Machine Operator – Parks / Ecologist

Salary: $25.00 – $31.19 Hourly

Location : Stoughton, WI

Job Type: Full-Time

Job Number: 426

Department: Public Works

Opening Date: 11/20/2025

Closing Date: 12/7/2025 4:00 PM Central

SUMMARY OF JOB

The purpose of this position is to operate a variety of heavy and light equipment to perform maintenance and repair tasks for the City of Stoughton parks system, storm water system, snow and ice removal, and may assist other City divisions or departments as necessary.
This position will also identify invasive plant species in and around City retention ponds, prairies, and natural areas and implement management plans for removal, monitoring, and restoration.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsible for identifying invasive plant species in City retention ponds, prairies, and other natural areas, and for creating and implementing management plans that include removal, monitoring, and site restoration.
Provides stormwater support as required.
Operates a variety of machines such as 34,000 G.V.W. dump trucks, bucket truck, end loaders, sweepers, motor grader, backhoe, skid steer, jack hammers, cutting torches, welder, vibrating roller, various mowers, tractors, stump grinder, chainsaw, brush chipper, street painting machine, snow removal equipment, (i.e. plow truck with wing and sander, heavy duty snow blower), truck mounted leaf vacuum hydraulic hose machine, spray patcher. Computerized sign-making machine and other borrowed equipment.
Performs routine equipment maintenance tasks such as fueling and checking fluid levels. replacing belts and filters, changing oil and greasing chassis. Repairing and changing tires. Making new hydraulic hoses, etc.
Operates backhoe digger, bucket truck and hand tools near and around electrical distribution lines, gas mains, water mains, sewer lateral mains, fiber optics, etc.
Assists in recommending on-site operation changes.
Picks up and disposes of leaves and Christmas trees from city park rows and streets.
Cleans and repairs storm water inlets, pipes, tanks and greenways in storm water system.
Collects and disposes of garbage from park areas, parking lots, streets and greenways.
Plows and/or salts all city streets, alleys, sidewalks and parking lots in accordance with winter road and sidewalk procedures and snow emergency ordinance.
Participates in ongoing equipment and safety training.
Removal and trimming of trees within city right-away, parks and other city-owned properties.
Cutting, chipping and removal of brush and yard waste.
Maintains athletic field facilities, including field layout and painting.
Prepares work sites. Erects warning signs and secures area. Maintains knowledge of and implements safety procedures according to MUTCD.
Participates in on-call status and emergencies.
Performs building maintenance and repairs.
Performs concrete flatwork.

The following duties are necessary for operations but may be shared with or performed by other employees. The listed duties do not compose an exclusive or all-encompassing list of additional duties. Other duties may be assigned or required to accomplish the main goals of this position.

Assists other City departments with moving furniture, books, etc.
Removes road hazards, dead animals.
Notifies digger’s hotline of digging operations.
General landscaping.
Assists in mowing and cleaning up of parks and greenways.
Assists with pre- and post-season maintenance of city parks.
Assists parks department with large projects (i.e., new playgrounds, ball diamonds, trails).
Ice rink preparation and daily maintenance.
Assists civic organizations in helping them with different activities (i.e., putting up banners, Christmas lights, Syttende Mai activities).
Cemetery maintenance.
Installs/removes City piers (Spring and Fall).
Ability to work with a variety of carpentry, cement and other hand tools required for jobs.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

High school diploma or equivalent.
Preference will be given to those with:
Two to three years’ experience in Invasive plant identification and management.
One to two years’ heavy equipment operating experience.
Any combination of education and experience that provides equivalent knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Conditions of Employment

Must pass a background check, driver’s license check, pre-employment physical, and drug screen.
Must have a valid driver’s license. A commercial driver’s license, Class A (pintle hitch) and Class B, with air brakes, and tanker endorsement is required and preferred at the time of hire, or the ability to obtain such licensure within one year of employment.
Certification in CPR and first aid preferred or will be required to be obtained after hire.
Must possess, or have the ability to obtain within 1 year of hire, a WI pesticide applicator license.

JOB KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Language Skills

Ability to classify, compute and tabulate data and information, following a prescribed plan requiring the exercise of some judgment. Ability to compare, count, differentiate, measure and sort information. Ability to assemble, copy, record and transcribe data and information.
Ability to explain, demonstrate and clarify to others within well-established policies, procedures and standards, as well as the ability to follow specific instructions and respond to simple requests from others.
Ability to utilize a variety of advisory data and information, such as work orders, grade sheets, hazardous materials lists, safety manuals and procedures, construction specifications, blueprints, equipment operating manuals, time sheets, maps, vehicle logs, accident reports, technical operating manuals, procedures and guidelines.
Ability to communicate effectively with customers, Department personnel, law enforcement personnel, contractors, tree trimmers and other city employees.
Ability to help and teach seasonal workers with various duties.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to add and subtract, multiply and divide, and calculate percentages, fractions, and decimals.

Judgment and Situational Reasoning Ability

Ability to use functional reasoning and apply rational judgment in performing diversified work activities.
Ability to exercise the judgment, decisiveness, and creativity required in situations involving the evaluation of information against sensory and/or judgmental criteria.
Ability to analyze and categorize data and information in order to determine the relationship of the data with reference to established criteria/standards.

