Utility Foreman I/II - City of Kenai  

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/kenai/jobs/4775494/utility-foreman-i-ii

Job Description

The Utility Foreman I/II is a working supervisor of the Public Works Department under the direction of the Public Works Director. The Foreman is responsible for supervising and coordinating the daily operation, safety, and maintenance of the City’s Wastewater Treatment and Water & Sewer facilities. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) classifications of the City’s facilities are as follows: Wastewater Treatment 3, Wastewater Collections 3, Water Treatment 2, and Water Distribution 2. This position ensures compliance with State and Federal laws and regulations related to the Water Treatment System, Wastewater Treatment System, Wastewater Collection System, and Water Distribution System and assisting in the preparation of a variety of reports and maintaining records related to the utility system.  

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Plan, prioritize, assign, supervise, review, and participate in the work of staff responsible for operating and maintaining the City’s Wastewater Treatment and Water & Sewer facilities.
2. Establish schedule and methods for providing wastewater treatment and water and sewer services; identify resource needs; review needs with appropriate management staff; allocate resources accordingly.
3. Participate in the development and implementation of goals and objectives as well as policies and procedures; make recommendations for changes and improvements to existing standards, policies, and procedures; monitor work activities to ensure compliance with established laws, regulations, policies and procedures.
4. Select, train, supervise, schedule, and evaluate the work of utility staff in accordance with City personnel policies; meet regularly with employees to advise on safety and policy; work with employees to correct deficiencies; implement discipline procedures when necessary in conjunction with Human Resources.
5. Participate in the preparation and administration of utility budgets, submit budget recommendations and monitor expenditures.
6. Supervise, oversee, and participate in utility operation and maintenance. 
7. Supervise and perform field locates of existing water and sewer lines, and inspect new construction of water and sewer lines as needed; inspect hydrants and service connections; replace or assign replacement of parts as needed.
8. Supervise and participate in monitoring all utility processes and associated equipment. 
9. Operate and maintain heavy and light equipment; inspect machinery and mechanical equipment in operation to detect flaws and defects.
10. Supervise and participate in operating Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software and telemetry equipment.
11. Oversee the lab and participate in the collection of samples for testing or analysis; assign and perform lab tests; adjust chemical levels for proper treatment processes; conduct calibration and documentation as required. 
12. Supervise and participate in reading meters; shut off and turn on water services; deliver notices.
13. Supervise and participate in the maintenance of utility facilities and surrounding grounds.
14. Perform plumbing and electrical work associated with maintenance; operate mechanized equipment and hand/power tools as needed.
15. Monitor and comply with all Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations and implement strategies to avoid violations.
16. Respond to emergency situations; assist as needed in other divisions of Public Works.
17. Assist the Public Works Director with the development and maintenance of the Capital Improvement Program as it relates to the utility systems. 
18. Prepare and submit documents and reports, including but not limited to Alaska Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (APDES) permit testing and Central Peninsula Landfill Sludge testing; maintain records, including but not limited to daily logs, timesheets, operation and activity reports, accident reports, and job safety analysis.
19. Communicate effectively with co-workers, supervisors, and the public.
20. Perform job duties with minimal or no supervision and ensure staff works toward department goals and objectives.
21. Attend Department training and other continuing education programs; participate in and occasionally lead safety discussions; manage confined space and respiratory programs.
22. Maintain regular, reliable and predictable attendance at work. 
23. Perform other work as assigned. 

Minimum Qualifications

1. Must be at least eighteen (18) years of age.
2. Must possess a minimum of five (5) years of experience in water distribution, wastewater treatment, wastewater collections, water treatment, or water distribution or an equivalent combination of training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. 
3. Utility Foreman I (Range 21): The applicant (or employee after hire) must possess a minimum of a level 2 certification issued by the State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation in two (2) of the following: Water Treatment (WT), Water Distribution (WD), Wastewater Treatment (WWT) or Waste Water Collection (WWC) and a level 1 certification in the other two. The employee must obtain the required level of certification for City facilities within one (1) year of acquiring the required hours of operation.. Continuing education to maintain certification is also required.  Utility Foreman II (Range 22): The applicant (or employee after hire) must possess a minimum of a level 3 certification issued by the State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation in Wastewater Treatment (WWT) and Waste Water Collection (WWC); a level 2 certification in Water Treatment (WT) and Water Distribution (WD). Continuing education to maintain certification is also required. 

