Chipper Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $45,933.00 - $74,534.00 Annually
Location : Highways Cooksville Shop, Cooksville, MD
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 26-00611
Department: Public Works
Opening Date: 08/28/2026
Closing Date: 9/13/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
POSITION SUMMARY/CLASS DESCRIPTION
Howard County
Conveniently located in the heart of central Maryland between Baltimore and Washington, Howard County offers the charm of a historic past mixed with the excitement of a cosmopolitan community.
Howard County Government
Howard County Government is a leader in innovation, sustainability, and consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and work in the country. In 2025, Howard County Government received a record-breaking 83 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) - the highest number of annual NACo awards achieved in the history of the State of Maryland, and the highest number of awards out of any county in the State of Maryland which received a collective 136 awards. NACo is the leading organization representing county-level government operations. These awards recognize innovative and transformative programs that provide new services for county residents, improve existing programs, upgrade working conditions, and enhance citizen participation and public policymaking.
What are we looking for?
We are looking for outstanding individuals to join our team and contribute to excellence in Howard County operations.
What you'll like most about working at Howard County Government:

• We are committed to workplace excellence in every area of County government.
• We have a highly talented, diverse, and inclusive workplace. Your input will not only be heard, but it will be encouraged!
• We offer competitive compensation and great benefits including medical, retirement, and wellness programs.
• As a member of the Howard County Government team, you'll be helping drive our culture and directly impact what makes us an amazing place to work.

POSITION SUMMARY:
This is work involving the driving of trucks and the operating of less complex types of motor and mechanical equipment.
STARTING SALARY HIRING RANGE:
$22.08 - $24.39/hourly
$45,933 - $50,732/annually
*This is the anticipated starting salary range for this position. Please note that the final salary will be determined by the Office of Human Resources, commensurate with experience and aligned to ensure internal equity with similarly situated roles.*
CLASS DESCRIPTION:
This is work involving the driving of trucks; the operating of less complex types of motor and mechanical equipment; the performing of a variety of skilled and semi-skilled manual tasks involving such equipment and a variety of hand and power tools. Work includes tasks needed in the construction and maintenance of public works projects.
*This is a Classified position, meaning that it is a part of the Howard County Classified Service upon completion of a probationary period of at least six (6) months*
*This position has been designated as "essential personnel," meaning an employee is expected to report for regular work shift during inclement weather, emergency situations, County holidays and on an on-call basis.*
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Equipment Operation and Transportation:

• Operates dump trucks hauling sand, stone, pipe, tools, and other materials for road construction and maintenance.
• Operates motor vehicles and equipment with attachments/tools (chipper, compressor, tamping machine, trencher) for salting, ditch work, pipe installation, grass cutting, and similar activities.
• Operates a highway striping vehicle, paint spray carriage, and personnel lift truck for control device maintenance, tree trimming, and related duties.
• Operates forklift or loader to load/unload heavy materials; manually loads/unloads other materials.
• Operates snow plows and salt spreaders; plows and salts roads.
• May operate more complex motor equipment, hand tools, and power tools (loader, roller, skid loader, compactor, chipper).

Road, Infrastructure and Maintenance Work:

• Performs semi-skilled manual labor tasks including painting, raking and shoveling stone, mixing cement, flagging traffic, mulching and seeding, jackhammer work, and other highway maintenance activities.
• Patches roads and shoulders.
• Directs traffic flow during work activities.

Vehicle, Equipment and Tool Maintenance:

• Inspects vehicles, equipment, and tools.
• Performs minor routine and preventive maintenance, including checking tires, air pressure, tracks, and other safety-related elements.
• Keeps logs of vehicle operations.
• Reports equipment defects, accidents, traffic violations, and related incidents.

Crew Leadership and Direction:

• May oversee the work of subordinate employees.
• May direct and instruct employees in safe equipment and tool use.

Emergency and Weather Response:

• This position is considered emergency essential and may be required to report during inclement weather or emergency situations.
• Performs related emergency response duties as needed.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
This job has no supervisory responsibilities.
MINIMUM REQUIRED EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
Any combination of education and experience equivalent to completion of the tenth school grade and one year of experience operating large dump trucks and/or other motor equipment of the same complexity; or one year of experience in progressively responsible manual laboring work, some of which has included the operation of such motor equipment.
REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSES, AND REGISTRATIONS:

• Must possess a valid class B commercial driver's license issued by the State of Maryland.
• Valid DOT physical card.
• Possession of a valid Maryland approved flagger's certification may be required, depending upon work assignment, and must be obtained within Department time frames and maintained during tenure of employment.
• Confined space training certification may also be required, if required by work assignment.

