Apprentice/Technician/Journey Substation Technician

Position Summary

These positions are directly responsible and accountable for performing effective substation maintenance/testing and operation activities required for safely keeping the lights on for the assigned area. Responsibilities include installation, checkout, calibration, maintenance, troubleshooting, repair and operation of electrical equipment, frequent travel, overnight stays, respond to after-hours trouble calls, and responding to emergencies.

Assignment to one of these positions and a condition of continued employment will be the ability to arrive from your residence to the District office that you report to within 30 minutes of notification of a callout.

Due to North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) regulatory requirements regarding medium substations, all substation technicians must obtain and maintain a satisfactory NERC background check.

Education, Training and Experience

Associate's degree in electro-mechanical, electronics, electrical technology.

OR

An associate's degree or certificate of completion from an approved community college or correspondence school in a related field.

OR

Have substation technician experience within the District or with another utility or electrical contractor that is considered an acceptable equivalent to the formal education options listed.

Applicants hired external to the District will be placed into the T&D Substation Technician Progression Program based on previous experience and education.

Training/Progression: Job levels within the substation technician positions are based on a series of evaluations to determine advancing levels of proficiency and accountability.

Progression advances are as follows:

Apprentice Substation Technician - Entry level position. Assists with responsibilities as defined in principle accountabilities of this position.

Substation Technician - Requires general substation proficiency (such as, switching, grounding, clearances, etc.). Completes requirements for general substation maintenance and operation as outlined in the training progression program, and performs responsibilities as defined in principle accountabilities. This position assists in making decisions as defined in Decision Making Authority.

Journey Substation Technician - Requires specialized competencies; responsibilities based on business need. Completes requirements for specialized Journey level as outlined in the training progression program and is responsible for making decisions as outlined in the Decision Making Authority. Leads other levels of technicians in absence of the supervisor. Provides training for other technicians. Provides oversight of projects. Ensures all technicians perform safely and utilize all available human performance tools.

Senior Substation Technician must be certified as Substation Journey in one of the Substation Technician disciplines (Protection and Control, Metering, Equipment Maintenance). The Senior Technician will be determined through the interview process.

Technicians may obtain multiple Journey certifications and/or specialized Substation Technician classifications with Substation Manager approval.

Prior Related Experience (Journey or Above)

A total of five years of combined experience at the Apprentice Substation Technician and Substation levels is the minimum requirement for progression to the Journey Substation Technician position (as outlined in the Substation Technician Progression Program).

Licenses and/or Certifications

Maintain commercial driver's license (CDL), switchman certification, and other certifications, as required. Must obtain and maintain cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid certification.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Perform acceptance and diagnostic testing of substation components associated with transmission and subtransmission substations. This could include design, configure, and install revenue and specialized metering. This involves the use of computers with various operating software to interface with diagnostic test equipment. This requires knowledge of computers, software, and test equipment and how they interface. The technician will be required to interpret the results.

Perform diagnostic troubleshooting and repairing of equipment associated with transmission, subtransmission, distribution, and metering equipment. This requires technicians to perform testing on equipment in service without jeopardizing the stability of the system.

Respond to after-hours trouble calls to perform diagnostics and repairs of substation and metering equipment.

Install, test, and maintain various substation equipment. Requires knowledge on safely operating man-lifts, high reaches, and substation vehicles.

Install, test, and maintain various mobile substation equipment. Requires knowledge on safely operating this equipment.

This position will have direct contact with various customers and is required to perform duties while working for and with various customers. Assist other technicians in performing their duties, as needed.

Accountable for other duties as assigned.

Incumbent is responsible for miscellaneous other responsibilities as assigned or required.

Core Competencies