City of Springfield, Oregon: Public Works Intern (Seasonal)

This is a class specification and not an individualized job description. A class specification defines the general character and scope of responsibilities of all positions in a job classification, but it is not intended to describe and does not necessarily list every duty for a given position in a classification.

Representation: Not Represented	FSLA: Non-exempt
Job Code: 005587	Grade/Range: 912

General Summary of Duties

Under the general supervision of a Public Works supervisor, performs various technical and paraprofessional tasks at a trainee level that support public works environmental services, engineering, or administration projects. Performs related duties as required.

Distinguishing Characteristics

This is a temporary seasonal position part of the Public Works Careers program which is designed to provide hands-on work experiences for college students enrolled in programs that could lead to a career as a Public Works professional.

Supervision Received and Exercised: Reports to a Public Works Supervisor. Does not supervise.

Essential Job Functions: Any one position may not include all of the duties listed nor do the listed examples include all tasks, which may be found in positions of this class.

· Reviews maps and drawings of the City’s and County’s waterways to identify access points, property ownership, and general topography;

· Conducts open waterway channel assessment, following an established methodology, to identify and document channel size, bank slope, riparian area condition, plants and wildlife, and structures, diversions, or other in-stream features;

· Accesses and evaluates streambeds and banks, riparian buffers, culverts and road/stream crossings, for erosion, degradation and invasive species;

· Traverses through heavy brush, grass, or berry vines to access waterways; may occasionally wade shallow waterways to collect field data;

· Documents results of the assessment in an inspection log, including photo documentation;

· Enters data into a City database and generates reports as needed;

· Operates basic field tools such as camera, tape measure, stadia rod;

· Maintains positive working relationships with property owners, private citizens and City staff;

· Performs other related duties consistent with the role and function of the classification.

Qualifications

Knowledge of:

· General stream and channel morphology;

· Basic use of field measurement devices, such as measuring tapes and stadia rods;

· Field collection methods such as assessment or survey work;

Ability to:

· Learn various channel and stream bank conditions and identify basic plant community types;

· Operate simple instruments to measure channel width and bank slope;

· Work reliably as part of a two person team, with regular, dependable attendance during normal work hours

· Carry modest weight, including survey and measuring tools, notebooks, and camera, over uneven terrain;

· Operate manual or power tools to occasionally cut brush to gain access to overgrown waterways;

· Accurately collect data in the field, according to the methodology;

· Transfer field collected data into the City’s computer database;

· Establish and maintain good public relations with the public, property owners, citizens;

· Walk on uneven or undeveloped terrain, steep slopes, and through brush;

· Work safely in shallow streams;

· Establish and maintain effective work relationships with co-workers,

· Communicate both orally and in writing;

· Use a computer and associated software in order to perform the essential functions of the position;

Experience and Training: Any equivalent combination of education and experience which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform the job. A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills and abilities would be:

Training: Completion of coursework or experience in engineering, architecture, planning, geography, environmental studies, land survey, water resources or natural resources.

Experience: Although training will be provided on all aspects of project prior to field work, experience with field work, document research and map reading is desired. Experience working with a computer database such as Access is a plus.

Required Special Qualifications

· Must be 18 years of age or older

· Must possess a valid Oregon driver’s license

Working Conditions

The principle duties of the classification are performed as a team member in a field setting, and regular attendance during City and Department business hours of operation is an essential function to keep the team working. Incumbents must be able to safely negotiate steep, uneven terrain that includes stream bands and stream beds, in order to access and assess waterways and stream channels. The incumbent must have the mobility and ability to perform job duties at various sites on a regular basis

Persons with disabilities may be able to perform the essential duties of this class with reasonable accommodation. Reasonable accommodation will be evaluated on an individual basis and depends, in part, on the specific requirements for the job, the limitations related to the disability and the ability of the hiring department to accommodate the limitation.

Classification History:

7/05: Classification updated to reflect the goal of the intern position which is to conduct field investigations to perform waterway assessments.