Assistant Chief Engineer (Second Class Power Plant Engineer)

Company: Framingham State University — Location: Framingham, MA

About the role

The Assistant Chief Engineer (Second Class Power Plant Engineer) operates, maintains and/or repairs high pressure boilers and auxiliary machinery and equipment; cleans machinery and equipment; responds to emergencies or equipment breakdowns; maintains adequate supply of fuel; and performs related work as required. The basic purpose of this work is to ensure that assigned steam boiler plant facility is operated and maintained safely and efficiently. Under general supervision of the Director of Boiler Plant and Utility Operations, or designee, this position may exercise direct supervision over 1‑5 personnel, indirect supervision over 6‑15 personnel, and functional supervision over 6‑15 personnel. This is a full-time, non-exempt, benefits-eligible position in the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) bargaining unit with a union title of Second Class Power Plant Engineer. This is grade 19, step 12.

Responsibilities

• Checks, inspects and monitors various types of machinery, equipment and systems such as steam traps, heat control panels, safety valves and gauges, high and low water converters and/or steam reducing stations, gas systems, fire alarms, fire sprinklers and fire hydrant systems, standpipes, hot water preheat or oil jackets; various types of generators such as diesel, steam and turbine; various types of pumps and water pumping stations; pneumatic temperature and pressure control systems; electrical systems; steam and water lines and systems; refrigeration systems; air conditioning and ventilating systems; and motor bearings, boiler fires, air compressors, smoke stack emissions, coiling oil tanks and chemical tank levels, etc., to ensure safe, efficient and pollution‑free operation.
• Operates machinery and equipment such as chillers, boilers, generators, pumps and valves to ensure provision of power.
• Repairs, overhauls and maintains machinery and equipment by replacing turbines, boilers, burners, motors, pumps and compressors; using metal laths, electric hacksaws, pipe threaders and other machine shop equipment; turning over auxiliary equipment as needed; repairing and overhauling pipes, valves, gauges; cleaning or replacing filters; lubricating equipment; making minor electrical or plumbing repairs.
• Cleans and maintains work areas and plant machinery and equipment, such as suction and discharge oil strainers, burners, boilers and pumps.
• Responds to emergencies and breakdowns by evaluating equipment or system problems; identifying problems with systems covered under service contract and informing the appropriate contractor; determining that repairs are necessary and taking corrective action; deciding when to shut down equipment or systems; transferring from automatic to manual operation; operating the power plant by total steam when other systems fail to ensure uninterrupted service.

Requirements

• Knowledge of the principles of operation of industrial type heating systems.
• Knowledge of the types and uses of industrial type heating systems.
• Knowledge of the principles of pneumatics as applied to heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems.
• Knowledge of the types and uses of pneumatic controls used in power plant operations.
• Knowledge of calibration and/or adjustment techniques as applied to pneumatic control systems.
• Knowledge of the fundamentals of electrical practice.
• Knowledge of the types and uses of precision measuring equipment used in