What are the responsibilities and job description for the Laborer position at Town & County of Nantucket?
Town of Nantucket
Department of Public Works
Laborer
ESSENTIAL DUTIES: The Department of Public Works seeks qualified candidates beginning immediately to fill a full-time Laborer position. Representative duties include a variety of skilled work including but not limited to the collection of Town trash, roadside cleanup, mowing, operation of equipment, and recordkeeping under the direction of General Foreman.
QUALIFICATIONS: Must have a valid Massachusetts driver’s license or the ability to obtain one prior to employment. Sufficient manual dexterity and physical ability to lift and carry objects weighing thirty (30) pounds or less may be required. Work may require outdoor labor in inclement weather.
Full Time; Benefits; AFSCME Union, M2 position
Application Deadline: Sunday, April 12th, 2026 at 4 pm
The Town of Nantucket offers a retirement pension through Barnstable County Retirement, 90% employer sponsored health insurance plan options and a diverse selection of supplemental insurance policies.
STATEMENT OF DUTIES: The employee is responsible for the provision of semi-skilled manual work in the maintenance, construction and repair of Town property (streets, sidewalks, grounds, parks and trees) and the completion of a wide range of public works projects. The employee is required to perform all similar or related duties.
SUPERVISION REQUIRED: The employee works under the direct supervision of the Foreman. Clear, detailed and specific instructions govern the work or are explained with each assignment. The employee works as instructed and consults with the supervisor as needed on all matters not specifically covered in the guidelines or instructions. The supervisor maintains control by reviewing the work in progress or upon completion.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: The employee is not responsible for the regular supervision of other town employees.
CONFIDENTIALITY: The employee does not have regular access to confidential information of the department, in accordance with the State Public Records law.
ACCOUNTABILITY: The nature of work or the operation of large, complex, or potentially dangerous equipment increases the probability that errors could be serious. Consequences of errors, missed deadlines or poor judgment may include significant monetary losses, waste of material, and damage to buildings, equipment or personal injuries.
JUDGEMENT: Well defined or detailed rules, instructions and procedures cover all aspects of work. Judgment involves choosing the appropriate practices, procedures, regulations or guidelines to apply in each case.
COMPLEXITY: The work consists of routine or repetitive tasks and/or operations with few variations in well known or established procedures.
NATURE AND PURPOSE OF PUBLIC CONTACT: Relationships are primarily with co-workers incidental to the purpose of the work involving giving and receiving factual information about the work. Ordinary courtesy and tact are required. Contact with the public may be required on an occasional basis.
OCCUPATIONAL RISK: Essential functions regularly present potential risk of personal injury to the employee from improper exposure to working conditions that could result in loss of time from work. Examples of injury include severe muscular strains from working with heavy materials and department equipment, and working in trenches. Special safety precautions, training, or protective clothing such as gowns, coats, gloves, glasses, hard hats or safety boots is required at all times.
Essential duties/ responsibilities/ functions
Operates department equipment and vehicles such as a lawn mower and hand tools in the completion of a wide range parks projects such as tree trimming, brush cutting, grass mowing, planting of trees, field maintenance, construction and installation of fences, digging holes etc.
Uses a variety of hand tools to dig ditches and trenches, patch roadways, collect trash and perform public works related tasks around gas pipes, trees, wires, cars, personal property and fellow workers.
- Attends training sessions as required to maintain abreast of updates or changes in occupational safety requirements and effective use of department tools and equipment.
- Participates in the department's ice and snow removal program.
Required minimum qualifications
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Must have a High School diploma or equivalent, and up to one (1) year of experience in grounds and roadway maintenance; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Class D Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Operator’s license at time of hire.
KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES AND SKILLS: Knowledge: Knowledge of landscaping tools, techniques and practices, maintenance of grounds and roadway maintenance and minor repairs. Knowledge of the Town's street layout and town landmarks. Safe and effective operation of hand tools, light equipment and machinery; working knowledge of department operations. Abilities: Ability to adhere to safety precautions and to follow written and oral instructions in a safe and timely manner, and perform duties in a timely manner. Ability to follow directions and to perform work under extreme weather conditions for long periods of time. Ability to interact effectively with co-workers. Ability to recognize unsafe working conditions to ensure that appropriate safety precautions are taken to ensure employee safety. Ability to carry out duties in busy, public congested areas. Skills: Proficient mechanical and operating skill in the use of department hand tools and equipment that is required to perform position duties in a safe and efficient manner.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: 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 position’s essential functions.Physical Demands: Work requires moderate intermittent physical strength and effort daily, such as, lifting heavy objects, carrying the object(s) and stacking them or placing them in a vehicle or storage area. In addition, pulling, pushing, standing or walking for the full work day may also be involved. A great deal of physical effort must be exerted at this level.
Motor Skills: Duties may involve assignments requiring application of hand and eye coordination with finger dexterity and motor coordination in order to use a range of hand tools or department equipment, work in confined spaces, or climb a ladder in a safe manner.
Visual Demands: Visual demands require the employee to read and interpret written instructions for general understanding. The employee is not regularly required to determine color differences.
Salary : $32