Pipelayers

About the job

Lay pipe for storm or sanitation sewers, drains, and water mains. Perform any combination of the following tasks: grade trenches or culverts, position pipe, or seal joints.

What you'll do

• Align and position pipes to prepare them for welding or sealing.
• Dig trenches to desired or required depths, by hand or using trenching tools.
• Grade or level trench bases, using tamping machines or hand tools.
• Install or repair sanitary or stormwater sewer structures or pipe systems.
• Install or use instruments such as lasers, grade rods, or transit levels.
• Lay out pipe routes, following written instructions or blueprints and coordinating layouts with supervisors.
• Locate existing pipes needing repair or replacement, using magnetic or radio indicators.
• Operate mechanized equipment, such as pickup trucks, rollers, tandem dump trucks, front-end loaders, or backhoes.
• Tap and drill holes into pipes to introduce auxiliary lines or devices.
• Train or supervise others in laying pipe.

Things you need to know

• Mechanical – Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• English Language – Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Building and Construction – Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
• Public Safety and Security – Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
• Mathematics – Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Abilities you'll need to have

• Operation Monitoring – Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Operation and Control – Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
• Active Listening – Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Critical Thinking – Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Quality Control Analysis – Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
• Social Perceptiveness – Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Monitoring – Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.