Utility Technician - (Electric)



Utility Technician - (Electric)

Salary

$117,240.00 - $142,512.00 Annually

Location

Vallejo, CA

Job Type

Full Time Regular

Job Number

375

Department

Power Company

Opening Date

06/07/2022

Closing Date

6/27/2022 5:00 PM Pacific

Position Information


The City of Pittsburg seeks a UTILITY TECHNICIAN (Electric) for the Pittsburg Power Company.
 
The Pittsburg Power Company (PPC) conducts business in the City of Pittsburg and on Mare Island in Vallejo, CA.  PPC is a publicly owned utility municipal company that provides electric and natural gas services at Mare Island. Although PPC is small compared to investor owned utilities, staff is available to work at a personal level to meet the needs of customers who range from residential to large commercial companies and entrepreneurs.

The Utility Technician classification is the full journey level class in which incumbents are expected to perform the full scope of assigned electrical duties and assist with the natural gas side as needed.  Incumbents are expected to use independent judgment and skill in the performance of assignments, which areas are subject to review, by supervisor or designee.  The ideal candidate for this position will have demonstrated training, experience and skill at the journey-level working with medium voltage electrical distribution systems.
 

The standard work hours are from 7:00am – 3:30pm but employees must be able to work standby shifts, after hours, holidays, and weekends to respond to outages, scheduled or emergency work.

Successful candidates will possess the following:
  • Medium voltage electrical systems construction, operations and maintenance experience - journey level
  • Experience with system controls
  • Strong leadership and teamwork skills
  • Operate vehicles and equipment in a safe manner
  • Proficient verbal and written communication skills
  • Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills to interact with staff and the public
  • Have relevant computer skills to use Microsoft Outlook and Word for electronic communication and to create/update a variety of report and documents
  • Ability to work outdoors under various weather and environmental conditions for extended periods of time
  • Eagerness to learn and develop career
  • Possession of a class A/B commercial license
  • Ability to adapt to changing work priorities
  • Ability to work standby shifts, after hours, weekends, and holidays

About Pittsburg
The City of Pittsburg is a culturally rich and diverse community of over 74,000 residents and expected to grow to 90,000 in the next 20 years.  Pittsburg is in the Bay Area Region of Northern California and is perfectly situated for easy access to San Francisco, Napa Valley, Sacramento, the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and Lake Tahoe.  Pittsburg City Hall is also conveniently located a short walk from the Pittsburg Center Station of the Bay Area Rapid Transit System (BART), making a commute from cities throughout the Bay Area very easy.  Pittsburg has waterfront homes, a performing arts theater, a variety of seasonal events, an extensive park system, a large public-school system, and a variety of shopping centers.   The recently renovated Marina is also an ideal place to visit and is located within steps of the Old Town shopping district and downtown living, with nearly 600 boat slips, a free public boat launch, fuel dock, café, bait shop, and the Pittsburg Yacht Club. Pittsburg has featured such events as the Seafood and Music Festival, car shows, movies in the park, kayaking, and fishing derbies.  With its commitment to a quality community environment, Pittsburg is an ideal city in which to live, work and recreate.
 
The City of Pittsburg is a full-service city following the council-manager form of government. We have about 290 full time employees and about 350 employees total (depending on the season).  Pittsburg is currently organized into the following departments: City Management, Community and Economic Development (Building, Economic Development, Code Enforcement, and Planning), Community Services (Housing Authority, Pittsburg Power Company, and the Successor Agency to the former Redevelopment Agency), Recreation, Human Resources, Finance, Police, and Public Works (Engineering, Operations/Maintenance, Utilities, Facilities, Parks, and Water Treatment). Fire Protection services are provided by the Contra Costa County Consolidated Fire Department.  Pittsburg’s total budget for FY 21/22 is $225.9 million and a General Fund budget of $51.3 million.
 
Benefits for permanent employees include great location, salary increases, CALPERS retirement, medical/dental insurance, paid life insurance, retirement health saving account, deferred compensation plan with employer match, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, wellness activities, employee assistance program, employee development courses, potential Public Student Loan Forgiveness for qualifying educational loans,  and career advancement opportunities. 
  
Check out Pittsburg's Facebook Page to see more about what the City offers: https://www.facebook.com/CityOfPittsburgCa/

Join Team Pittsburg to do meaningful work that will shape the community and make a positive difference.

Examples of Duties

Electrical Assignment Duties:
• Electrical: Operates and maintains underground and overhead electrical transmission and distribution systems with voltages up to and including 120kV; installs, inspects, maintains, and repairs electrical distribution system equipment and components in compliance to applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
 
• Electrical: Performs high-voltage electrical switching procedures to re-route distribution loads and/or safely shut down circuits for planned maintenance, repair or construction work; works with energized high voltage equipment with approved hotline maintenance equipment.
 
