Our System Operators are a critical resource for our members and our operations team. As the first point-of-contact for members or employees in stressful situations, your ability to offer a calming, compassionate response and guidance is key.

What will you do if you're hired?

• Coordinate outage restoration activities including crew dispatch and the operation of the Cooperative's transmission and distribution systems using SCADA and an Outage Management System.
• Dispatch Operations personnel and issue proper documents for any after-hours reconnects.
• During outage events, operate the Cooperative's SCADA and DMS systems to restore service to un-faulted line sections per the Cooperative's back-feed procedures.
• Provide for the security and custodianship of the Cooperative's property, electrical equipment, and facilities during hours that the Cooperative is closed.
• Create switching plans for scheduled work.
• Prepare spreadsheets and reports; complete other clerical assignments as required.
• Receive calls from field crews and our members and determine what actions to take.
• Review, submit, and follow up on property damage insurance claims.
• Prepare outage summary information as requested by members and the Virginia State Corporation Commission.
• Monitor surveillance cameras and alarm systems and report any abnormal activities to the supervisor(s) and proper authorities.
• Monitor the functionality of the OMS, SCADA, DMS and other systems installed in the System Operations Center and alert the appropriate Cooperative personnel for repair of malfunctioning systems.
• Handle all after-hours consumer inquiries and complaints in a professional manner.
• Keep the Supervisor of System Operations aware of ongoing System Operations Center business including outage details, abnormal system conditions, member interactions, security risks, etc.
• Work a varying shift schedule as required to maintain 24/7 operation of the Cooperative's System Operations Center.

Our ideal candidate answers "yes" to the following questions:

• Are you willing to commit to the eighteen-month apprenticeship program?
• Are you self-motivated?
• Are you noted for your willingness to take initiative without prompting?
• Are you unfailingly dependable? (We give much because we expect much. If you're constantly giving your employer reasons or excuses why you didn't complete your task or show up to work, read no further, you aren't a match for us.)
• Are you proficient with Microsoft Excel?
• Do you possess solid data entry skills? (If you routinely say you're not a computer person, this isn't going to be a fit.)
• Do you read and understand maps?
• Have you earned your High School diploma or GED?
• Do you have the ability and patience to troubleshoot whatever problem is set before you?
• Do you prefer to be inside in a climate-controlled environment?
• Are you comfortable sitting for twelve hours viewing large monitors?
• Do you reside within 60 minutes legal driving time of our headquarters office in Crewe, VA. Or, are you willing to locate to this area at your own expense? (Trust us, when it's storm time, you'll want to be as close as possible.)

Direct experience of these systems is preferred, but if you're eager and enthusiastic about learning, formal training is provided

• SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition)
• OMS (Outage Management System)
• GIS (Geographic Information System)
• NISC CIS (National Information Solutions Cooperative Customer Information System)
• Two-way radio and telephone communications

Veterans with the following MOS are encouraged to apply: 12P, 12Q, 91D, 14J, 14L, 3E012, 3E032, 3E052, 3E072, 3E0X2.

Inexperienced System Operators will be enrolled in a formal eighteen-month apprenticeship program which will take place in addition to on-the-job training. Candidates with an associate degree in Electronics Technology, Engineering, or other related technical or applicable discipline or knowledge of substation, transmission, and distribution systems and equipment will receive priority consideration.

Work Environment and Physical Demands:

• Work is performed in a 24/7 call center environment, confined to immediate work area, and requires continuous staffing. You will work nights, weekends, and holidays on a rotating swing shift that is either 7am to 7pm or 7pm to 7am. This is a guarantee, not a possibility. Please consider your family and personal obligations before applying.
• Work may involve sensitive contact with members and employees via telephone, who are in crisis.

You must be able to:

• deal with adversarial confrontations.
• work in isolation in an enclosed environment for extended periods of time (there are no windows in the System Operations Center and usually no one else working with you).
• remain calm in the face of outages caused by events that are disastrous or merely inconvenient.
• concentrate and prioritize multiple tasks at once. Conscious attention to detail is required to safely perform tasks.

At Southside Electric Cooperative, our members are our priority. Therefore, we are first responders when the lights go out. We are not intimidated by adverse situations - we know that extra hours will be necessary during emergencies. Like you, we are always ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work when the workload demands.

Benefits

Because SEC employees take great care of our members, we reward them with a very competitive salary and an excellent benefits package that includes:

• Employer sponsored Retirement plan after one year of service.
• Employer contributions to employee 401(k) accounts after one year of service. (Employees may contribute after completing a full calendar month of service.)
• HDHP Anthem HealthKeepers health insurance with 100% employer paid premium for employees and 95% employer paid premiums for their eligible dependents. (Anthem KeyCare is also available with a small employee premium.)
• Anthem Dental and Vision, with 100% employer paid premiums for employees and their eligible dependents.
• HSA with annual employer contribution.
• Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA).
• Basic Life Insurance and AD&D insurance, each at 3x annual salary for employees with 100% employer paid premium.
• Affordable life insurance for dependents including $20,000 life insurance per child for only $2 per month, regardless of the number of children covered.
• Tuition reimbursement including books and fees.
• Premium LifeLock with Norton

NO RECRUITERS OR AGENCIES!

Documents to establish identity and employment eligibility are required.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work for ANY employer in the United States on a full-time basis. SEC will not sponsor applicants or take over sponsorship for work visas.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability status, veteran status, or other legally protected status.

About Southside Electric Cooperative

SEC strives to provide safe, reliable electricity and related services at the highest value to our member-owners. We exist to enhance the quality of life of the communities in which we serve and live. We achieve this mission by our actions that demonstrate integrity, fiscal responsibility, member engagement, community involvement, and by living out the cooperative principles. The relationship we have with the member-owners of SEC matters to us, and we work hard every day to prove this through our actions. We recognize that our member-owners expect to receive a quality of service which surpasses that typically associated with simply being a “customer” of an investor-owned utility. Our four district offices are located in the areas where we serve, and our employees live in these areas as well. Our employees are very active in our communities and participate in a number of ways to improve the areas in which they live. SEC employees are active volunteer fire fighters, EMTs, first responders, youth sports coaches, and Sunday school teachers, to name a few. Making Southside Virginia a better place to live and work is very important to us. It is inherent in our mission as a cooperative and it is a commitment we make, not only to our members but to our co-workers and our families.

Connections working at Southside Electric Cooperative