Title:  Electrical Technician

Department: 
Location: 

Pollock Pines, CA, US, 95726-1500

Category:  Skilled/Craft/Trades

Minimum Pay Rate: $74.87 

Maximum Pay Rate: $74.87 

Apply by Date: 10/11/2024 

Posting Type: Open 

Hiring Manager: Jason T Winter 

 

This position is located at SMUD's hydro generation facility (Fresh Pond) located approximately 60 miles east of Sacramento, 15 miles east of Placerville. In this role, you support Power Generation Hydro Maintenance Operations by and work closely with project managers and engineers to commission major technical capital improvement projects. The successful candidates will have hydro-related Governor, TSV, and complex PLC control programing experience.

 

*COVER LETTER REQUIREMENT* To be further considered for this position you are required to respond to the following questions in the cover letter portion of your application. Failure to answer the required cover letter questions may preclude you from moving forward in the process:

 

  1. Share with us your experience testing, troubleshooting, and programming PLCs.
    • What type/manufacturer of PLC did you work on?
    • What was the equipment associated with the PLC?
    • Where did this take place?
    • How was your work effective?
    • What types of improvements took place?
  2. Share with us your experience commissioning, testing and troubleshooting protective relays.
    • What type of asset were they protecting?
    • What types of relays were used? What type of test instrument was used?
  3. Please provide an example of a time when you worked on a mechanical/hydraulic system relating to industrial control or hydroelectric generators.
  4. What type of computer experience have you acquired interfacing with industrial machines and test equipment?
    • What was the communication protocol?
    • What programs were used?
    • What type of equipment was controlled and/or programmed?
    • Where did this take place?

 

This posting will be used to create an eligibility list of qualified candidates to fill current and future limited term and full time Hydro Electrical Technician vacancies. We may also use this list to fill future Hydro Electrical Technician Advanced Apprentice vacancies. You must clearly demonstrate on your resume that you possess the knowledge, skills and experience required in the minimum qualifications listed in this posting. The most qualified candidates will be invited to participate in our written examination that will take place at our Fresh Pond facility. 

Purpose

Under general supervision, performs complex maintenance, testing, troubleshooting, repair, and installation of protective relaying and control systems associated with SMUD's generating, transmission and distribution systems.

Nature and Scope

The Electrical Technician is a specialized class involving the performance of highly technical maintenance and test work on protection and control systems associated with SMUD's generation, transmission, and distribution system.  This classification differs from that of Electrician in that the emphasis is on knowledge of what makes electrical systems work and the ability to locate malfunctions rather than the dexterity in making the mechanical repairs and/or replacements.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Maintenance
    • Inspect, evaluate, calibrate, test and set a wide variety of electro-mechanical and microprocessor based relays, and programmable logic controllers such as: generator protection and control, transmission or distribution line protection and control, power transformer protection and control, voltage regulators, power factor correction devices, motor and circuit breaker controls, and auxiliary systems.
    • Operate (both manual and computer controlled) relay test sets and calibration equipment manufactured by AVO, Doble, Manta and others.
    • Perform calibrations on analog and digital meters, transducers, SCADA inputs.
    • Perform off line and on line function tests and take in service readings to monitor system performance.
  • Troubleshooting and Repair
    • Check control and relay circuits, current and potential circuits, auxiliary control circuits, data and fault recorders to find, identify, and correct problems in generators, circuit breakers, power transformers, SCADA systems, and alarm systems.
    • Repair electro-mechanical relays, wiring problems and failures.
    • Make repairs to solid state and microprocessor based relay and control systems at the circuit board and component level; identify failed, faulted, and intermittent components and systems.
    • Access, retrieve, display, and evaluate digitally recorded faults, oscillographs, fault records, and displays to locate problems and check system performance.
    • Perform AC power-factor (Doble) testing, DC insulation resistance (Meggar), AC and DC high potential testing; use high current test sets, ammeters, voltmeters, watt-meters, varmeters, phase-angle meters, frequency meters, and power analyzers to find problems and failures.
  • Installations
    • Review design drawings such as: electrical one-lines, schematics, elementaries, logic diagrams, wiring diagrams and schedules, and relay setting and coordination orders.
    • Assist design engineers in checking circuit design integrity and effectiveness, coordinate installation plans and schedules, plan and implement acceptance tests, coordinate and perform function and start-up tests.
    • Perform detailed acceptance tests on electro-mechanical and microprocessor based relays, programmable logic controllers, CTs and PTs, meters and transducers, SCADA and alarm systems.
  • Safety
    • Use safe work practices, methods, and procedures to work on or around high-voltage (up to 230 kV) and low-voltage (600 volt or less) systems. Work safely and effectively without direct supervision, often alone and in isolated areas.

Required Education & Experience Qualifications

  • Completion of an Electrical Technician apprenticeship program or 5-7 years of experience as a Journey level Electrical Technician (Relay Technician). Experience with testing, installing, commissioning and maintaining electrical protective relays used for protecting and controlling electric utility generation, transmission, and distribution systems.

