How to hire a bridge tender

How to hire a bridge tender, step by step

Here's a step-by-step bridge tender hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a bridge tender job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new bridge tender
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the bridge tender you need to hire. Certain bridge tender roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect bridge tender also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of bridge tenders and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Bridge Tender	Description	Hourly rate
   Bridge Tender		$12-23
   Dam Operator	A dam operator is primarily responsible for overseeing dam operations. Although their tasks may vary upon their place or company of employment, it usually includes monitoring dam water levels, gathering and analyzing data, conducting assessments and regular maintenance checks, planning actions thoroughly, adjusting machines as necessary, and delegating responsibilities among staff, solving issues and concerns when any arise... Show more	$11-24

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Two-Way Radio
   • Boats
   • US Coast Guard
   • Traffic Signals

   Responsibilities:

   • Trouble shoot and resolve conferencing issues for schedule and manage videoconferencing customers.
   • Clean taps and lines, switch out kegs, and service keg line fobs to ensure the best quality beer pour.
   • Communicate with dispatcher on rail movement, captains of boat and engineers of train.
   • Slice and pit fruit for garnishing drinks.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your bridge tender job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A bridge tender can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, bridge tenders' average salary in wyoming is 43% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level bridge tenders 49% less than senior-level bridge tenders.
   • Certifications. A bridge tender with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a bridge tender's salary.

   Average bridge tender salary

   $35,636yearly

   $17.13 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level bridge tender salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 18, 2026

4. Writing a bridge tender job description

   A bridge tender job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a bridge tender job description:

   Bridge tender job description example

   Must be capable of lifting between 20 -40 pounds of weight. Must be able to stand and/or walk as required to fulfill your job duties. Must be able to bend and stoop repetitively. Must be able to climb up and down ladders and bridge stairs into and around bridge houses. Must be able to function in a very hot or cold environment. Must have 20/40 corrected vision or better. Must be able to distinguish red, amber, and green colors or lights. Must be able to hear a forced whisper from 5’ with or without hearing aid or hear frequencies from 500 to 6,000 hertz plus 15 DB.

   
   
   Velociti is a facilities services company that is a division of Argenbright Holdings, a company that has over 20,000 employees and produces over $1 billion in revenue in the facility services and aviation services industries.
   
   The Argenbright family of companies has been operating since 1978 under the same founder and executive chairman, Frank Argenbright. Over these many years, we have consistently attracted an experienced and tenured management team who are passionate about delivering a level of customer service excellence that is unmatched in the industry.
   
   Our safety, service, solutions model centers around the needs of our clients to provide a one-stop option and measurable value to our clients’ businesses. Offering both hard and soft facilities services, our operating platform offers unique and customized options for a wide range of commercial market segments.
   
   

   Velociti provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

   This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

   
   
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find bridge tenders for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your bridge tender job on Zippia to find and recruit bridge tender candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit bridge tenders, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new bridge tender

   Once you've selected the best bridge tender candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new bridge tender. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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