Mechanical/Electrical Technician

Position Summary

Operate and perform maintenance on hydro turbines, generators, governors and associated equipment. Locate and correct electrical and mechanical problems within the hydro plants, hydraulic canal system gates and operators, irrigation canal system gates and operators and associated shops and buildings. Design, purchase, build, install, troubleshoot and tune PLC controllers for SCADA sites. Program, build graphics, install software, download alarm history and be responsible for internet and intranet system readings. Travel as necessary including overnight work assignments to support Water System/Renewable Energy team needs. Be on call 24 hours per day, except as otherwise pre-arranged.

Education, Training and Experience

Two-year associate degree in a technical (electronics, electrical electromechanical, or mechanical) discipline and 3 years of experience in an industrial setting, or equivalent military training, and 3 years of experience as a mechanical/electrical technician in an industrial setting.

OR

High school diploma/GED and either: a minimum of 5 years of experience as a mechanical/electrical technician in an industrial setting, completion of a mechanical/electrical technician program, or other work experience or demonstrated performance indicating that the applicant has the skills and ability to perform the required duties of the position.

Mechanical, electrical and electronics, certified switching, SCADA and control systems, hydro plant operation or maintenance experience preferred.

Licenses and/or Certifications

Must have and maintain a valid driver’s license.

Position will be required to obtain certification in the operation of the North Platte Hydro and its associated systems to provide emergency coverage for hydro operations.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Responsible for the operation, maintenance, installation, repairs and inspection of hydro turbines, generators, governors, exciters, switchgear, vibration monitoring equipment, trash removal system, cranes, computer systems, backup generators and cooling water pumps to maintain a high reliability factor. Assist in providing the specification needs, planning and purchasing of equipment, parts and hardware.

Responsible for the development, maintenance, repairs, installation and programming, of programmable logic controllers (PLC’s), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), communication equipment, remote terminal units (RTU’s) and the calibration of transducers and transmitters for the measurement of flows and elevations of canals, reservoir elevations and hydro discharges for the purpose of water control.

Responsible for switching hydro plant and substation equipment out of service for emergency and scheduled inspections and maintenance. The incumbent must be a certified switchman or be able to pass the switchman certification exam. The incumbent is responsible holding clearance orders, must be able to recognize normal and potential hazards and problems before an outage occurs that could interrupt customer service and perform substation inspections as scheduled.

Participate in training to maintain qualification as a mechanical/electrical technician and be able to train others. The incumbent must participate in safety programs, be responsible for keeping plants and equipment clean and compliant with OSHA regulations, keeping and updating equipment history, assist in updating blueprints, entering time and making notifications through computer-based systems (SAP) and responsible for keeping Water System Management informed of customer needs, items of risk and other concerns.

Responsible for the installation, maintenance and repair of canal gate operators, gearboxes, drive units, electric operators, structures and related equipment.

Accountable for other duties as assigned.

Core Competencies