Chief Engineer/Powerhouse Supervisor (Internal Only)

Washington Department of Natural Resources; Washington; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Washington Department of Enterprise Services seeks a senior Powerhouse Operations Specialist to supervise the Capitol Campus central steam heat and chilled water plant. You will manage daily operations, scheduling, and maintenance to ensure reliable heating, hot water, and cooling for Capitol Campus facilities.

Responsibilities include operating high-pressure boilers, maintaining Metasys controls, coordinating safe inspections, and overseeing 24/7 coverage.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED is required.
• Applicable Steam Engineer's license is required.
• Four years of supervisory experience in power plant operations and related systems.

Responsibilities

• Supervise Powerhouse operations and shift personnel.
• Schedule all shift assignments, including intermittent staff.
• Operate and maintain high-pressure steam boilers and related systems.
• Coordinate inspections and ensure compliance with codes and permits.
• Monitor Capitol Lake levels and dam operations.

Skills

Supervisory experience

Safety awareness

Team coordination

Education

High school diploma or GED

Steam Engineer's license

Equivalent education substitute

Tools

Metasys control system

Boiler operation equipment

Job description

Description

This posting is open to internal Department of Enterprise Services employees only.

Schedule: 40 hours/week. The Powerhouse has 2 shifts a day and is manned 24/7. Schedule may vary based on need and to maintain operations. A flexible schedule is an option, but must be approved in advance.

Who we are:

The Department of Enterprise Services (DES) provides centralized business services to state government agencies; to other public entities such as cities, counties and tribes; and to Washington residents. DES’ mission is to strengthen the business of government for a sustainable and just future.

What you will be doing:

This position supervises the total operation of the Capitol Campus central steam heat and chilled water plant and is responsible for the daily operations and maintenance of the Powerhouse. You will ensure that all preventative maintenance and repairs to Powerhouse equipment and components are scheduled and completed in a timely manner. You will maintain and operate the Powerhouse to provide steam for heating, hot water generation, and chilled water for cooling to the Capitol Campus facilities. As the senior-level specialist, you will apply advanced technical knowledge in the overall operation and maintenance of high-pressure heating plant consisting of three boilers over 150 HP each.

You will work with the Powerhouse staff, Shop Managers, Maintenance and Repairs Superintendent, Asset Managers, Building Automation staff and tenant agency facility coordinators to ensure that heating, hot water, and cooling are provided to the buildings that are connected to the central distribution systems on the Capitol Campus. You will be expected to schedule all shift assignments to include intermittent employees to cover planned and unplanned leave to provide plant operator coverage 24 hours/day, 365 days/year. You will verify that all work is performed in a safe, neat, and workman like manner, ensure work meets all state and local codes, and that all Powerhouse operations stay within operating permitted values. In addition, this position is also responsible for the monitoring the Capitol Lake levels, daily operations of the Capitol Lake Dam and provides feedback and input on activities that affect the lake and dam.

Duties

Some of what you'll enjoy doing will include:

Supervise Powerhouse Operations:

• Supervises the work of assigned shift personnel in power plant production of steam and chilled water production.
• Provide day-to-day maintenance/repair and operations of the Powerhouse. Schedules all shift assignments to include intermittent employees to cover planned and unplanned leave.
• Operate the high-pressure steam heating plant, which provides steam heat, hot and chilled water to 14 buildings on the Capitol Campus. This includes, but is not limited to operations, maintenance, repairs, troubleshooting of the high-pressure stationary steam boilers, chillers, cooling towers, pumps, compressors, condensers, condensate return lines, steam pipe, traps, water lines, controls (pneumatic. electronic, mechanical) and meters.
• Utilizes the Metasys central control system to adjust the campus steam and chilled water systems to provide optimal output. Maintains boiler water and feedwater. cooling towers test and treatment. Ensures that steam and chill water is produced to support all buildings that are supported by the Powerhouse. Makes shift and work assignments to maintain Powerhouse coverage 24 hours/day. 365 days/year.
• Coordinates all required inspections with the appropriate agencies to include, but not limited to high- pressure boiler hot and cold and regional air quality monitoring inspections. Maintains records onsite of those inspections. Coordinates and completes repairs generated form these inspections within the timeframe specified by the inspecting agency.

Capitol Lake Management:

• This position is responsible for monitoring the Capitol Lake levels and ensuring that the Metasys control system is operating the Capitol Lake Dam properly.
• Ensures the lake is maintained within the levels set by the DES Management.
• Evaluates and provides recommendations to DES supervision per written procedures of any unusual issues that could cause potential flooding or an extreme low level of the Lake.

Qualifications

REQUIRED:

High school diploma or GED

AND

• Applicable Steam Engineer's license
• Four (4) years of supervisory experience with power plant operations, including feed water systems, coal, gas, and fuel oil fired high-pressure boiler systems and all auxiliary equipment, water chilling systems, high voltage generation and distribution systems and related combustion controls and safety devices
• Maintain a valid driver's license free from any serious violations.

OR

Equivalent education may substitute for experience

AND

Equity Competencies

State of Washington Employees contribute to ensuring services, programs, workplaces, and interactions are responsive, respectful, accessible, and effective to the people and communities we serve. Employees are expected to:

• Take action to learn and Grow: Demonstrate a willingness to learn from new experiences, seek feedback, consider different perspectives, and continuously improve knowledge, skills, communication, and approaches to work.
• Take action to meet the needs of others: Seek to understand the needs and experiences of customers, coworkers, and communities. Identify barriers to access and participation and address them before they become obstacles for the people we serve, providing support that is respectful, timely, and effective.

PREFERRED:

• Good working knowledge of Powerhouse standards and best practices, methods, tools and equipment necessary to operate and maintain high pressure steam boilers and associated auxiliary systems
• Knowledge of boiler law; methods, fuels, materials, and tools used in operation and maintenance of high pressure boilers and auxiliary equipment; boiler room safety; heating, lighting, ventilating, power, and other related mechanical equipment; standard types of automatic controls
• Ability to test and analyze operation of steam boilers and auxiliary equipment; instruct and supervise others; keep records; make written reports; perform heavy manual labor; work under and withstand extremes of temperature
• Use of hand, power and specialized tools required to accomplish high-pressure boiler operations and repairs.

Supplemental Information

Union Inclusion

This position is included in a bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).

Opportunity for All

Washington state celebrates our differences and we are committed to a workplace that supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws.

You are welcome to include the name and pronoun you would like to be referred to in your materials and we will honor this as you interact with our organization.

Contact us

For questions about this recruitment or to request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact Angie Anderson at [e-mail].

Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388 or access the Washington Relay Service.