ENGINEERING TESTING TECHNICIAN / Emergency Appointment Fire

About the position

The LA County Board of Supervisors has unanimously ratified a Proclamation of Local Emergency in response to the windstorms and wildfires, including the Palisades and Eaton Fires, that have devastated communities across the County. We are looking for qualified and passionate individuals to assist the County in mobilizing resources and support needed to help our residents recover and rebuild. If you are looking for a new career that will directly benefit the population of LA County, this may be the opportunity for you. The Department of Public Works is seeking qualified candidates to fill emergency Engineering Testing Technician vacancies related to this unprecedented natural disaster. Under the emergency order, applicants who meet the requirements may be hired for an initial period of up to 90 days, with an opportunity for permanent County employment. During your initial work period, you will be assessed on your work performance. This assessment will be weighted 100%. Those who successfully pass the assessment will be considered for permanent appointment to Engineering Testing Technician.

Responsibilities

• Fills, lifts, and transports bags of soil, weighing approximately 90 pounds, to the materials lab for analysis.
• Carries PCC (Portland Concrete Cement) cylinders and soil samples, weighing approximately 30 pounds, to conduct density tests and concrete cylinder strength tests.
• Lifts an 85-pound case containing a nuclear gauge and sets up to conduct compaction testing on soil.
• Digs holes 8 inches in diameter and 4 feet deep in firm, dense, soil using a manual posthole digger.
• Samples and performs tests on asphalt and concrete and their components.
• Inspects galvanizing of pipes, plates and rails for thickness and weight of coating; inspects steel reinforcing bars for defects and proper finish; and selects sample reinforcing bars and tests them for cold-bend resistance and tensile strength.
• Inspects the manufacturing of, and monitors the testing of, construction products, such as pipe, quarry stone, and manhole frames and covers.
• Samples and performs field and laboratory tests on soils, pipe bedding, and base materials, and observes placement of compaction test sections.
• Performs complex physical tests on undisturbed samples for foundations, and for paints and epoxies.
• Responsible for other duties related to conducting tests and inspections on various construction materials, as needed.
• Performs geotechnical calculations/geotechnical soils reports with engineers, as needed.
• Performs various specialized testing on organics, compaction, moisture content, soil classification, and gradation.

Requirements

• Two years' experience at the level of Engineering Testing Aid III.
• A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.