Knowledge Of

  • Advanced Apprentice: Theory of operation of generation, transmission, distribution or industrial electrical systems including electrical symbols, electrical drawing fundamentals and conventions to read mechanical and electrical drawings such as wiring diagrams and schedules, schematics and elementaries, one-lines, logic diagrams, and layout drawings; electrical repair procedures to identify and correct problems with electrical equipment and circuits; electronic and electrical components to troubleshoot, repair, and conduct preventative maintenance; electrical test equipment such as DC insulation testers (Megger), voltmeters, and ammeters; basic computer operations in a Windows or DOS environment; basic electronics including AC and DC with an emphasis on AC polyphase electrical theory; math (including algebra and trigonometry) to solve electrical, electronic, and mechanical problems.Journey-level: In addition to the above: Advanced AC and DC electrical theory to troubleshoot, repair, and conduct preventative maintenance on electrical equipment; electrical testing equipment such as AC and DC hi potential test sets, AC power factor test set (Doble), turns ratio test sets, CT test sets, power analyzers, transducer testers, oscilloscopes, recorders, phase-angle meters, hi current test set, and relay test sets (both manually and computer controlled); control circuitry for power transformers, transmission and distribution lines, circuit breakers, motors, valves, and generators to make necessary repairs and conduct preventative maintenance.

Skills To

  • Advanced Apprentice: Read and interpret electrical schematics, logic, elementary, and wiring diagrams to troubleshoot electrical and electronic problems; troubleshoot electrical and electronic equipment, and control circuits to locate problems and provide necessary repairs; read and interpret technical information related to electronic, mechanical, and electrical equipment and circuitry; safely work around hazardous voltage without direct supervision when necessary; communicate orally with SMUD employees and contractors to discuss problems in the electrical or electronic field.Journey-level: In addition to the above: Insulation testing such as DC high potential testing and AC power factor testing; calibrate meters, transducers, ammeters, voltmeters, varmeters, frequency meters, and protective relays used in generation, transmission, and distribution systems; perform tests to identify failures on power transformers, high voltage potential devices, generators, current transformers, and other equipment used in electric power generation, transmission and distribution systems.

Desirable Qualifications

  • Experience working with electro-mechanical and microprocessor based relays
  • Experience working with programmable logic controllers
  • Experience working with design drawings
  • Experience performing AC power-factor (Doble) testing, DC insulation resistance (Meggar), AC and DC high potential testing

Physical Requirements

Applicants must be able to perform the essential job functions with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) - Who We Are 
As the nation's sixth-largest community-owned electric service provider, we're proud of our reputation as one of the best places to work in Sacramento. Our employees tell us in our engagement surveys they're "Happy, satisfied and engaged" which helps create a workplace that best serves our customers. 
 
Sacramento was named as the 2nd happiest place to work in America by Forbes Magazine. Lake Tahoe, San Francisco and the world-renowned Napa Valley are within easy driving distance of our locations. 
 
California Equal Pay Act 
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) are a part of who we are and how we do things. Supporting efforts that promote pay equality is part of that. Salary placement for the selected candidate will be determined in alignment with the California Equal Pay Act or the applicable MOU. Determination for salary placement of internal candidates will be made without respect to current classification or compensation and will be based upon the candidate's qualifications as compared to those performing substantially similar work. In the event there is a guaranteed pay progression outlined in an applicable MOU, the MOU takes precedence.    
 
Our Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion 
SMUD respects, values and celebrates the unique attributes, characteristics and perspectives that make each person who they are. Diversity and inclusion are guiding principles to deliver a culture that reflects the broader values of the community and our customers. Our Board's policy for Employee Relation sets our commitment to developing and maintaining a high quality, inclusive workplace that engages and inspires employees to commit to SMUD's purpose, vision and values. 
 
Why Sacramento, California? 
The capitol of California, Sacramento is the state's sixth-largest city, and the 35th largest in the U.S. Local universities include California State University, University of the Pacific's McGeorge School of Law, and the University of California, Davis and several competitive community colleges. The UC Davis Medical Center, a world-renowned research hospital, is one of more than a dozen hospitals and shared services centers in the Sacramento region. Part of the agriculturally rich Central Valley, Sacramento is at the forefront of the farm-to-fork food movement. Northern California is home to some of the country's top technology companies, including Google and LinkedIn, and a multitude of startups in many industries. Sacramento is home to the NBA Kings, the River Cats (AAA baseball), the Republic FC (soccer) and the San Francisco Giants, NBA Warriors and NFL 49ers aren't far away. Sacramento offers an affluent liberal arts community with Broadway, Mondavi Center, Crocker Museum and summer musical theater to name a few. 

 

On-site Work

This role will be an on-site role that will require being in person at one of SMUD's campuses daily to complete work tasks.

SMUD provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. SMUD complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

SMUD expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of SMUD employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated.

Req ID:  1723