The Department - Silicon Valley Power (SVP)
SVP currently provides over 40 percent of Santa Clara’s electricity from carbon-free renewable resources. In addition to using green energy from large-scale wind, solar, geothermal and hydroelectric projects outside of the area, SVP employs innovative ways to locally produce electricity by capturing and burning methane gas from a closed city landfill and using power from solar generating systems on city-owned garages and vacant, unusable land. It is the mission of Silicon Valley Power to be a progressive, service-oriented utility, offering reliable, competitively priced services for the benefit of Santa Clara and its customers. Being competitive in the marketplace with a continuous focus on customer service, SVP can provide economic value to the City of Santa Clara and its customers while maintaining low residential rates and offering competitive rates for all customers.
The Position:
Electric and Water System Operators ensure that all Electric, Water and Storm sewer systems are operated reliably, efficiently and effectively in a safe manner and restoring service in a timely way to all customers. Has responsibility for operation of the City's municipal electric power and water, production, transmission and distribution systems for planned and unplanned outages. As a Transmission Operator, operating personnel in this position have the responsibility to comply with NERC reliability standards and the authority to implement real-time actions to ensure the stable and reliable operation of the Bulk Electric System; these efforts to be coordinated with the appropriate Reliability Coordinator (RC), affected Transmission Operator(s) (TO) and affected Balancing Authorities (BA).
THIS RECRUITMENT MAY BE USED TO FILL MULTIPLE POSITIONS IN THIS, OR OTHER DIVISIONS OR DEPARTMENTS BESIDES THE POSITIONS LISTED BELOW. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN EMPLOYMENT IN THIS CLASSIFICATION, YOU SHOULD APPLY TO ENSURE YOU ARE CONSIDERED FOR ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY UTILIZE THE APPLICANTS FROM THIS RECRUITMENT. MEETING THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS DOES NOT GUARENTEE ADMITTANCE INTO THE EXAMINATION PROCESS. ONLY THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATES WHO DEMONSTRATE THE BEST COMBINATION OF QUALIFICATIONS IN RELATION TO THE REQUIREMENTS AND DUTIES OF THE POSITION WILL BE INVITED TO TEST OR INTERVIEW.
Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of Santa Clara will not sponsor, represent, or sign documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.
PERMANENT CITY EMPLOYEES PREFERENCE POINTS: Current permanent employee candidates who receive a passing score on the examination will have an additional five (5) points added to their final score.
Typical Duties:
Each position in this classification may not include all the duties listed below, nor do the examples cover all duties that may be performed.
Under general direction of the Senior Electric and Water System Operators:
• Initiates, issues and validates switching orders and electrical clearances for planned and unplanned work including work carried out on protection schemes with the goal of restoring power to all impacted customers, or facilitating work to be carried on the 12kV System and above in a safe, reliable and efficient manner in accordance with the department procedures
• Receives, troubleshoots, prioritizes and dispatches appropriate personnel and equipment for all non 911 emergency and non emergency calls for the electric system during business hours and for the electric, water, storm sewer, streets, traffic lights and any other City services during non business hours
• Monitors Water & Sewer (SCADA) to detect abnormal conditions; performs operations or adjustments to correct such abnormalities or refers the problem to specialized maintenance personnel
• Monitors the Electric System including prescribed off-site facilities using real-time or near real-time tools; uses these tools to make adjustments, perform operations or perform analysis to use as a basis in the direction of operations on the Electric System as necessary to maintain system requirements and reliability
• Maintains logs and other electric and water system reports. Updates all prescribed electric databases and mapping systems with real-time changes including updated asset data that affect the operation and troubleshooting of the Electric Network. All changes are to be validated by operators on subsequent shifts based on departmental standards and established practices
• Interacts courteously and calmly with the key customer stakeholders, including contractors, the general public, key business customers, City departmental supervisory and journey level personnel to address requests for non 911 emergency and non emergency service
• Maintains the work area and all records in a neat and orderly manner
• Performs duties involving basic arithmetic and algebraic calculations
• Assists in the training of new electric and water system operators as needed
• Performs related work as required
Minimum Qualifications:
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Minimum Requirements:
• Graduation from high school or possession of a GED and
• 1) Two (2) years of experience in an electric utility performing complex load dispatching and switching or
• 2) Four (4) years of experience in an electric utility as a generating plant or substation operator with sub-dispatching responsibility or
• 3) Four (4) years of experience with the City of Santa Clara Electric Department, including at least one (1) year as an journey-level or higher, electrician or lineman/linewoman or
• Completion of a recognized State of California Electric System Operator apprentice program
Desirable Qualification:
A valid Transmission Operator Certificate issued by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC)
LICENSE
Possession of a valid California Class C driver's license is required at time of appointment and for the duration of employment.
