Instrument Technician (Tier 1 Controls Technician)

City of Grand Rapids; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 52,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision starting 1

Paid Holidays

Tuition Reimbursement

Paid Parking

Wellness program

Job summary

The City of Grand Rapids is seeking an Instrumentation Technician to install, test, calibrate, and repair instrumentation and SCADA equipment at water and wastewater facilities. You will support PLCs, HMIs, and network infrastructure under supervision, training less experienced staff as needed.

Require 2 years of college in electronics or an associate’s degree, plus 4 years of related experience; CCNA is preferred. A strong focus on safety, documentation, and vendor coordination is essential.

Qualifications

• Two years of college-level coursework or an associate’s degree in Electronics Technology or related field.
• Four years of progressively responsible experience in instrument calibration, controls, troubleshooting, and/or maintenance.
• Any equivalent combination of training, education, and experience that provides the required skills.

Responsibilities

• Maintains, calibrates, and repairs controls instrumentation and related equipment.
• Troubleshoots PLCs, HMIs, and associated network infrastructure for SCADA systems.
• Reads blueprints and schematics; documents installations and maintenance tasks.
• Provides training and assists end-users; assists in writing bid specifications.

Skills

SCADA troubleshooting

PLC maintenance

Instrumentation calibration

Network wiring & telecom

Reading blueprints & schematics

Vendor management

AutoCAD

written and oral communication

Education

Associate’s degree in Electronics Technology or related field

Two years of college-level coursework in electronics

Tools

Cisco switches

AutoCAD

Job description

The purpose of this job is to perform technical work installing, testing, repairing, commissioning and calibrating instruments, controls, gauges and other equipment used at the City's Water and Wastewater facilities. Performs work under the general supervision of the Information Systems Coordinator/Instrument Technician Supervisor. Guides and trains employees with less experience.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by employees in this job. Employees may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

• Ensures equipment is in proper working order by maintaining and calibrating all controls of a variety of controls instrumentation
• Troubleshoots, repairs and maintains programmable logic controllers, human/machine interfaces and associated network infrastructure using proprietary development software as well as other commercial and open-source applications needed to operate Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) controls
• Provides training and assistance for end-users on application software. Assists in writing specifications of material put out to bid
• Troubleshoots and repairs ethernet wiring, circuits, and devices; makes other controls instrument repairs both in the field and on the bench
• Reads and interprets blueprints and drawings of SCADA controls diagrams and schematics; review and updates as necessary
• Performs various duties related to plant operation including identifying necessary network firewall settings to meet Information Technology and user requirements and preparing written documents and reports for management
• Maintains records of provided services and inventory of instrumentation controls parts used for repairs
• Performs basic radiotelephone/radio telemetry site survey to install or troubleshoot new or nonfunctioning remote Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition sites
• Installs, maintains, and repairs network infrastructure, including cables, terminals, programmable logic controllers, and other peripherals
• Performs related work as required

Required Education and Experience

Two (2) years of relevant college-level course work or an associate’s degree in Electronics Technology or a related field

--AND--

Four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in instrument calibration, controls, troubleshooting, and/or maintenance

--OR--

Any equivalent combination of training, education, and experience that provides the required skills, knowledge, and abilities

Preferred Qualification

• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

Knowledge of:

• Modern office procedures, methods, and computer equipment
• Instrumentation controls devices, such as circuits, switches, breakers, wiring, and the like, and of safety precautions and hazards related to electricity
• Methods, practices, techniques, and equipment related to the calibration of instruments, controls, gauges water and gas flowmeters, level sensors, online analyzers & probes.
• Functional understanding of wired, radio, and fiber optic telecommunications/networking
• Water treatment and wastewater plant operations and procedures
• Geographic Information System Cartography Programmable Logic Controllers function is also required
• Complete understanding of confined space entry and supervision
• Understanding of wired, radio, and fiber optic telecommunications/networking
• Safety standards
• Vendor management

Skill in:

• Taking initiative to start jobs and manage through to completion
• CISCO certifications for work on switches and other hardware
• Interpersonal skills necessary to develop and maintain effective and appropriate working relationships
• Performing a variety of duties, often changing from one task to another of a different nature
• Performing basic mathematical functions such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, and ratiosPrioritizing, monitoring, and reviewing work assignments
• Computer and telecommunication hardware
• Troubleshooting
• Repair methods
• Research
• AutoCAD and other image manipulation software
• Effective written and oral communication

Ability to:

• Manage time appropriately to meet schedules and deadlines of work.
• Coordinate materials requisitions from Vendors, and oversee contractor installs on site
• Understand and carry out oral and written directions
• Accurately organize and maintain paper documents and electronic files
• Maintain the confidentiality of information and professional boundaries
• Read and understand blueprints, equipment manuals and engineering drawings
• Retrieve installation/Operations and Maintenance manuals
• Record drawings from internal (City) and external (equipment manufacturer) sources
• Maintain records related to inventory and duty performance

We Offer

• Medical, Dental, and Vision starting on Day 1
• 6% employee 401a contribution with employer matching (6% or 7% based on bargaining unit)
• Employee & Employer contributions to Retiree Health Savings Account
• Voluntary benefits such as term life insurance, flexible spending accounts, accidental insurance, disability insurance, and deferred compensation plan options
• Twelve Paid Holidays
• Paid Vacation and Sick Time
• Paid Parking (if applicable)
• Employee Home Ownership Incentive
• Tuition Reimbursement and professional development opportunities
• Paid Parental LeaveEmployee Assistance Program with free mental health counseling
• Comprehensive Wellness program with a health and wellness incentive
• Employee Discounts and Perks

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to our Leaves and Accommodations Analyst, Amanda Kaulback. Email [e-mail]@grcity.us or by phone at [phone].

The City of Grand Rapids does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy or gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

Please Note

This position is subject to the provisions of the applicable collective bargaining agreement and all relevant civil service rules. For additional information, links to union agreement and Civil Service Rules are provided below.

Collective Bargaining Agreements

Civil Service Rules