Operating Engineer Level 4

DTE Energy; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

DTE Energy is looking for an Operations Engineer in Detroit, Michigan. This position entails operating, monitoring, and maintaining equipment within a Central Utilities plant. Candidates must hold a high school diploma, a City of Detroit 1st Class Refrigeration Operator license, and a 3rd Class Steam license. The role involves performing routine maintenance on chillers and associated equipment while ensuring adherence to safety and environmental regulations. Shift work is required, and a knowledge of power plant operations is preferred.

Qualifications

• City of Detroit Refrigeration Operator license required.
• Experience in plant operations, especially chilled water systems preferred.
• Knowledge of physics, thermodynamics and chemistry basics is desired.

Responsibilities

• Operate and maintain equipment at a Central Utilities plant.
• Perform routine maintenance and respond to emergencies.
• Record operational data and document maintenance activities.

Skills

Ability to establish effective working relationships

Knowledge of basic water chemistry

Knowledge of power plant mechanical equipment

Ability to operate valves and controls

Proficiency in use of hand and power tools

Education

High school diploma or GED

City of Detroit 1st Class Refrigeration Operator license

3rd Class Steam license

Job description

The hourly rate for this position is $44.90.

Job Summary

This position is responsible for operating, monitoring, and performing routine maintenance on all equipment located within a Central Utilities plant in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. The engineer will operate and maintain chillers, hot water generators, and associated equipment, including hot water generators with a total heating capacity of 30 MM Btuh, magnetic bearing chillers providing 2,800 tons of refrigeration, 1,200 GPM pumps per chiller, and forced draft Tower Tech cooling towers. The engineer will monitor 13.2 kV power distribution, paralleling double‑ended switchgear, and use a Metasys BMS for system monitoring. Backup power is supplied by two 2,000 kW generators. The position requires HVAC and other facility equipment operation and maintenance as directed, with work performed under direct supervision and reviewed through goal achievement and adherence to policies, procedures, and industry best practices.

Key Accountabilities

• Identify unsafe acts or conditions; eliminate or mitigate hazards immediately where possible and notify affected personnel and supervisor.
• Safely operate plant equipment to meet the day‑to‑day demands of the facility.
• Record and analyze plant operational data and facility systems to maximize equipment efficiency and reliability.
• Understand plant systems as a whole and the interdependencies of equipment and operator input on function and performance.
• Respond to abnormal and emergency operating situations in a safe and reasonable manner.
• Perform routine housekeeping duties and general clean‑up of the facility and immediate surrounding area.
• Perform maintenance on all facility equipment, including predictive, preventative, corrective, and emergency maintenance (lubrication, filter replacement, tube brushing, cleaning, painting, tear‑down, inspection, re‑build, etc.).
• Record and document all maintenance activities performed on facility equipment, using a computer‑based maintenance management program as required.
• Follow all company safety/environmental rules and regulations, including LOTO, confined space, fall protection, electrical safety, chemical safety, and fire safety.
• Provide on‑call support for emergency and contingency situations.
• Shift work is required; employees must perform both operation and routine maintenance of facility equipment.

Qualifications

• A high school diploma or GED, City of Detroit 1st Class Refrigeration Operator license, and at least a 3rd Class Steam license are required.
• Four years of experience in plant operations, including two years operating a centralized chilled water system, is preferred.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisors, coworkers, management, and the general public is preferred.
• Knowledge of basic water chemistry is desired.
• Knowledge of power plant mechanical and electrical equipment, including chillers, motors, pumps, water treatment systems, electrical distribution, control systems, etc., and associated maintenance functions is preferred.
• Ability to operate valves, switches, controls, keyboards, and other devices associated with power plants is preferred.
• Knowledge of and ability to understand fundamental principles related to physics, mathematics, electrical theory, heat transfer, fluid flow, thermodynamics, and chemistry is preferred.
• Ability to use basic hand tools, portable electric and pneumatic tools, and basic lifting equipment such as chain hoists, davits, slings, and hydraulic cranes is preferred.
• Ability to learn and become proficient in all site‑specific systems and sub‑systems is preferred.

Additional Qualifications

The physical demands characterized here epitomize those that must be met by an employee to properly perform the integral functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Frequently sit, stand, walk or climb and occasionally stoop, kneel or crawl.
• Reach with hands or arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, taste and smell.
• Talk and hear; use hands and fingers to handle or feel.
• Occasionally lift objects of up to 50 pounds.
• Frequently lift objects of up to 10 pounds.
• Possess the following vision requirements: close, color, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.
• Work both in a business office setting and at a plant site.
• Occasionally be exposed to outside weather conditions, including wet and/or humid conditions, and extreme heat.
• Be near moving mechanical parts and/or machinery.
• Occasionally be exposed to fumes or airborne particles and vibration.
• Be in a work environment that is usually quiet to moderate in the office but may become loud at the plant site.

Incumbents may engage in all or some combination of the activities and accountabilities, and utilize a variety of competences cited in this description depending upon the organization and role to which they are assigned. This description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by incumbents in this job. It is not intended as an all‑inclusive list of accountabilities or responsibilities, nor is it intended to limit the rights of supervisors or management representatives to assign, direct and control the work of employees under their supervision.

Privacy Notice to California Job Applicants

At DTE Energy, we are committed to providing an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcome and a sense of belonging. We seek individuals with a heart for service, a passion to help our communities prosper, and ideas to help shape the future of energy. We are proud to be an equal‑opportunity employer that considers all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, disability, national origin, citizenship, height, weight, genetic information, marital status, pregnancy, protected veteran status or any other status protected by applicable federal and/or state laws.