Journeyman Water Utility Crew

When working at Vera Water and Power, you have the opportunity to be part of a community-owned utility. We serve approximately 25,000 residents within the Spokane Valley, Washington. Our job as a publicly owned, not-for-profit utility is to deliver safe, reliable electricity and water at the lowest price possible while responsibly managing our resources, our employees, and our environment.

Being a part of our team means comparable wages and an exemplary benefits package.

We are committed to providing a beneficial work-life balance and empowering our people to make the community better through professional development and ensuring our staff is well equipped to do the job at hand.

Come join us as we continue to grow and maintain our reputation as one of the top public utilities in the region!

Interested applicants should submit their resume and cover letter to:

https://verawaterandpower.com/about/careers/

This position is OPEN UNTIL FILLED and applicants are encouraged to apply immediately.

What We Offer: 

• Comprehensive health insurance plan
• Defined benefit plan with Washington State Public Employees Retirement System
• 457 Plan
• VEBA Plan
• Continuing Education
• Drug-Free Workplace
• $57.32 – per hour

PURPOSE:

To perform a variety of operational tasks involving the water system:  installation, inspection, maintenance, and repair.

GENERAL DUTIES/KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Construct and install distribution and transmission water mains on public water purveyors’ system.
• Install water service lines in ditches and perform installation of hot taps on high pressure water mains.
• Identify, isolate, and repair high-pressure leaks in water lines and mains.
• Inspect and install PRV’s, water valves, water meters at site of hook-up for end users.
• Operates heavy equipment excavating ditches and compacting excavation sites.
• Performs valve maintenance on distribution and transmission mains.
• Maintain water pumping system equipment and operation.
• Maintain and monitor reservoirs. Climb reservoirs for inspections.
• Inspect, repair, and maintain chlorination equipment.
• Inspect and repair water booster stations and pumps. Maintain high pressure systems.
• Install and maintain fire hydrants.
• Performs stick and wire fed welding/oxygen and acetylene torch cutting.
• Perform routine flushing and testing of water mains to ensure water quality to a public system.
• Coordinate inventory of materials needed for projects.
• Ensures District tools, equipment, and materials are properly maintained and stored securely.
• Responsible for the proper care, use, handling, protection, and accountability of all materials issued for specified jobs, and for the accuracy of all reports regarding the use of such materials.
• Able and willing to respond to outages at any hour of the day and night, weekends, and holidays in all weather conditions.
• Assists in on-the-job training of Apprentice and other crew members in maintenance and construction of water system.

• Complies with all of Vera Water & Powers safety rules and uses safe working policies, practices, and methods.
• Seasonal standby duty rotation required for water restoration and associated problems work after hours, and on holidays and weekends.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed must be representative of the knowledge, skills, minimum education, training, licensure, experience, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Qualifications

• Certified Waterworks Operator or ability to attain WDM 1 or Operator 3
• Requires High School diploma or GED equivalency.
• Ability to understand and apply policies and requirements of the District, State and Federal governances relating to water systems.
• Must possess, keep, and retain a valid Washington CDL Class B driver’s license or state equal.
• Minimum - Four Years of Experience.
• Must join IBEW Local 77.
• Must possess or obtain Flagging Certification, First Aid and CPR certification cards.
• When hired, must live 30 minutes from Vera home office located at 601 N. Evergreen Road, Spokane Valley, WA.

Skills

• Must have developed language skills to the point of being able to: Read periodicals, journals, and manuals.
• Write conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style.
• Read maps or drawings of the items to be made or repaired.
• Measure, cut, or otherwise work on materials or objects with great precision.
• Use arithmetic or shop geometry to figure amounts of material needed, dimensions to be followed and cost of materials.
• Picture what the finished product will look like.
• Accept responsibility for the accuracy of the work completed.
• Skillfully use hand tools or machines needed for your work.

Relationships to Data, People and Things

• Data – Compiling: Gathering, collating, or classifying information about data, people, or things. Reporting and/or carrying out a prescribed action in relation to information is frequently involved.
• People – Speaking/Signaling: Talking with and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes giving assignments and or directions to helpers or assistants.
• Things – Precision Working: Using body members and/or tools or work aids to work, move, guide or place objects or materials in situations where ultimate responsibility for the attainment of standards occurs and selection of appropriate tools, objects or materials and the adjustment of the tool to the task require exercise of considerable judgement.
• Equipment – To perform this job successfully, an individual must be an experienced operator possessing the ability to operate all equipment including backhoes, dump truck, mini-ex, all hand tools, jackhammer, forklift and all associated construction materials safely and proficiently.

Physical Requirements

• The employee is frequently lifting and/or moving up to 50 pounds, and occasionally lifting and/or moving more than 100 pounds. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds above shoulder height unassisted. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds above shoulder height unassisted.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to grip, handle, or feel; and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, or twist torso; pull, push, or exert force; and perform repetitive hand or arm motion.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
• Subject to pre-employment physical, drug test and skills test.

Work Environment

• Outside: No effective protection from weather. A job is considered “outside” if the worker spends approximately 75 percent or more of the time outside. Hazards: Situations in which the individual is exposed to the definite risk of bodily injury.
• Must work in varied outdoor environments, including all weather conditions, day or night, all noise levels, hazardous conditions, and on a full range of outdoor work surfaces. Must consistently use required protective clothing and/or all personal protective devices.