WORK HOURS:           6:30a.m.–5:00p.m., half-hour lunch, either Monday-Thursday or Tuesday-Friday. Overtime as necessary.  On-call per bargaining agreement.

Position Purpose and Objectives:

The Substation Technician reports to the Maintenance, Substation and Special Equipment (MSSE) Superintendent and performs any and all duties related to substation operation and maintenance in a safe manner.

Essential Job Functions:

• Inspects all substations monthly; tests electronic and mechanical relays, switches, breakers, and circuit switches as required; and completes appropriate forms.

• Maintains all substation buildings, steel structures, fencing, grounds, and weed control as

• Works with and supervises contractor and United Power crews that are performing work in and around substations and gives instruction regarding substation equipment and feeder installations.

• Assists in the development of switching orders with contractors and United Power Performs switching orders associated with substations.

• Opens and closes distribution and transmission

• Conducts required testing of all United Power equipment in and around

• Pulls oil samples from all oil-filled equipment to determine if unit needs maintenance or repair, including a gas-in-oil test to determine the condition of the power transformers.

• Installs new equipment that may require wiring or the total re-wiring of new substation transformers and/or equipment.

• Works with contract service companies on any repairs or maintenance work done on OCBs, OCRs, power transformers, LTC’s, regulators, etc.

• Works with the Electronic Technician Foreman and Electronic Technicians on installation, repair and testing of all SCADA equipment and all electronic re-closers and capacitor controls.

• Works with the Special Equipment Repair department on testing and minor repair of OCRs, regulators and distribution transformers.

• Participates in the on-call rotation

Secondary Job Functions:

Occasionally filters or replaces dirty or bad oil in all oil-filled equipment.

Assists in performing high potting of cables, and any other testing as needed for substation transformers, transformer bushings, main feeder cables and all other associated equipment.

Minimum Qualifications:

Requires a high school diploma or G.E.D. plus completion of technical training in line maintenance, construction and safety.

Must have completed a four-year certified apprenticeship program and have experience in line construction and maintenance.

Requires a Journey Lineworker Certificate, plus an additional two years of work experience with phasing, switching practices, grounding equipment, REA specifications and terminations.

Must have a valid Colorado driver’s license before employment, and a valid CDL within six (6) months after employment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Must know, understand and apply all OSHA regulations and APPA Safety Manual rules necessary to perform the job.

Must understand and follow established electric construction and maintenance specifications including those of the Rural Utility Services, the national Electric Code and those adopted by United Power, Inc.

Must also know and be able to apply CPR/first aid techniques.

Must have ability to operate a cell phone/two-way radio under established procedures and within FCC regulation.

Must have ability to operate a laptop computer and understand the mapping program utilized by United Power, Inc.

Must have ability to accurately read and interpret staking sheets, maps, and substation one-line drawings.

Must have ability to operate a bucket truck, boom/digger truck, trenchers, backhoe, and various other equipment as required.

Must be extremely familiar with substation voltages and layout including transmission/distribution voltages.

Must be knowledgeable with gas-filled equipment such as transformers, circuit switchers and switch gear.

Must be willing to participate in the on-call rotation.

Must be able to react to change productively and handle other tasks as assigned.

Supervisory Duties:

Supervises contractor and United Power crews that are performing work in and around substations. Gives instruction regarding substation equipment and feeder installations.

Essential Physical and Mental Demands:

Must be able to stand sixty percent (60%) of the time, sit twenty percent (20%), and walk twenty percent (20%). Occasionally, the Substation Technician will lift and carry up to 100 lbs. when putting equipment into place. It may be occasionally necessary to push and pull up to 150 lbs.

Must be able to operate controls when driving a vehicle and operating the forklift. Must be able to climb ladders and hills to reach work area.

Must be able to balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl and reach.

Must be able to use fingers and hands when working with small wires and parts.

Must be able to speak clearly and hear and understand voices being transmitted when operating a two-way radio/cell phone.

Must have good close-up vision for reading diagrams and schematics. Must have good distance vision and depth perception while driving and locating work sites. Must also have good field of vision, eye accommodation, and color vision for color coding of conductors in installations.

In order to competently perform this job, the Substation Technician must be alert, precise, and patient. The required tasks also demand the following abilities: problem solving, analytical ability, spatial perception, tactile discrimination, memory, concentration, judgment, reasoning, visual discrimination, initiative, and ingenuity. Occasionally the position may require auditory discrimination, olfactory discrimination, and imagination.

Working Conditions:

Seventy-five percent (75%) of the Substation Technician’s work is done outdoors in all weather conditions and twenty-five percent (25%) is done inside. Estimated noise level is 70-90 decibels for one to six hours per day.

The Substation Technician is frequently confronted with poor ventilation indoors, mechanical hazards, electric hazards, and toxic chemicals.

The Substation Technician must occasionally work with fumes, odors, dusts, mists and gases. Wind and sunburns are a hazard while working outdoors.

Department: Operations Bargaining Unit: IBEW Ops FLSA Status: Non-exempt Updated: July 2020

Note:

Employees are held accountable for all duties of this job. This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the job.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer

Not to discriminate on the basis of Race/Color/Creed/Religion/Sex(including Gender Identity, Pregnancy, Sexual Orientation)/Marital Status/ Age (40 or older)/National Origin /Veteran or Military Status/Disability/Medical Condition/ Unemployment Status or any other characteristics prohibited by Federal, State and/or local laws.

NOTE: This position description is not intended to be all-inclusive; an employee will also perform other job responsibilities as assigned by the immediate supervisor or management.

 Management reserves the right to change position descriptions, specifications or work schedules to accommodate individuals with disabilities or as the need arises. 

 This position description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.

We are interested in every qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. However, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. 

In addition to a competitive salary, we offer a generous benefits package that includes an employee retirement plan, 401K with match, paid holidays, vacation & sick leave, medical, dental, vision, short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance. For a full list of benefits, please visit our careers page at https://www.unitedpower.com/careers

About United Power, Inc.

At United Power, we don’t just employ people — we make them a part of our family. United Power serves a diverse service territory spread across six counties — Adams, Boulder, Broomfield, Gilpin, Jefferson and Weld — located along Colorado’s northern Front Range. We employ approximately 180 positions with competitive salaries and excellent medical and retirement benefits at three different offices. Brighton: Our headquarters in Brighton is just 20 miles northeast of downtown Denver. Brighton is a rapidly growing city with all the advantages of Denver, yet still maintains a small town feel. Coal Creek Canyon: The Coal Creek Canyon office is located at a higher elevation in one of Colorado’s most scenic mountain canyons. Enjoy a working environment surrounded by a mountainous backdrop and living in a tight-knit community. Carbon Valley Service Center: Located at the intersection of Carbon Valley, just off I-25 and Highway 119, the Carbon Valley Service Center is in close range to our western communities. All selected applicants are required to complete Section 1 of the Federal Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) and to provide identification and either proof o...f U.S. citizenship or proof of authorization to work in the U.S. In addition, United Power uses E-Verify as part of the I-9 process to verify the work eligibility of all new hires. E-Verify is an internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9 to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records.

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