PhysicalandMentalAbilitiesRequiredtoPerformEssentialPositionFunctions

Ability to operate equipment and machinery requiring monitoring multiple conditions and making multiple, complex and rapid adjustments, such as motor grader loaders, backhoes, dump truck with plows, sanders and wings, street sweepers, truck-mounted leaf vacuum, skid steer, tractors, stump grinder grubber, common mechanic’s hand tools, transit, chain saw, brush chipper, welder, cutting torches, jack hammers, air tools, hydraulic jack, grinder, and other equipment as needed for job performance.
Ability to perform routine repairs on complex equipment and machinery.
Ability to coordinate eyes, hands, feet and limbs in performing highly skilled movements involved in repair and maintenance tasks.
Ability to exert heavy physical effort in moderate to heavy work, typically involving some combination of climbing and balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, and lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling over 100 pounds.
Ability to recognize and identify degrees of similarities or differences between characteristics of colors, forms, sounds and textures associated with job-related objects, materials and ingredients.

Environmental Adaptability

Ability to work under conditions which require exposure to environmental factors such as temperature variations and extremes (occasionally ranging from cold below minus 20 degrees F or heat above 90 degrees F), noise levels (intermittently between 50-85 decibels), odors, toxic grease and oils, dust, fumes, moving machinery, moving vehicles, elevated heights (on structures, ladders and scaffolds up to 25 feet), vibrations, electrical equipment, and electrical currents.

FULL-TIME BENEFITS – 32+ Hours/Week
Effective 1-1-2025
The following benefits are offered to regular full-time (32+ hours per week/1664+ annual hours minimum) employees, Please note that this is a summary, and benefits are not guaranteed. Review the Quartz HMO or Quartz PPO Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) document for coverage details or contact Quartz directly.

HEALTH INSURANCE
Coverage is effective the day after hire; premiums are deducted monthly from the 1st payroll of the month.

Quartz HMO – benefits listed for in-network providers only.
Employee responsibility toward monthly premium:
Family $73.39
Employee & Spouse $48.16
Employee & Child(ren) $43.56
Single $22.93

In-Network Provider Coverage ONLY – See SBC for details
Deductibles are $500/single – $1,000/family
$0 co-pay for preventative/screening
$30 co-pay on office visits
$30 co-pay on urgent care visits
$100 co-pay on emergency room visits (co-pay waived if admitted to hospital)
Prescription drug co-pays:
$10/Tier 1
$35/Tier 2
$60/Tier 3
$200 Specialty drugs
$5 RX Outcomes
Out of Pocket Limit $2850 Single/ $5700 Family

Quartz POS
Employee responsibility toward monthly premium:
Family $395.39
Employee & Spouse $259.37
Employee & Child $234.77
Single $123.56

Note: the Quartz POS coverage has higher and separate deductibles and out of pocket costs . Refer to the SBC for details. This Plan does allow the flexibility to use in and out of network providers. But, the costs are higher. Refer to the SBC for details.
Employee out of pocket qualified medical expenses can be run through the flexible spending plan (Section 125) which is managed through Employee Benefits Corporation (EBC). Enrollment into this plan occurs only during annual enrollment which is November/December.

DENTAL INSURANCE
Coverage is effective the day after hire. The City covers 100% of the premium for dental coverage.
Note: Full-Time employees pay no portion of the dental premium .
Delta Dental benefits listed for in-network providers only

Delta Dental In-Network Coverage:
There is no deductible for dental coverage.
Per person, per benefit accumulation period is $1,000.
Diagnostic and preventive procedures are paid at 100%;
Basic restorative procedures are paid at 80%;
Major restorative procedures are paid at 50%;
Orthodontic procedures are paid at 0%.
Check Up Plus – lets you obtain diagnostic and preventive services – including examinations, X-rays, regular cleanings and other related treatments without the costs of those services applying to your individual annual maximum. The full value of your annual maximum is applied to the benefits you receive for base and major
restorative services.

RETIREMENT Provider Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS)
2025 Wisconsin Retirement Rate is 13.90% for general employees. The employer and employee shares are equal at 6.95% each.
2025 Wisconsin Retirement Rate is 21.90% for protective employees. The employer share is 14.95% and the employee share is 6.95%.

Eligibility to Participate- from the ETF Your Benefit Handbook (ET-2119) Rev10/13
Depending on when you began your job, your job will have to meet one of these two standards for it to be covered under the WRS.

One-third standard — A position that is subject to the one-third standard meets WRS participation standards if you are expected to work at least one-third of full-time (600 hours for non-teaching employees) for at least one year from date of hire. You will remain eligible even if your job subsequently drops below one-third.
Two-thirds standard — A position that is subject to the two-thirds standard meets WRS participation standards if you are expected to work at least two-thirds of full-time (1200 hours for non-teaching employees) for at least one year from date of hire. You will remain eligible even if your job subsequently drops below two-thirds.

If you were a continuing employee as of July 1, 2011, your job must meet the one-third standard. You will remain eligible even if your job subsequently drops below one-third.