• Electrical: Maintains constant vigil over all equipment of the plant to ensure proper function; may be on-call after hours and weekends to respond to unplanned electrical outage.
 
• Electrical: Installs, inspects, maintains, and repairs metered electrical service connections to residential, industrial, and commercial customers; responds to electric customer calls for service and restores customer's service, and if not, initiates emergency repair procedure; reads electric and gas meters for billing; performs electric service turn-ons and shut offs.
 
Natural Gas Assignment Duties:
• Natural Gas: Operates and maintains underground natural gas distribution system; installs, inspects, maintains, and repairs natural gas distribution system equipment and components in compliance to applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
 
• Natural Gas: Installs, inspects, maintains, and repairs gas distribution system equipment and components, including main line supply line, valves, and meters; performs all standard types of plastic (PE) pipe joining and connection procedures up to 10-inch pipe diameters; patrols distribution lines within business districts, bridges, creek crossings, etc.; performs inspection and maintenance of gas receiving station regulators and equipment; performs shop repair and testing of regulators; installs new meters, regulators and manifolds; installs meter-insulating fittings; performs electrical tests for voltage, amperage, resistance and continuity.
 
• Natural Gas: Performs valve operations to re-route distribution loads and/or safely shut down gas lines for planned maintenance, repair or construction work; performs safety lockout, tagout, blowdown and purging procedures on de-pressurized systems and equipment.
 
• Natural Gas: Maintains constant vigil over all equipment of the plant to ensure proper function; responds to gas pipeline breaks and initiates necessary emergency response and evacuation procedures; may be on-call after hours and weekends to respond to unplanned pipeline leaks.
 
• Natural Gas: Installs, inspects, maintains, and repairs metered gas service connections to residential, industrial, and commercial customers, and emergency valve maintenance including boxes and lids; responds to customer trouble service calls and "odor" reports and if necessary initiates emergency repair procedure; installs; performs meter reads, gas service turn-ons and shut-offs.
 
• Natural Gas: Locates and installs rectifiers and/or anodes with all associated circuitry for cathodic protection purposes; locates contacts on gas distribution system; troubleshoots the cathodically protected areas of the gas distribution system ensuring protection of existing underground and above ground piping; keeps cathodic protection records in accordance with federal requirements; monitors the gas distribution system relative to cathodic protection to ensure compliance with federal regulations; corrects malfunctions of measuring devices used in cathodic protection.
 
Common Tasks Performed for All Assigned Areas:
• Performs utility mark and locate duties as requested by other utilities, contractors and developers; performs utility oversight and inspection of contractors' work to ensure quality of the work and conformance to Pittsburg Power Company's utility standards.
 
• Maintains utility facilities including structures, fences, and security measures.
 
• Completes work order paperwork including labor and materials used; completes paperwork to maintain minimum level of electrical equipment and materials.
 
• Assists other Utility Technicians/ Utility Lineworkers with their duties as required.
 
• Performs routine vehicle maintenance and operates Pittsburg Power Company's vehicles.
 
• Provides support to Pittsburg Power Company's operations within the City of Pittsburg.
 
• Establishes positive working relationships with representatives, state/local agencies, City management and staff, and the public.
 
• Exercise safe work practices and prudent judgment in emergency situations.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:
A high school diploma with additional college or vocational course work or training in the electric industry, or a related field and four years of experience in the electric industry.
 
License/Certificate:
Possession of, or the ability to obtain, a valid class C California driver's license. Completion of an electric or gas-related apprenticeship or equivalent. Possession of a Gas Operator Qualification certificate within 12 months of appointment (if natural gas is area of responsibility).
 
Other Requirements:
Physically and mentally capable of performing the functions of the job, including but not limited to those summarized in Typical Tasks. 

Other Requirements:
Physically and mentally capable of performing the functions of the job, including but not limited to those summarized in Typical Tasks.
 
KNOWLEDGE/ABILITIES/SKILLS: (The following are a representative sample of the KAS's necessary to perform typical tasks of the position)
 
Knowledge of:
Standards and accepted practices, techniques, and materials used in an electrical distribution system; operation and maintenance of electrical plant and equipment including electrical switching orders; electrical distribution system procedures and methods; California Public Utilities Commission General Orders 95, 128,165, 166, 174 and 112-F; Electrical and Gas Safety Orders; applicable federal, state, and local regulations, general orders, guidelines and administrative procedures dealing with electrical distribution; methods, materials and tools used in the operation and maintenance of electrical construction, installation, maintenance and record keeping methods, or standards and accepted practices, techniques and materials used in natural gas distribution system; operation and maintenance of natural gas distribution plant and equipment; natural gas distribution system procedures and methods; applicable federal, state, and local regulations, general orders, guidelines and administrative procedures dealing with natural gas distribution; methods, materials and tools used in the operation and maintenance of natural gas system construction, installation, operation, maintenance, and record keeping methods; a variety of occupational hazards and standard safety practices; basic methods and operators, policies and procedures as they relate to assigned duties.
 
