Job Description

UIC Municipal Services, LLC is seeking a Utility Systems Specialist (USS) to provide preventative equipment maintenance and repairs. Responsibilities will include directing or accomplishing the excavation and repair of buried pipes in arctic conditions, and repair of individual residential and commercial service connections. The USS will be responsible for maintaining, cleaning, and organizing water and wastewater plants, as well as maintaining daily reporting to the central office in Utqiaġvik, Alaska. This position is tasked with reporting emergency incidents when they occur and communicating system issues to engineers. Candidates must keep daily water and wastewater logs and prepare and send wastewater samples on a timely basis for monthly discharge monitoring reports. The USS must be able to interface with the public, maintain a professional demeanor, and work with municipal employees to maintain utility service.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

• Ensures Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation compliance of utility plants.
• Maintains a safe working environment and reports safety concerns to supervisor.
• May train, mentor, or directs and oversees local resident utility operators as needed or as requested.
• Daily reporting to central office by phone or email.
• Performs a variety of duties essential to the operation of a small water and wastewater treatment facility and water distribution and wastewater collection systems.
• Inspects, operates, monitors, and maintains a variety of facilities, equipment, and systems involved in various processes of a water and wastewater treatment plants.
• Monitors plant operation through visual observation and SCADA.
• Regulates flows.
• Performs chemical analysis and tests.
• Performs a variety of related duties to ensure the facilities final finished water and effluent is of the best quality and compliant with regulatory requirements.
• Performs seasonal raw water pumping and treatment to meet anticipated water reserves.
• Maintains logs of plant operations – periodic checks on fire hydrants, fire pumps, generators, and valves.
• Perform annual inspections of residential service barrel services.
• Daily completion of work order reporting – detailing incidents, repairs and call outs conducted by all the W&S staff on all aspects of W&S infrastructure.
• Supports the maintenance (preventive and corrective) of the utility plants and systems.
• Implements emergency protocols to protect the W&S systems, water reserves and general public safety during W&S emergencies or system failures.
• Coordinates between W&S Operators and other local resources to identify, locate, isolate and repair leaks in W&S systems within the expertise of the W&S Operators onsite.
• Notifies public of boil water notice or shut down of W&S services.
• Provides temporary water and sewer to individuals that experience interrupted services.
• Maintains and inventories parts and materials in the utility plants.
• Works with vendors on soliciting quotes for parts and supplies.
• Submits purchase requisitions and receiving reports on orders.
• Submits service requests to local municipality for non-water/sewer repairs to facilities and equipment.
• Coordinates water and sewer repairs with local village supervisor.
• Acts as the waster/sewer plant manager to oversee all water and sewer related activities
• Assumes the lead operator role in the absence of a local operator when required.
• Operates heavy equipment, when pre-approved.
• Monitors assigned village cell phone.
• Subject to twenty-four (24) hour call outs and works varied shifts as assigned.

Knowledge and Critical Skills/Expertise:

• Must demonstrate a thorough comprehension of Water treatment/distribution and Wastewater treatment/collection and regulatory requirements.
• Demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity of the Alaskan Native community.
• Communicates clearly and concisely; both orally and in written.
• Must be able to comprehend fully the complexity of the work requirements and work environment.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the general public, co-workers and regulatory agencies.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Must possess a Level II or be able to obtain a level II within 12 calendar months after hire in Water and Wastewater Treatment Operator Certificates issued by the State of Alaska.
• Ability to pass a respirator fit test
• Valid driver's license
• High school diploma or equivalent

Preferred Qualifications:

• Level III Water Treatment*
• Level III Wastewater Treatment*
• Level II Water Distribution*
• Level I Wastewater Collection *
• (*) Water and Wastewater Treatment Operator Certificates issued by the State of Alaska. If out of state applicants, there is potential for reciprocity between states for these certifications.
• Arctic experience in Water/Sewer Operations or Construction.
• Micro-Nano filtration treatment experience.
• Extended aeration wastewater treatment experience.

Physical Demands:

• Walking, standing, crawling, kneeling and stooping
• Good near vision.
• Use of respirator (½ face and full-face)
• Use of safety goggles.
• Lifting/Carrying frequently required up to 20lbs with occasionally lifting/carrying up to 50lbs
• Pushing/Pulling frequently required up to 10lbs with occasionally pushing/pulling up to 50lbs
• Safe operation of power tools.

Work Environment:

• Employee may be subject to environmental conditions such as cold; heat; exposed to noise; hazards; and/or close quarters. Applicant must be aware of work environment at all times
• While performing the duties of this job; the employee is regularly exposed to wet and/or humid conditions; and outside weather conditions including extreme Arctic winter conditions
• The employee is frequently exposed to moving mechanical parts; dust; fumes or airborne particles; smoke; or gases
• The noise level in the work environment may be loud at times
• The employee is frequently exposed to commercial solvents and chemicals
• Must be able to walk on slippery and uneven surfaces
• Must be able to walk up and down stairs frequently
• Employee will be subject to confined areas, i.e.; sewer manholes, water vaults, wastewater pits, and/or protected trenches
• Ability to work independently.
• Remote work sites (no dispensary or hospital)

Additional Information:

This position works with a team of local operators to maintain operational and regulatory compliance status of local municipal water and sewer utility systems. The Utilities System Specialist (USS) will rotate in and out of each of the seven villages on the North Slope, where populations range from 250 to 1000 residents. Work schedule will be 10 hours daily at a minimum, with longer days to meet repair and call out needs. Summer water pumping will be 12 hour days for approximately 3 calendar months. Rotation schedule will be 3 weeks on (23 days), 3 weeks off (19 days). $65 a day per diem is provided. The USS will be staying in provided local housing (no camp) Travel from/to Anchorage, AK or Fairbanks, AK to the villages are paid by employer - all other travel expenses are responsibility of the employee. The USS will report directly to the Field Operations Lead, or to the Project Manager when the Field Operations Lead is unavailable.

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