MDOT Is Hiring For Its Most Unique Position: Mackinac Bridge ‘Steeplejack’

Just last month, I wrote an article about Michigan's most perilous job that doesn't receive enough credit for the work that gets done. It takes a lot of work to keep the Mackinac Bridge in tip-top shape and requires a unique skill set to work on the bridge.

Someone over in the Michigan Department of Transportation must have read that article and decided it was time to hire one of these workers because there is now a listing on MDOT's site for that very position: a Mackinac Bridge 'SteepleJack'. 

What is a Steeplejack?

You're probably wondering what exactly is a Steeplejack and how it got that awesome title. A Steeplejack is someone who repairs and maintains tall structures like industrial chimneys, towers, high-rise blocks, monuments, and bridges.

The term comes from the 1880s when workers would scale large structures like steeples for churches and repair them, with the phrase "jack" being a phrase meaning "man" or "fellow" like a lumberjack.

What Do Steeplejacks Do?

Besides not being afraid of heights, anyone applying for this job will perform a variety of repair and maintenance work while '300ft" above the Mighty Mack. According to the application, duties range from "sandblasting, painting, washing, greasing, oiling, bolting, caulking, forming, cement work".

If that sounds like something you're interested in applying for, you can expect to make about $20.40-$31.08 hourly (pay ranges based on experience) and you'll be stationed in St. Ignace. You can view the full job description/specification and you can apply for the position here.