CERTIFICATES
Possession of the following certificate is required within one year of hire date and for the duration of appointment:
• A valid Water Distribution System Operator Certificate (Grade D-1 or above) issued by the California Department of Health Services (DHS).
• A valid Transmission Operator Certificate issued by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC).
Incumbents will be required to obtain and maintain any other license or certification mandated by NERC for the position of Transmission Operator and necessary for the performance of duties under the current scope of responsibilities pertaining to the SVP Transmission System.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
• Prior to hire, candidates will be required to successfully pass a pre-employment background check, which may include employment verification, a DMV record check, a criminal history check and Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) fingerprinting. Any information obtained will be used to determine eligibility for employment in accordance with the law. A conviction history will not necessarily disqualify an applicant from appointment, however failure to disclose a conviction when required will result in disqualification from the recruitment process.
• Incumbents may be assigned to work on a rotating 12-hour shift schedule
• Incumbents must have the ability to work, as assigned, to schedules that may include weekends, holidays, and non-traditional work hours; and a willingness to work overtime as required
• Incumbents may have to pass an initial and periodic comprehensive background checks, which may include fingerprinting, to meet Federal, State and/or industry security requirements
• Must be able to perform all of the essential functions of the job assignment
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
Knowledge of:
• Potential hazards involved to life and property resulting from switching operations
• Fundamentals of electricity theory regarding power flow in the operation of electric power systems
• Electric power system equipment such as transformers, circuit breakers, air switches, capacitors, motors, generators, pumps, instruments, prime movers, bridge mains and taps, vacuum and oil switches; water pumps and storage tanks; and vaults, manholes and pull boxes
• The operation of electric and water production, transmission, and distribution systems
• Occupational hazards and standard safety precautions
• Environmental and safety practices, procedures and standards
Ability to:
• Understand and follow written and oral instructions and read and interpret maps
• Communicate effectively and exercise tact and maintain poise in addressing service requests, disputes and differences arising from customer, inter-divisional, inter-departmental, contractor, general public and outside regulatory agency interactions
• Maintain accurate records
• Perform simple single and three phase electrical calculations and arithmetic and algebraic calculations
• Work collaboratively in a team based environment to achieve common goals
• Establish and maintain a cooperative working relationship with those contacted in the course of work, including the general public
• Work under pressure with accuracy and speed in a complex work environment
• Effectively handle multiple priorities, organize workload and meet strict deadlines
• Operate a personal computer and related programs such as Microsoft Office and technical systems such as Geographic Information System (GIS) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)
• Read and interpret measuring devices such as charts, and computer displays; monitoring water and electricity flows as loads are changed; recognize and correct unsatisfactory conditions when tolerance parameters are exceeded
• Learn and effectively utilize the SCADA, Distribution Management, Outage Management and Mapping systems
• Learn and understand protection scheme philosophy, logic, interdependencies and vulnerabilities within the SVP System
• Bend, stoop, reach, carry, crawl, climb and lift as necessary to perform assigned duties
Additional Information:
You must answer all job-specific questions in order to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applications must be filled out completely (i.e. do not write “see resume or personnel file.”) To receive consideration for the screening process, candidates must submit a 1) Cover Letter and, 2) Resume. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Application packets may be submitted online through the “Apply Now” feature on the job announcement at www.santaclaraca.gov. Applications must be submitted by the filing deadline of Friday, March 15, 2022 at 4:00 PM.
