Posting number: 2026-00763
Department: Portland Water Bureau
Job classification: Instrument Technician
Posting type: Open
Categories: Public Works, Water Agency
About the position
Job Appointment: Full time
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 6AM - 2:30 PM Training Schedule; then 10-hour shifts 4 days a week
Work Location: Water Interstate Facility, 664 N. Interstate Avenue, Portland, OR 97227
Benefit: Please check our benefit tab for an overview of benefit for this position
Language Pay Premium Eligible: This position may be eligible for Language Pay Differential for qualifying employees.
Union Representation: District Council Trade Union (DCTU); To view this labor agreement, please click here Applicants start at the entry salary rate of $49.34 hourly. If you are a DCTU represented employee, see labor agreement for additional information or talk to your union representative.
Application Material: Please click APPLY to submit your application via the City of Portland’s online portal. You will need respond to the supplemental questions and attach a resume. Please upload your licensure and certification if you have it. Note Do not include your age, date of birth, or the dates you attended or graduated from school. Only provide this information if it is specifically requested to meet job requirements or to follow federal, state, or local laws or rules.
The City of Portland is seeking an Instrument Technician to join our dynamic team of highly qualified and innovative technicians that work on complex and varied instruments and control systems.
Instrument Technicians install, maintain, repair and document electrical, electronic instrument systems. These systems are used to meter, record, analyze, control and monitor water treatment plants, pump stations, reservoirs, and metering sites. Instrument Technicians inspect and test instruments and systems, determine the cause of malfunctions, service and repair the instruments and then calibrate the system. Work responsibilities can include developing Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) systems and maintaining and improving existing systems; and maintaining, developing and troubleshooting networked communications and SCADA systems.
As a person, you are:
Highly collaborative: You take direction well, offer thoughtful guidance, and work toward shared goals. You enjoy partnering with colleagues from diverse personal and professional backgrounds and adapt your approach to support effective teamwork.
Detail-oriented: You bring strong attention to detail and follow best practices to ensure accuracy, consistency, and high-quality work.
Equity-focused: You understand how equity connects to the work we do and consider its impact in your decisions, interactions, and problem-solving.
A problem-solver: You apply your technical understanding to real-world situations, developing practical solutions and improvements that strengthen the Bureau’s instrumentation and controls program.
Adaptable: You evaluate real-world situations using your understanding of instrumentation and controls to established processes with a critical eye and identify opportunities for improvement, whether through training, technology, or workflow changes.
An effective communicator: You communicate clearly, build productive working relationships, and contribute successfully both independently and as part of a team.
About the Water Bureau: The Portland Water Bureau (PWB) serves almost a million people in the Portland area, about a quarter of Oregon's population. PWB employs over 600 people providing responsive service to build and maintain a water system that enhances public health and safety and contributes to the economic vitality and livability of the Portland metropolitan region. To learn more about working at Water visit our website: https://www.portland.gov/water/about-us/work-water
Have a question?
Contact Information:
Tami Larison, Recruiter
Bureau of Human Resources
Tamara.larison@portlandoregon.gov
Applicants must describe in their résumé how their education, training, work experience and/or lived experience meets each of the following minimum qualifications:
Applicants must also:
Although not required, you may have one or more of the following:
STEP 1: Apply online between August 17, 2026, to Sept 14, 2026
Required Application Materials:
Optional Application Materials:
Application Tips:
Step 2: Minimum Qualification Evaluation: Week of September 14, 2026
Step 3: Establishment of Eligible List: Week of September 21, 2026
Step 4: Selection (Interview): October 2026
Step 5: Offer of Employment: October 2026
Step 6: Pre-Employment Exam – Preplacement Physical Examination: To Be Determined
As part of the conditional job offer, candidates must complete a Prehire Evaluation during the hiring process/probationary period. The Prehire Evaluation may consist of a medical exam, screenings, and a physical capacities test (PCT) required for work clearance and safety compliance. The PCT measures physical ability through job-related tasks such as lifting, carrying, climbing, shoveling, and repetitive movements. Unless already employed in a City position requiring a similar or more demanding PCT, candidates must pass all required tasks to proceed with employment. For more information visit the Prehire Evaluation page
Step 7: Start Date: November 2026
*Timeline is approximate and subject to change.
Click here for additional information regarding the following:
City of Portland, Oregon
Serving the Common Good of its people and the people of the greater region. The City includes bureaus to administer government functions pertaining to fire, police, water supply, wastewater treatment and stormwater management, environmental resource management, urban planning, transportation and parks.
