Utility Plant Specialist - Mechanical

About the role

The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities seeks two qualified candidates to fill the Utility Plant Specialist - Mechanical positions in the Water Purification Plant Division.

Responsibilities

• Perform maintenance and repair on various types of mechanical equipment and plumbing
• Assist maintenance personnel in other classifications, such as plumbers and electricians, in performing their duties
• Operate welder, drill, saw, grinder, and other power equipment as necessary
• Perform installations and repairs of AC compressors, fan motors, valves, and pumps
• Determine repairs necessary on faulty equipment and make repairs when possible or notify proper maintenance personnel
• Maintain log of work orders
• Perform snow and ice removal
• Report to work for emergency and on-call duty in response to inclement weather or natural disasters
• Work 24-hour on-call, weekend, and holiday call duty as scheduled

Requirements

Minimum Training and Experience:

• High School Diploma or GED
• No experience required
• Advancement through the broadband depends on additional experience:
  • Zone II: minimum of 12 additional months of experience
  • Zone III: minimum of 18 additional months of experience
  • Zone IV: minimum of 36 additional months of experience
• An equivalent combination of training and experience (as approved by the department) may be used to meet the minimum qualifications

Licensing, Certifications, and Other Special Requirements:

• Requires a valid Commonwealth of Virginia Driver's License with a satisfactory driving record or must obtain one within 30 days of hire
• Zone II requires all the above plus:
  • Forklift certification OR the ability to obtain it within 90 days of hire
  • Ability to obtain a Class B commercial driver’s license (CDL) within 12 months of hire
• Zone III requires all the above plus VA Contractor Board Journeyman license
• Zone IV requires all the above plus VA Contractor Board Master License

Preferred Qualifications

• A state Journeyman trade certification in mechanical field (e.g., HVAC, Plumbing, Backflow, Welding)
• Two years of experience in a related field
• Working experience rebuilding centrifugal water pumps
• Experience working with chemical feed hose pumps
• Experience in maintenance
• Experience working with hand tools and power tools
• Experience in record keeping of mechanical equipment
• Ability to work in confined spaces
• Capable of wearing a full-face respirator and passing a breathing test
• Ability to work around chemicals such as ammonia, alum, hypochlorite, lime, and polymer used in water treatment
• Valid Driver's License
• Class B or higher CDL is a plus

Skills

Knowledge (some combination of the following):

• Conduit bending and installation
• Electric motor/wiring Megger testing
• National Electrical Code
• NFPA 70E and Arc Flash Hazards
• Principles of boiler maintenance and operations
• Principles of HVAC
• Centrifuges
• Chemical metering
• Electrical and mechanical equipment used at a utility plant (e.g., water purification, pumping, and wastewater equipment)
• CMMS automated system
• Utility plant operations
• Safety practices and principles

Skills (some combination of the following):

• Troubleshooting electrical circuits
• Updating, repairing, and replacing plant lighting systems
• Maintaining and repairing electrical systems ranging from 120 volts to 4160 high voltage
• Disassembling pumps
• Carpentry and plumbing
• Reading and understanding drawings, blueprints, and maps
• Using and operating various equipment safely and correctly
• Using chemicals properly
• Working with vendors

Abilities (some combination of the following):

• Operate equipment such as bucket trucks and forklifts
• Operate back-flow testing equipment
• Operate plumbing equipment such as sewer snakes and drain cleaners
• Operate power washers, chain saws, lawn mowers, weed eaters, and pruners
• Operate cranes and other equipment for hoisting and pulling equipment
• Operate equipment for laser alignment of pumps and motors
• Operate and use basic hand and power tools
• Operate drill press
• Operate torches
• Operate refrigerant equipment such as gauges, recovery machines, leak detectors, and scales
• Operate electrical and electro-mechanical equipment
• Problem solve and troubleshoot

Benefits

• Virginia Retirement System (VRS)
• Language Incentive
• Referral Bonus
• Tuition Assistance Program

Working Conditions

Environmental Hazards:

• Exposure to travel within and outside the City of Richmond
• Exposure to hazardous physical conditions such as mechanical parts, electrical currents, vibrations, etc.
• Atmospheric conditions such as fumes, odors, dusts, gases, and poor ventilation
• Inadequate lighting
• Intense noise
• Environmental hazards such as disruptive people, imminent danger, and a threatening environment

Physical Requirements and Working Environment:

• Perform detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks, with frequent interruptions and under time constraints
• Regularly talk, hear, see, and perform repetitive motions
• Frequently climb, balance, kneel, crouch, reach, stand, walk, push, pull, lift
• Occasionally stoop, crawl, finger, grasp, and feel
• Heavy work: exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, up to 50 pounds frequently, and up to 20 pounds constantly to move objects