Hydro Plant SCADA & PLC Technician

Jobtailor; North Platte (NE); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor in North Platte, NE seeks a skilled Hydro Plant Technician to operate, maintain, and troubleshoot hydro turbines and SCADA systems. The role supports Water System Management and requires a strong focus on safety and reliability.

The ideal candidate has hydro plant operation or maintenance experience, SCADA/PLC know-how, and the ability to travel up to 25% with on-call availability. Utilities experience preferred.

Qualifications

• Two-year associate degree in a technical discipline (electronics, electrical, electromechanical, or mechanical) and 3 years of experience in an industrial setting; or equivalent military training and 3 years of experience as a mechanical/electrical technician in an industrial setting
• OR high school diploma/GED and either a minimum of 5 years of experience as a mechanical/electrical technician in an industrial setting, completion of a mechanical/electrical technician program, or other work experience/demonstrated performance indicating the required skills and ability
• Mechanical, electrical and electronics experience preferred
• Certified switching experience preferred
• SCADA and control systems experience preferred
• Hydro plant operation or maintenance experience preferred
• Must have and maintain a valid driver's license
• Must obtain certification in operation of the North Platte Hydro and associated systems
• Must be a certified switchman or able to pass the switchman certification exam
• Must recognize normal and potential hazards and problems before outages
• Must participate in safety programs and maintain OSHA-compliant plants and equipment
• Ability to travel up to 25%, including occasional overnight work assignments
• Ability to be on call 24 hours per day, except as pre-arranged
• Ability to use computer-based systems including SAP

Responsibilities

• Operate and maintain hydro turbines, generators, governors, and associated equipment
• Locate and correct electrical and mechanical problems in hydro plants, hydraulic canal systems, irrigation canal systems, shops, and buildings
• Design, purchase, build, install, troubleshoot, and tune PLC controllers for SCADA sites
• Program graphics, install software, download alarm history, and manage internet/intranet system readings
• Travel as necessary to support Water System/Renewable Energy team needs
• Operate, maintain, install, repair, and inspect hydro turbines, generators, governors, exciters, switchgear, vibration monitoring equipment, trash removal systems, cranes, computer systems, backup generators, and cooling water pumps
• Assist with equipment, parts, and hardware specifications, planning, and purchasing
• Develop, maintain, repair, install, and program PLCs, SCADA systems, communication equipment, and RTUs
• Calibrate transducers and transmitters measuring canal flows, elevations, reservoir elevations, and hydro discharges
• Switch hydro plant and substation equipment out of service for emergency and scheduled inspections and maintenance
• Hold clearance orders, identify hazards, prevent outages, and perform scheduled substation inspections
• Participate in training to maintain mechanical/electrical technician qualifications and train others
• Participate in safety programs and maintain clean, OSHA-compliant plants and equipment
• Maintain and update equipment history, assist with blueprint updates, enter time, and make notifications through SAP
• Keep Water System Management informed of customer needs, risks, and other concerns
• Install, maintain, and repair canal gate operators, gearboxes, drive units, electric operators, structures, and related equipment
• Perform other duties as assigned

Skills

Hydro Plant Maintenance

SCADA Systems Experience

PLC Programming

Mechanical Troubleshooting

Electrical Troubleshooting

Calibration of Transducers

Equipment Inspection

System Readings Management

Blueprint Updates

Emergency Maintenance

Education

Two-year associate degree or equivalent

High school diploma / GED + 5+ years experience

Tools

SCADA

PLC Controllers

SAP

Job description

Jobtailor in North Platte, NE seeks a skilled Hydro Plant Technician to operate, maintain, and troubleshoot hydro turbines and SCADA systems. The role supports Water System Management and requires a strong focus on safety and reliability.

The ideal candidate has hydro plant operation or maintenance experience, SCADA/PLC know-how, and the ability to travel up to 25% with on-call availability. Utilities experience preferred.