The City of Santa Clara is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of Santa Clara is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at (408) 615-2080 or HumanResources@santaclaraca.gov.
DEADLINE TO APPLY: First review scheduled for May 22, 2022 at 5:00PM; Open Until Filled
COVID POLICY: The City of Hayward has adopted a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for all new employees issued formal offers of employment on or after February 1, 2022. Under this policy, proof of full vaccination is required as a condition of initial and continued employment with the City unless the employee has applied for an exemption and is awaiting the City’s response or has been granted an exemption, or unless stricter State or Federal legal requirements apply. If offered employment, you will receive instructions regarding how to provide verification of vaccination or how to apply for an exemption, which will be required prior to your start date. You may read the full policy here: City of Hayward COVID-19 Vaccine and Testing Policy
THE POSITION
The Utilities Field Services Supervisor supervises, plans, schedules, and reviews activities related to the installations and maintenance of water mains and appurtenances, including water mains, service lines, fire hydrants, backflow prevention devices, and water meters, within the City's water system. This position also oversees the City’s meter reading and cross connection control programs, and assists the Utilities Operations and Maintenance Manger in the overall planning, administration, and management of Utilities Operations and Maintenance functions.
DEFINITION
Under general direction, to supervise, plan, schedule, and review activities related to the installations and maintenance of water mains and appurtenances, including water mains, service lines, fire hydrants, backflow prevention devices, and water meters, of the City's water system, as well as field customer services.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
This is a management classification allocated to the Utilities Division of the Public Works Department reporting to the Utilities Operations and Maintenance Manager. The Utilities Field Services Supervisor is responsible for the field installations and customer services related to water meters and backflow device maintenance. The position is also responsible for supervision of meter reading and performing supervision and management in support of the Utilities Division's goals and objectives. The position is also responsible for assisting the Utilities Operations and Maintenance Manger in the overall planning, administration, and management of Utilities Operations and Maintenance functions. This position is distinguished from that of subordinate utilities classifications by its responsibility for the supervision of two maintenance work groups (i.e., Field Services and Customer Services). This position is distinguished from the Utilities Operations and Maintenance Manger position by the latter position's overall responsibility for the management and administration of the City's water distribution and sewer collection systems, the Storekeeper position, and administrative and clerical staff.
Duties may include but are not limited to the following:
Field services, including installation of water mains and appurtenances for City projects and/or private developments, maintenance of the water mains and appurtenances, leak repairs, water meter installation and repair, backflow prevention device installation, repairs, inspection, and testing, and meter reading program. Field Services may be required to assist in smaller repair jobs to the sewer collection system.
Coordinates operations with the needs of the public, outside agencies, and other City divisions.
Assists the Utilities Operations and Maintenance Manager with budget preparation and performs other administrative work as assigned.
Receives, investigates and responds to public inquiries, concerns, and complaints, and requests for service. Works cooperatively with City staff, residents, businesses, property owners, and other utilities and outside agencies.
Confers with developers and contractors as needed to ensure that the City's water system standards are met.
Identifies water mains and appurtenances maintenance needs in the utility system, discusses them with Utilities Operations and Maintenance Manager, and initiates proper action to resolve the problems. Ensures that the meter reading program is always on track and meeting its goals. Assures that emergency staff is available 24 hours a day to take necessary action.
Oversees the development of schedules and establishment of assignment priorities for the Field Services section, as well as the Customer Service section.
Develops and maintains specifications for water main and appurtenances materials and equipment and recommends purchases.
Prepares and maintains specialized water system records and forms, and reports to regulatory agencies. Prepares all correspondence needed to ensure effective coordination between the Utilities Operations and Maintenance, other functions within Utilities Operations and Maintenance, Public Works, other City departments, and the general public.