Ability to:
Perform duties related to the operation and maintenance of an electrical distribution system consisting of a main 115kV transmission line to 12kV substation to 2.4kV distribution system, or operation and maintenance of natural gas distribution system. Perform basic mathematics; interpret and read electrical or gas plans, blueprints, drawings, sketches, and maps; use specialized electric or gas construction, maintenance and operations tools and equipment; establish and maintain work order records; apply first aid; communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; and establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, developers, contractors, and the general public.
 
Skill to:
Manage time effectively, oversee multiple tasks and projects simultaneously with constant interruptions, and operate specialized electric or gas construction, maintenance and operations tools and equipment.

Selection Process

1. Application process: Applicants must complete an online employment application which includes a supplemental questionnaire at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/pittsburg.  Employment applications will be disqualified if a resume is submitted in lieu of completing the application or if sections of the applications are left blank that relate to the minimum qualifications of the job such as education and work history.  Applications will be evaluated to determine if it meets the minimum qualifications of the job.  All applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase in the process.  All communication regarding your application status will be sent via email only.

 2. Supplemental Review: Supplemental questionnaires are evaluated to determine which candidates will move forward in the recruitment process.  Applicants should thoroughly and concisely complete the supplemental questionnaire as it relates to the work history of your employment application.  A resume cannot be submitted in lieu of a completed supplemental questionnaire.  Incomplete supplemental questionnaires will not rate high or pass the screening process. Those appearing to have the best combination of training and experience will be invited to continue in the recruitment and selection process.  The City reserves the right to utilize alternate testing methods if deemed necessary.
 
3. Oral Board Examination (Weighted 100%):  Those appearing to have the best combination of training and experience will be invited to continue in the recruitment and selection process to an oral board examination.  Candidates will be rated and scored based on the Candidates must obtain a 70% or above to be considered as passing.   

4. Eligibility List: Candidates who successfully complete all testing components with a passing rating will be placed on an eligibility list (hiring list).  Candidates must obtain a 70% or above to be considered as passing.  The hiring department may contact candidates on the list for a hiring interview to fill the vacancy.

5. Pre-Employment Screening/ New Hires:  All offers of employment are conditional and permanent new hires are subject to complete a pre-employment background screening that will consist of reference checks, livescan/fingerprint check and a civil check.  Other background screening may consist of a medical examination, psychological examination, polygraph, drug testing, and full background investigation depending on the job characteristics.  All new hires are required to show that they are eligible to work in the United States.  All of these processes must be successfully completed before employment begins.

CITY OF PITTSBURG IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Please review the Benefit Matrix and Labor Agreement.

01
For this recruitment, your application and supplemental questionnaire may be rated to determine your score and rank on the eligibility list. The questions are designed to gain specific information regarding your experience, education, and/or training. Supplemental responses that correspond to your work history should correlate with your employment application. Please provide detailed information to each question, failure to complete all of the questions or incomplete responses will result in a lower score. Do not answer any question with "see resume". if you do not have any experience in a given area state "n/a".
02
The position is on Mare Island in Vallejo, CA and the standard work hours are 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. You must be available to work standby shifts, after hours, holidays, and weekends to respond to electrical outages, scheduled or emergency work on short notice. Do you currently reside less than an hour from Mare Island, Vallejo?
  • Yes
  • No
03
Do you possess any of the following?
  • College electrical related coursework
  • Vocational electrical related coursework
  • Other related-Electrical training
  • None of the above
04
Regarding question #3, please list below college or institute where you obtained your coursework or training. Include name of courses or training and dates.
05
Have you completed the following?
  • Electric Apprenticeship
  • None
06
If you completed an electric apprenticeship where, was it obtained.
07
Do you have at least four (4) years of experience in the electric industry? If so, please include employer where experience was gained and dates of employment.
08
ELECTRICAL EXPERIENCE Briefly describe your experience installing, inspecting, and maintaining (Include employer's name in response): a. Electrical distribution system equipment and components b. Metered electrical service connections to residential, business, or commercial customers c. Performing high-voltage electrical switching (up to and including 120kV) for re-routing purposes or maintenance/repair work.
09
List your work experience using computers in maintaining records, work order systems, sending out communication and include the type of computer software with which you have experience (Include employer's name in response).

Required Question

Agency
City of Pittsburg
Address
65 Civic Ave
Attn: Human Resources Department
Pittsburg, California, 94565
Phone
925-252-4878
925-252-6947