Journey Lineworker

ElectriCities of North Carolina; Pineville (NC); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

ElectriCities of North Carolina seeks a Journeyman Lineworker to maintain and operate high voltage transmission and distribution lines and related equipment across member communities. The role requires skilled field work, climbing poles, and operating bucket trucks and heavy machinery.

You will troubleshoot outages, install and repair equipment, and participate in substation work and switching orders, with on-call responsibilities.

Qualifications

• A diploma from a standard high school or vocational school or equivalent.
• Minimum four years verifiable experience as a Journeyman Lineworker.
• Completion or partial completion of Lineman Career Development Program, or ability to complete after hire.

Responsibilities

• Constructing, maintaining and repairing high voltage transmission and distribution lines and equipment.
• Troubleshoot power outages and restore power safely and efficiently.
• Operate bucket trucks and heavy machinery; climb poles and work from elevated positions.
• Lead crew in the absence of a supervisor and train junior employees.
• Follow OSHA and utility safety procedures; participate in on-call duties.

Skills

Journeyman lineworker

Pole climbing

Safety compliance

Education

Diploma from high school or vocational school or equivalent

Tools

Lineman Career Development Program

Job description

Job Summary

ElectriCities of North Carolina partners with certain municipal members to operate and maintain their electric systems in a safe, efficient, reliable, and economical manner as outlined in the individual Operating Agreements. This includes managing/administering the Operating Agreement(s) and other contracts/agreements as necessary for the operation and maintenance of the individual member’s electric system.

Primary Responsibilities

Performs skilled work at the journeyman level in the construction, maintenance, and operation of high voltage electrical power transmission and distribution lines and equipment. This includes but is not limited to:

• Constructing, maintaining and repairing overhead and underground power transmission and distribution lines, substations and related facilities, troubleshooting power outages and restoring power as safely and efficiently as possible.
• Operates motor vehicles safely and proficiently including but not limited to bucket trucks, line trucks, pickup trucks, etc.
• Operates heavy machinery safely and proficiently including but not limited to backhoes, excavators, trenchers, wire stringing equipment, forklifts, directional boring machines, etc.
• Performs work on lines and equipment energized at high and low voltages at elevated positions.
• Ability to climb wooden poles and other structures when necessary and work from elevated positions for extended periods of time.
• Performs a variety of duties requiring a high degree of skill at the journeyman level in the construction and maintenance of electric power distribution lines and auxiliary equipment.
• Installs and replaces wood, steel and fiberglass poles, crossarms, insulators, switches, capacitors, lightning arresters, faulted secondary and primary conductors, bad transformers, fuses, connectors and other appurtenances,
• Installs single-phase and three-phase overhead and underground transformers, connects single-phase transformers into three-phase banks.
• Installs group operated switches and single and three-phase re-closers.
• Installs and repairs copper and aluminum conductors, both overhead and underground, strings primary and secondary lines and attaches wire allowing for proper sag.
• Installs and maintains switchgears, underground termination cabinets and secondary hand boxes.
• Terminates primary conductors with load-break or 600‑amp elbows, and aerial terminations.
• Participates in maintenance of substations and makes substation and switching station repairs when needed. Installs and replaces single-phase voltage regulators, circuit breakers, CT’s and VT’s and other equipment inside substations.
• Interprets relay targets on substation equipment to troubleshoot and repair substation faults; operates substation equipment such as but not limited to circuit breakers, circuit switchers, GOAB switches, MOAB switches, load tap changers, voltage regulators, etc.
• Troubleshoots system abnormalities and determines the most appropriate action to correct them.
• Operates chain saws and other mechanical equipment safely and efficiently in the clearance of trees, brush and other vegetation when necessary.
• Utilizes proper Lockout/Tagout procedures and effective grounding.
• Performs installation of transformers, fuse cutouts, capacitors, primary and secondary meters and metering equipment including CT’s, VT’s and other appurtenances.
• Maintains streetlights, area lights, flood lights and traffic signals.
• Operates and maintains the condition of materials, tools, and equipment used in line work.
• Uses multimeters to test voltage, current and resistance on energized parts of circuits; uses High voltage thumper, Time domain reflectometer (TDR) and other equipment to located faults on underground conductors.
• Ability to work in confined spaces to operate and maintain underground switches and cables.
• Participates in detailed switching orders to transfer load from one source to another, to isolate faulted sections or to restore power.
• Performs a variety of tasks required of a public power line worker.
• Serves as the lead man on the crew in the absence of a crew leader and directs the work of subordinate workers. Instructs and trains lesser experienced employees in the proper performance of duties.
• Adheres to OSHA rules/regulations, APPA Safety Manual and Electricities Standard Operating Procedures.
• Conducts daily job briefings for the crew as required taking into consideration the hazards of the job, special precautions, the personal protective equipment required, the job assignments for each employee, the energy source controls and the closest emergency response information.
• Installs temporary work zones compliant with MUTCD and NCDOT standards and serves as a flagman when necessary.
• Performs other related duties as assigned by the Electric Systems Manager, Electric Operations Supervisor or Crew Leader in accordance with the goals and objectives of ElectriCities.
• Works outside of normal work hours with or without notice in emergencies and on-call duties.

Controls

This position works under the general supervision and guidance of the Electric Operations Supervisor who reviews the employee’s work performance periodically in terms of overall effectiveness and provides professional guidance as necessary. Time sheets, vacation time, sick leave, etc., will be reviewed and approved by the Electric Operations Supervisor. This position is non-exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Working Conditions

Work involves light to heavy physical activity in varied weather conditions as well as a high degree of risk to personal safety with respect to power line work, high voltage areas and elevated work areas. Safe use of proper tools, uniforms, and other personal protective equipment (PPE) is required at all times. Participation in the on-call rotation is a requirement. Required to reside in a location that meets minimum response time requirements to outages and emergencies. Occasional support of neighboring municipal electric providers, mutual aid, or emergency assistance may be available/required.

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk and hear. Frequently the employee is required to sit; climb or balance on electric poles; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must occasionally be able to lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Vision requirements are close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, night vision, depth perception, ability to adjust focus, preparing and analyzing written or computer data, ability to perform visual inspection of small parts or small defects. Vocal communication is required for conveying detailed, important instructions to others accurately, loudly, or quickly. Hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken levels, to receive detailed information through oral communications and to make fine distinctions in sound.

Qualifications

• A diploma from a standard high school or vocational school or equivalent.
• A minimum of four years verifiable experience as a Journey Lineworker; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Successful completion or partial completion of the Lineman Career Development Program, and/or an accredited Lineman apprentice program, having successfully passed required testing, or the ability to successfully complete the Lineman Career Development Program after hire.

Special Requirements

• Possession of a valid North or South Carolina commercial driver’s license (CDL) – Class A.
• Ability to pass pre‑employment drug and/or alcohol screening,
• Ability to pass random testing due to the CDL license requirement.
• Ability to pass any and all drug and/or alcohol screenings. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.