Reviews, evaluates and prepares comments on construction plans, drawings and specifications related to water system infrastructure projects including mains, connections, valves, equipment, and other systems.
Ensures that all Underground Service Alert (USA) markings for the City's water and sewer mains, and fiber optic cable are done in a timely and accurate manner.
Participates in interviews and selection of new employees under the positions responsibilities, and training of employees in work procedures, standards and safety practices.
Prepares and provides input into employee performance evaluations, including setting and assessing goals, conducts counseling on work-related issues, and makes recommendations regarding discipline.
Actively participates in the Public Works Department's Safety Committee.
Performs other related duties as assigned.
JOB RELATED ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge of:
Ability to:
EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION
Any combination of experience and training that could likely provide the required knowledge and abilities would be qualifying. A typical way to qualify is:
Experience: Four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in the Field Services of a water system including one (1) year of responsible supervisory or lead position experience in a distribution system classified as a D4 system or higher by the California Department of Health Services.
Education: Completion of twelfth grade or possession of GED, supplemented by college course work related to potable water, water distribution, wastewater collection, recycled water distribution, or a science field. Possession of an Associate's Degree in water distribution, wastewater collection, recycled water distribution, or in a science field may be substituted for the required coursework. Possession of a bachelor's degree is desirable.
License or Certificate:Requires possession and maintenance of a valid Water Distribution Operator D4 Certificate issued by the California Department of Health Services,
OR
Possession and maintenance of valid Water Distribution D3 Certification issued by the California Department of Health Services with the ability to obtain and maintain a D4 Certification within eighteen (18) months of appointment to the position.
AND
Possession and maintenance of a valid Class C California Driver's License.
SELECTION PROCEDURE
COVID POLICY: The City of Hayward has adopted a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for all new employees issued formal offers of employment on or after February 1, 2022. Under this policy, proof of full vaccination is required as a condition of initial and continued employment with the City unless the employee has applied for an exemption and is awaiting the City’s response or has been granted an exemption, or unless stricter State or Federal legal requirements apply. If offered employment, you will receive instructions regarding how to provide verification of vaccination or how to apply for an exemption, which will be required prior to your start date. You may read the full policy here: City of Hayward COVID-19 Vaccine and Testing Policy
Candidates must submit a completed City of Hayward job application, which fully describe the nature of their professional experience and qualifications. Be sure to scan and attach a copy of your Water Distribution Certification to your on-line application. Applications submitted without all required materials will not be considered.
Based on the information provided, employment applications will be reviewed for minimum qualifications. Those best qualified may be invited to the next phase of the process, which may include an oral, practical, written examination and/or supplemental questionnaires reviewed by subject matter experts.
The examination process will result in a ranked eligible register of candidates for hiring consideration by the department derived from any of the exam processes mentioned above. Actual hire depends on success in the departmental selection process.
Candidates under final consideration for employment with the City should expect to undergo an employment background/reference check that may include, but is not limited to: employment history verification, medical evaluation, confirmation of educational credentials and degrees, licenses including driver's license, registrations, certificates, and other credentials as part of the appointment process. Some positions, depending on the nature of the work, also require a credit check and a review of Summary Criminal History obtained from the State Department of Justice through Live Scan Fingerprinting.
Applicants will be notified electronically via Government Jobs as to their status in the selection process. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure they can receive email notice from Neogov/Government Jobs and the City of Hayward.
APPLICATIONS
Candidates are encouraged to apply online at www.hayward-ca.gov under the Current Vacancies tab or at www.GovernmentJobs.com. Paper applications can be obtained by visiting the Human Resources Department at Hayward City Hall located at 777 B Street, Hayward, CA 94541. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Apply prior to the closing time of the job announcement and allow at least one (1) hour to submit your application if you are a new user to the system. Our on-line application system is provided by Government Jobs. If you have problems while applying online, please contact the Government Jobs Help Desk at (855) 524-5627.
The City of Hayward is an Equal Opportunity Employer
PROBATIONARY PERIOD: One (1) Year
