city seal

City of Austin - JOB DESCRIPTION

city seal

Substation Electrician I


FLSA: Standard/Non-Exempt EEO Category: (70) Skill Craft
Class Code: 18345 Salary Grade: ZK5
Approved: March 03, 2004 Last Revised: August 18, 2022


Purpose:
 

Under close supervision, this position participates in the Austin Energy (AE) Apprenticeship Program and performs apprentice-level tasks to assist in installation, maintenance, and repair of substation electrical equipment, structures, and conductors.

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities:
  Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.
  1. Performs On-the-Job Training (OJT), attends classroom instruction, and helps maintain records to document progression in the Apprenticeship Program.
  2. Assists with installation, maintenance, and repair of substation electrical equipment including circuit breakers, power transformers, transformers, Oil Circuit Breakers (OCBs), Gas Circuit Breakers (GCBs), switches, motors, battery chargers, battery banks, protective devices, electronic monitoring equipment, etc.; and replace faulty or worn parts as necessary.
  3. Uses approved hand and powered tools and drives various utility vehicles to assist with trouble call response and installation, maintenance, and repair of AE’s electrical substations.
  4. Assists with inspecting and monitoring AE’s electrical substations and recording data on appropriate forms or maintenance logs.
  5. Assists with pulling, installing, repairing, or moving wire, cable, conduit, and other material in and around AE’s electrical substations, which may include splicing electrical wires and connecting power cables to equipment.
  6. Responds to on-call, emergency call-back, and after-hour outages due to weather-related events or system disturbances.
  7. Assists with setting up and operating electric utility aerial equipment (i.e. cranes, boom trucks, bucket trucks, manlift, etc.) and other equipment (i.e. wire puller, cable trailer, skid-steer loader, and forklift).
  8. Assists with performing testing, calibration, and troubleshooting of substation electrical systems using electronic test equipment (i.e. Transformer Turns Ratio (TTR) Tester, Breaker Tester, Multi-Range Voltage Detector (MRVD), phasing sticks, rotation meters, Digital Multi-Meters (DMM), and clamp-on amp meters).
  9. Assists with operating high-voltage transmission, substation, and distribution switching devices and equipment, using proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Personal Protective Devices (PPD), to de-energize and isolate circuits.
  10. Assists with the ordering, storing, receiving, issuing, and distributing equipment, parts, tools, and supplies essential to the construction, maintenance, and repair of AE’s electrical substations.
Responsibilities - Supervisor and/or Leadership Exercised:
  None.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
  Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.
  • Knowledge of AE safety rules, regulations, work practices, standards, and procedures associated with electrical substations and high voltages.
  • Knowledge of hazards involved with working on and around energized electrical systems (lines and equipment/high and low voltage).
  • Knowledge of the electrical theory and principles related to electricity, magnetism, and electrical equipment.
  • Knowledge of switching devices and equipment used to de-energize and isolate circuits and devices on AE's electrical transmission, substation, and distribution system.
  • Knowledge of various connections, configurations, procedures, and phasing of circuits to transformers, breakers, and disconnects.
  • Skill in handling conflict and uncertain situations.
  • Skill in handling multiple tasks and prioritizing.
  • Skill in operating computers and related software applications.
  • Skill in properly using, inspecting, maintaining, and safely storing PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and PPD (Personal Protective Devices).
  • Skill in using tools and equipment to troubleshoot and then repair or replace electrical/electronic devices/components.
  • Ability to climb ladders, work on and around elevated work positions/platforms, work in enclosed/confined spaces, and work as an enclosed space attendant.
  • Ability to apply knowledge and skills obtained from classroom and OJT to daily work activities.
  • Ability to read and understand oral, written, and electronic instructions, technical manuals, blueprints, sketches, diagrams, and drawings.
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective communication and professional working relationships with City employees, customers, and the public.
  • Ability to organize, inspect, and safely use various hand and powered tools, equipment, apparatus, instruments, and materials used in the installation, maintenance, and repair of electrical substations and related equipment.
  • Ability to perform strenuous work in all types of weather conditions.
  • Ability to work with frequent interruptions, changes in priorities, and rotating shifts.
  • Ability to properly lift and carry equipment and supplies weighing up to fifty (50) pounds.
Minimum Qualifications:
 

Graduation from an accredited high school or equivalent, plus one (1) year of experience in a related electric utility field.

Licenses and Certifications Required:
 
  • Valid Texas Class A Commercial Driver License or ability to acquire license and/or endorsements within ninety (90) days of employment.
  • Produce and maintain an acceptable driving record.

This description is intended to indicate the kinds of tasks and levels of work difficulty required of the position given this title and shall not be construed as declaring what the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position shall be. It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of management to assign, direct and control the work of employees under supervision. The listing of duties and responsibilities shall not be held to exclude other duties not mentioned that are of similar kind or level of difficulty.