Lead Substation Technician

Description

Oversees the construction, maintenance, and repair of electrical substations, and their associated SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems. This position involves supervising technicians, ensuring strict adherence to safety protocols, managing projects schedules and quality, and troubleshooting technical issues. The position requires strong technical skills in electrical systems and SCADA, excellent leadership abilities, and the capacity to perform both hands-on work and administrative duties, including reporting and training. Also, assists other City departments and divisions with electrical troubleshooting, electrical design requirements, and project management.

Examples of Duties

• Supervision and Crew Management: Leading, coaching, and managing crews (including journeymen, apprentices, and contractors) during installation, maintenance, or repair tasks. This includes assigning tasks, monitoring performance, and fostering a productive work environment. Oversees, monitors, and recommends departmental personnel management including hiring, discipline, and evaluation.

• Safety and Compliance: Enforcing strict adherence to all safety protocols, company policies, and regulatory standards (APPA Safety manual, Tailgates/Job briefings, lockout/tagout procedures). This involves conducting regular safety meetings, and risk assessments to maintain a safe work environment.

• Project Planning and Execution: Weekly and monthly planning, scheduling, and coordinating work activities to ensure projects are completed on schedule and within quality standards. This includes interpreting blueprints, schematics, and technical drawings to execute work in alignment with specifications. Review and approve all switching orders to minimize unnecessary outages. Update 34.5KV one line when needed. Develop a plan and budget estimate for Substation upgrades.

• Technical Work and Troubleshooting: Performing skilled electrical work and providing technical assistance and guidance to the team, including troubleshooting complex high-voltage system issues. The Lead Technician may also be involved in testing and repairing equipment, such as transformers, circuit breakers, and relay testing.

• Coordination and Communication: Acting as a professional point of contact for project managers, engineers, key account customers, contractors, and other utilities. Effective communication ensures all parties are informed of project status, operational issues, and necessary coordination.

• Material and Equipment Management: Ensuring that company vehicles, tools, and test equipment are in good working condition. Ensure Substation software/licenses are up to date.

• Documentation and Reporting: Maintaining accurate records of maintenance activities, equipment status, and inventory. This also includes preparing progress reports, infrared reports, and documenting work performed for the Generation/SCADA Foreman and Director of Electrical Operations.

• Emergency Response: Supervising and organizing emergency activities related to the restoration of substation equipment during outages or storms, often requiring after-hours stand-by duty and overtime work.?Assist with Electric Dispatch when needed.

• Substation On-Call: Generate on-call rotation schedule and required to participate on rotation.

Typical Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the City’s and the Department’s policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of electrical theory and application, mathematics, including decimals, percentages, ratios, fractions, algebraic formulas, and electrical principles.
• Knowledge of electrical machines, equipment, motor control techniques and selection of equipment size and characteristics.
• Skill in reading, understanding, interpreting, and applying relevant city, county, state and Federal statutes, rules, ordinances, codes, regulations, administrative orders, case law and other governing rules and regulations.
• Skill in assessing and prioritizing multiple tasks, projects and demands and working within deadlines to complete projects and assignments.
• Skill in assessing, analyzing, identifying, and implementing solutions to complex problems.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relations with co-workers, other City employees, representatives from other city, county, state and/or Federal agencies, the news media, general public and/or others having business with the City of Garden City.
• Ability to design around hazards in the work area and to the general public including the use of personal protective equipment and procedures for mitigating potential hazards.
• Skill in operating a personal computer utilizing a variety of software and operating systems/applications.

Supplemental Information

Environment: General office environment as well as field work performed in all types of weather. Considerable amount of work is performed outdoors, in electrical substation setting. Exposed to electrical solvents, oils, compounds, hazardous environments, heavy traffic, confined areas, electrical systems rated 120 volts to 115 KV, energized electrical equipment, and high stress situations or environment. Weather conditions include extreme, moderate, and temperate cold and heat to include, snow, ice, hail, sleet, rain, fog, high and gusting winds, sand, and dirt.

Surfaces: Asphalt, cement, gravel, sand, grass, clay, metal, mud. Indoor include carpet, cement, metal, tile and/or wood.

Physical Characteristics: Sufficient physical strength, agility, and eyesight to perform the work, including working at considerable heights, lifting mechanical and power tools, lifting 50 to 75 lbs., driving vehicles, climbing ladders, carrying, bending, and walking over varied or rough terrain.