4. Must possess and maintain a valid Alaska commercial driver’s license with endorsements and without restrictions required to operate equipment utilized by the Utility division within six (6) months of employment start date. All licenses must be valid and current prior to operating a City vehicle requiring a commercial driver’s license. Applicants will be required to submit a Division of Motor Vehicles record upon request.  This position is governed by the City of Kenai’s Drug and Alcohol policy and Department of Transportation (DOT) CDL regulations. The successful applicant will be given a conditional job offer conditioned on the applicant receiving a negative result on a pre-employment drug test. Regulations also require the City to obtain drug and alcohol information and testing results from the applicant’s employers for the previous two years. Past violations may make the applicant ineligible for hire unless evidence is provided to the City that the applicant has successfully completed DOT’s Return to Duty Requirements. 

5. The employee must be available to work varying schedules, including weekends, holidays, occasional shift extensions into the late evening hours in order to respond to after-hours emergencies, and approved stand-by shifts. The schedule is typically four ten-hour days per week, with the work days of the week changing on a rotating shift that will include occasional five-hour work days on weekends. The employee will be required to respond to emergency call-outs when available and comply with any requirements of approved stand-by pay. 

Supplemental Information

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATONS

1. Additional or higher levels of certification in Wastewater Treatment (WWT), Water Treatment (WT), Waste Water Collection (WWC) and/or Water Distribution (WD) or training or certification in hazardous communications, confined space, and/or lockout/tagout.
2. Experience working through major utility renovations and/or upgrades or renovations. 
3. Experience with implementation of a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system and/or using the following software: Wonderware, Arcview and MS Office, including Excel.
4. Experience with emergency preparedness (e.g., working through a natural disaster).
5. Experience working with granting agencies (e.g., Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) or Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)).

WORKING ENVIRONMENT The employee must be able to do strenuous work in all kinds of weather (e.g., high temp., low temp., winds, snow, ice, fog, and direct sunlight) and on surfaces at, above, or below floor level. Duties are performed both indoors and outdoors in a varied working environment, during the day and at night or in the dark, and often in inclement weather and in extreme temperatures. Inside work is usually in buildings, adequately heated, lighted, and ventilated. Noise from heavy equipment, hammers, saws, and other tools is frequent. There is dust and sometimes dirt when repairing structures and operating tools. The employee may be exposed to sewage and wastewater, chemicals, dust and other irritants and toxic/poisonous substances. The employee is required to drive a vehicle and perform some work inside a vehicle, including operating radios, and a cell phone. Personal protective equipment is provided and must be used in accordance with best practices, federal and state laws, and City/Department policies and operating procedures.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to use hands and fingers dexterously (e.g., operate hand and power tools, telephones, radios, and some general office equipment); to work both inside and outside in all types of weather; to sit, stand, walk, stoop, crouch, lift, bend, and reach with hands and arms; to climb ladders; and to work in confined spaces. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to exert in excess of 100 pounds of force occasionally and/or in excess of 50 pounds of force frequently. The employee is frequently required to operate heavy equipment and sit for extended periods of time. The employee must be able to climb in and out of heavy equipment vehicles, work in small spaces, and must be able to perform strenuous work in inclement weather.  Specific vision abilities required include close, distance, and peripheral vision, the ability to adjust focus, and the ability to judge distances and spatial relationships. The employee must be able to hear and to talk and to communicate verbally in person as well as on a telephone and radio.

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION The City of Kenai is an equal-opportunity employer. Employment is based on qualifications free of personal and political considerations, with equal opportunity for all with no restrictions on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, genetic information or any other basis prohibited by law. 

Director of Public Utilities - Unalaska, Alaska

Unalaska, Alaska (est. full-time pop. 4,195 plus seasonal influxes) is seeking a Director of Public Utilities experienced in power generation and distribution and who can assist with the management, planning, operation, engineering, and maintenance of the electric utility and distribution and systems. This position requires a bachelor’s degree and progressively responsible professional leadership experience including experience in electrical/powerhouse operations, construction and/or utility management or a related field. The hiring salary range is $164,195 - $180,606. The City offers an outstanding benefits package to include a $10k hiring bonus and up to $10k in relocation assistance. Apply by April 4, 2025 at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/bakertilly/jobs/4860290/. Contact Yolanda Howze at Yolanda.Howze@bakertilly.com or 312-240-3401 for more information.