

Also available to Metropolitan employees through CalPERS are pension and survivor benefits as well as deferred compensation benefits that include our 401(k) and 457(b) savings plans. Metropolitan matches 401(k) contributions to increase the amount of your annual savings toward retirement.  

Dental coverage, through Delta Dental, is offered at no cost to regular full-time; regular part-time employees pay a pro-rated fee.  Qualified dependents can be added to the dental plan at no extra cost.  Metropolitan contracts with Vision Service Provider, or VSP, for vision coverage and covers the cost for regular full-time employees.  Costs are prorated for regular part-time employees. Qualified dependents can be added for a flat monthly fee. 

We have insurance programs covering life, long-term disability and accidental death and dismemberment. There are also some voluntary benefits to choose from.  These include Flexible Spending Accounts for health and dependent care, long-term care and cancer coverage. You and your family members will also have access to our Employee Assistance Plan for confidential professional counseling and referral services at no cost.  A Wellness Program offers certain reimbursements to employees based on work location and bargaining unit.  

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