Iconic Minnesota Job Now Has Two Rare Openings

When it comes to unique Minnesota jobs, this one is at the top of the heap.

There's a bit of mystery and wonder to the job of lift bridge operator for Duluth's Aerial Lift Bridge. While the structure itself is, at its core, just a piece of transportation infrastructure, it is also a sort of tourist attraction.

Canal Park and the Aerial Lift Bridge are sightseeing destinations for tourists from around the world. Even many locals admire the bridge.

The job of operating the Aerial Lift Bridge is up to a small team of people employed by the City of Duluth, and historically, it isn't very often that there are openings for this job.

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The team that operates the bridge is responsible for " the safe and efficient operation and maintenance" of not only the Aerial Lift Bridge, but also the Minnesota Slip Bridge.

The job isn't for people who are fans of 9-5 jobs. Bridge operators work rotating shifts that include nights, weekends, and holidays.

Last fall, I shared that there was an opening for the job of Aerial Lift Bridge Supervisor. After filling that role, there are now two other bridge jobs the City of Duluth is advertising.

Here's what each of the jobs is, how much they pay, and the qualifications you'd need to get one of these unique, rare jobs that also happen to come with a pretty awesome view.

The first job opening is the role of bridge operator. While there are some specialized roles that are part of the team that help operate and maintain the bridge, this is just the straightforward role of being a bridge operator.

Job requirements include at least one year of specialized electrical training, working experience with large electrically-operated machinery, and/or experience or education in "electrically operated, complex mechanized, or computer-controlled equipment as a primary responsibility".

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The bridge operator job has a pay range of  $59,485.00 - $72,065.00 annually, and comes with a variety of benefits like paid holidays, retirement benefits, medical & dental plans, and more. You can see all of the details on the job application page.

The other job is the more specialized role of "Bridge Operator - Electrical". This job has a similar set of job requirements and benefits package, but it comes with a slightly higher pay range of $61,892.00 - $75,042.00 annually. You can see the full job description and information on the job application page.

The City of Duluth explains that they are "establishing an eligible list for this classification" for both of the jobs noted above, and that any interested parties would need to apply for both jobs separately if they are interested in both.