Working Title: Geotechnical Drill Crew Member
Job Class: Transportation Generalist Senior
Agency: Transportation Dept
Job ID : 90818
Location : Maplewood
Telework Eligible : No
Full/Part Time : Full-Time
Regular/Temporary : Unlimited
Who May Apply : Open to all qualified job seekers
Date Posted : 12/15/2025
Closing Date : 01/05/2026
Hiring Agency/Seniority Unit : Transportation Dept / DOT-Metro-Central Off-AFSCME
Division/Unit : Materials & Road Research
Work Shift/Work Hours : Day Shift, 7:00am-5:30pm
Days of Work : Monday - Thursday
Travel Required : Yes - 75% travel, must be available for overnight travel
Salary Range: $26.67 - $34.49 / hourly; $55,686 - $72,015 / annually
Classified Status : Classified
Bargaining Unit/Union : 207 - Technical/AFSCME
Work Area : Office of Materials/Maplewood Lab
FLSA Status : Nonexempt
Designated in Connect 700 Program for Applicants with Disabilities (https://mn.gov/mmb/careers/diverse-workforce/people-with-disabilities/connect700/) : Yes
The work you'll do is more than just a job.
At the State of Minnesota, employees play a critical role in developing policies, providing essential services, and working to improve the well-being and quality of life for all Minnesotans. The State of Minnesota is committed to equity and inclusion, and invests in employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities.
** The Minnesota Department of Transportation does not sponsor applicants for work visas or Optional Practical Training Extensions for STEM Students. Individuals must be legally authorized to work in the US at the start of employment.
Performs field operations of the Foundations Crew while assisting in the operation of soil testing and sampling equipment in a safe and efficient manner for the investigation of subsurface soil, rock, and groundwater properties at transportation related sites across the State of Minnesota.
Examples of work for this TRANSPORTATION GENERALIST SENIOR (TGS) vacancy include but are not limited to:
Ensures support vehicles and drilling equipment are in safe, working order and are ready to conduct effective subsurface investigation activities.
Transports, operates and maintains drilling and heavy equipment, and support vehicles for subsurface investigations.
Operates field equipment to investigate subsurface conditions in a safe and timely manner .
Performs the testing, sample collection, and documentation to investigate subsurface conditions in a safe and timely manner.
Trains, guides and monitors entry-level crew members in applying the technical knowledge and policies required to conduct safe and accurate subsurface investigations for transportation projects.
Minimum Qualifications
Licensure: A valid Class A CDL with no air brake restriction AND a tank endorsement (or ability to obtain the tank endorsement within 6 months of hire.)
The level of experience to perform this job at the TRANSPORTATION GENERALIST SENIOR (TGS) level can be achieved with:
Two years of experience of materials testing.
OR
Two years of boring or coring activities in support of geotechnical, environmental, construction or agricultural investigations or other related investigation activities.
OR
One year of experience performing materials testing, boring or coring activities in support of agricultural, geotechnical, environmental, or construction investigations AND one year in any roadway construction, engineering support or roadway maintenance areas such as: soils, materials, traffic engineering, surveys, design, contract administration, hydraulics, or infrastructure maintenance.
Examples of boring or coring activities qualifying are as follows, but not limited to:
Subsurface Exploration involving the use of various drilling equipment to test or recover soil samples for physical, chemical, geological, or environmental analysis.
Well drilling duties involving operating drilling equipment to excavate holes in the ground, typically to access groundwater or other underground resources or to seal wells.
Sanitary or stormwater drain field installation Involving the installation of subsurface, perforated, drainpipes into gravel (or other filter media) using trench excavation or trenchless installation methods.
Utility locates involving "potholing" or performing vertical or trenchless excavation used to positively identify the depth and location of inplace utilities or other sensitive infrastructure along a planned drill alignment.
Pipe or cable installation using a trenchless excavation method, involving horizontal directional drilling, to install underground utilities by drilling a horizontal bore path under roads, waterways, or buildings.
Directional drilling involving excavation of a boring pit, directional boring, pulling back conduit, splicing conduit sections, pulling fiberoptic cable through conduit, setting hand holes, backfilling and seeding, core drilling and potholing, building penetrations and close out pictures and redlines.
Geothermal field installation duties involving using specialized equipment for vertical or horizontal (borehole) excavation.
Educational Substitution : Successful completion of a Heavy Equipment Operation and Maintenance Program (of at least 60 semester credits; or 90 quarter credits) substitutes for one year of experience.(In order for education coursework to be considered in lieu of work experience you must submit a copy of your transcripts.)
Licensure Substitution: Limited Dewatering Well Contractor License or Limited Well Sealing Contractor License substitutes for one year of experience.
Working knowledge of English sufficient to read, write, speak and understand oral and written information; communicate with employees and the general public in-person or via two-way radio and other electronic devices; and to maintain routine written logs and simple records.
Preferred Qualifications
Completion of Nation Highway Institute's Subsurface Exploration Qualification.
Previous attendance at Shallow Drillers Exploration Clinic.
Environmental Well Contractor Licensure through MN Department of Health.
Previous MnDOT experience working as a Laborer, Transportation Associate or Transportation Generalist with documented satisfactory performance.
Physical Requirements
The physical demands of this job will vary but requires the ability to interpedently lift up to 100 pounds and jointly lift up to 150 pounds maximum with frequent moving and/or lifting or otherwise transfer of objects of various weights. This job also may require walking, moving, standing, to a significant degree on rough terrain or may involve sitting most of the time with pushing and pulling of arm and/or leg controls. This job may require strenuous physical labor including but not limited to digging, shoveling, hauling, crawling, bending, pushing, pulling and climbing.
Additional Requirements
Successful candidate must pass past-employer reference checks and criminal history check
It is our policy that all candidates submit to a background investigation prior to employment. The background check may consist of the following components: SEMA4 Records Check, Criminal History Check, Employment Reference Check, Driver's License Check, and Education/License Verification.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is an Equal Opportunity employer/educator committed to the principles of diversity. We prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or membership in a local commission as defined by law. As an affirmative action employer, we actively seek and encourage applications from women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals with protected veteran status.
Reasonable accommodations will be made to all qualified applicants with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability who needs assistance or cannot access the online job application system, please contact the job information line at 651-259-3637 or email careers@state.mn.us . Please indicate what assistance is needed.