If you were hired after July 1, 2011:

If you were a participating employee before July 1, 2011, left WRS service, did not take
A separation benefit, and are now returning in a new job, your job must meet the one-third standard.
If you were a participating employee before July 1, 2011, left WRS service, took a separation benefit, and are now returning in a new job, your job must meet the two-thirds standard.
If you were not a participating employee before July 1, 2011, your job must meet the two-thirds standard.*

If you are not expected to meet these eligibility criteria when you are hired, you will not be enrolled in the WRS at that time. However, if you subsequently work at least 12 months, and in any 12-month period you meet the hour’s requirement, you are prospectively enrolled in the WRS. In this situation, your WRS coverage is not retroactive.

WRS Mandatory Employee Contributions
If your employment is eligible to be covered under the WRS, you must make employee-required contributions. These contributions are credited to your individual WRS account. These contributions are vested immediately.
Your contributions are calculated as a percentage of your WRS earnings. The contribution rates are different for each WRS employment category. The rates generally change from year to year based on the recommendation of the consulting actuary.
Your employer may have agreed to pay part or all of your employee required WRS contributions on your behalf, pursuant to a contract or collective bargaining agreement entered into prior to June 29, 2011. In addition, certain employees retained the right to bargain with their employers after that date over who will pay the employee-required contributions. Please contact Human Resources for more information.

GROUP LIFE INSURANCE Provider Employee Trust Funds (ETF)/Minnesota Life
The city pays for the basic premium: Premium based on salary and age. Each employee will receive $1,000 insurance for each portion of $1,000 in earnings the previous year.
Eligibility: First of the month following 30 days of employment (timely enrollment-within 30 days from hire). No evidence of insurability required if the employee files within 30 days from date of hire.
Coverage for spouse/dependent and additional units is available, as an employee deduction.

INCOME CONTINUATION INSURANCE Provider Employee Trust Funds (ETF)
The city provides the 90-day waiting period without cost to the employee.
The 60 or 30-day waiting period is available with the employee paying the cost of the difference between the 90-day waiting period and the period selected. Eligibility: First of the month following 30 days of employment (timely enrollment-within 30 days from hire).

ACCIDENTAL DEATH & DISMEMBERMENT Provider Employee Trust Funds (ETF)
Coverage is equal to the total amount of your group life insurance under the basic, supplemental and additional coverages. See The Wisconsin Public Employers Group Life Insurance Program Booklet ET-2101 Rev 1/2016 for further details.

VACATION
2 weeks + 3 days at hire and less than 4 full years of service (104 hours)
3 weeks + 3 days after 4 full years of service (144 hours)
4 weeks + 3 days after 9 full years of service (184 hours)
4 weeks + 4 days after 10 full years of service (192 hours)
4 weeks + 5 days after 11 full years of service (200 hours)
4 weeks + 6 days after 12 full years of service (208 hours)
4 weeks + 7 days after 13 full years of service (216 hours)
4 weeks + 8 days after 14 full years of service (224 hours)
*Vacation is effective as of January 1st each year*

SICK LEAVE i s earned per month based on normally scheduled hours per day (i.e. 8 hour day earns 8 hours per month – 5 hour day earns 5 hours per month).

LENGTH OF SERVICE PAYMENT (longevity) The first length of service payment is $150.00 (for a 40 hour per week employee) after the employee has completed three full years of continuous full-time City employment prior to December 1 of the calendar year in which the payment is made. Subsequent length of service payments are increased by $50 for each additional year of continuous full-time employment. This amount is prorated for employees working less than a 40 hour week.

HOLIDAYS Employee is eligible for the listed paid holidays (in the Work Rules) based on the employee’s normal scheduled hours of work per week.

FUNERAL LEAVE Employee may take up to three (3) days for a death in the family based on the employee’s normal scheduled hours of work per week (family is defined in the Work Rules). 8 hours scheduled = 8 hours funeral leave per day, 6 hour regular day = 6 hours funeral leave per day.

HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP Employees are eligible for a free membership to Anytime Fitness. Anytime also offers spouse and family discounts to City of Stoughton Employee families that reside in the same household. See the City of Stoughton Employee Health Club Membership Flyer in your new hire orientation packet. *This is not a guaranteed benefit and is subject to change at any time.

OTHER BENEFITS AVAILABLE The following benefits are available to employees and are 100% employee paid if elected. These insurances are offered to complement our existing benefits package and to offer the group rates to all benefit eligible employees.

Flexible Spending (EBC) As stated above, eligibility for this benefit is only during annual enrollment in November/December for the next calendar year.
AFLAC Short Term Disability, Accident, Cancer etc.
Legal Shield Identity Theft protection & Legal Services
Delta Vision (EyeMed) Vision Coverage
CostcoShop at any Costco Store, Costco.com, Costco Gas Station, Costco Optical, and Costco Travel.

Disclosure: Please note that this document serves as an overview and in no way should be used to determine coverage. Please refer to your plan documents and or contact the carrier for coverage, out of pocket expenses, co-pays and insured amounts. This document is subject to change at any time and by no means serves as or is intended to serve as a contract.

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