PREFERRED EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of traffic laws and truck related laws.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of motor equipment operation.
• Knowledge of the hazards and safety rules and regulations involved in laboring and equipment operation activities in the unit to which assigned.
• Some knowledge of carpentry and form building.
• Some knowledge of the component parts of motor equipment, hand and power tools and their function.
• Skill in the safe and efficient operation of dump trucks and other motor equipment of the same complexity both on and off the highway.
• Skill in the operation of hand and power tools.
• Some skills in map and blueprint reading.
• Ability to perform preventative maintenance on motorized equipment.
• Ability to learn the operation of mechanical equipment such as forklifts, backhoes, hydraulic excavator, front end loaders, and other heavy construction equipment.
• Ability to learn the geography of the County.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions, directions, and traffic signals.
• Ability to perform heavy labor for prolonged periods of time often under adverse weather conditions.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective professional working relationships with coworkers and others.
• Ability to perform heavy manual labor in road construction when required.
• Ability to read, write and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos.
• Ability to effectively present information to one-on-one and small group situations to coworkers and others.
• Some experience with the use of personal computers or the ability to learn.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to walk and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and ability to adjust focus. The employee shall work overtime under emergency conditions or as circumstances warrant.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to outside weather conditions. The employee is frequently exposed to moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, and vibration. The employee is occasionally exposed to toxic or caustic chemicals. The noise level in the work environment is very loud. The employee may be exposed to high temperatures given off by various materials.
LANGUAGE SKILLS, MATHEMATICAL SKILLS AND REASONING ABILITY:
Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization in a professional manner.
Ability to add and subtract two digit numbers and to multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
TO APPLY: You must complete an employment application online to be considered for this recruitment. Resumes cannot be substituted for completion of the job application work history. No paper applications will be accepted.
Selected candidates may be subject to drug screening, background screening, and reference checks.
At time of application, please submit a copy of any college degree, coursework, licenses, or certifications that you have referenced on your application. Applicants who have education obtained outside of the U.S. may need to provide proof of the equivalent U.S. education as determined by a foreign credential evaluation service, such as the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (http://www.naces.org) or World Education Services: International Credential Evaluation (https://www.wes.org/).
Howard County Government is not sponsoring employees in application of the H-1B Visa or providing an extension of an existing H-1B Visa. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.
Howard County is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, and we are committed to a workplace that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. The County prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, ancestry, creed, national origin, disability status, genetics, marital status, military service, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Applicants requiring accommodations during the hiring process should contact the Office of Human Resources directly at . Requests for accommodations should not be attached to the application.
The following is a summary of the benefits available to Howard County employees who hold full-time benefit-eligible positions. Employees in positions covered by a bargaining agreement should consult their union contract for other specific benefits. Additional details are also available in the Employee Manual and in summary plan descriptions which are available in the Office of Human Resources or at
FLEXIBLE BENEFITS PLAN: Under the County's flexible benefits plan called CountyFlex, employees may elect to enroll in medical insurance plans, dental insurance plans, optional life insurance, dependent life insurance, and healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts. Employee contributions to these benefits are made on a pre-tax basis. Information concerning enrollment options, plan rates and a benefits comparison chart are available in the Office of Human Resources.
GROUP TERM LIFE INSURANCE: Employees receive a group term life insurance benefit equal to 2 times their annual salary at no cost. Accidental death and dismemberment coverage is included. The County pays the entire cost for this benefit. Employees may purchase additional coverage under the CountyFlex benefits plan.
PAID LEAVE BENEFITS: Annual and Disability Leaves are accrued over 24 pay periods each year. Personal leave is credited on January 1st each year. Use of Annual, Disability and/or Personal Leave requires supervisory approval.
ANNUAL LEAVE: During the first 5 years of employment, employees accrue the equivalent of 13 days per year. From years 6 through 10, the accrual is the equivalent of 16 days per year. From years 11 through 20, the accrual is the equivalent of 19 days per year. From year 21 on, the accrual is the equivalent of 21 days per year. Annual leave may not be used during the first 6 month