STATIONARY FIREMAN

City of Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 79,000 - 107,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Chicago’s Department of Water - Bureau of Water Supply seeks a Stationary Fireman to operate and maintain boilers in heating and water systems. This is a career-service, non-interview position with eligibility through the SEIU bargaining unit.

Starting pay is $44.76 per hour, with location varying across facilities in Chicago; applications accepted until 8/24/2026. Duties include monitoring boilers, taking water samples, and performing preventive maintenance as required.

Qualifications

• One (1) year of experience working with boilers and related equipment including feed water pumps and chemical tanks;
• One year of experience working as a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technician;
• Completion of a recognized training course or program in basic boiler or steam plant operations

Responsibilities

• Starts and stops boilers as directed by a licensed Operating Engineer
• Monitors the operation of boilers to ensure that efficient fuel consumption rates are maintained
• Manually records daily boiler room readings and conditions in operating logs
• Checks monitoring instruments to identify problems with boilers and related equipment
• Takes water samples to test the pH of the water entering boilers and adds chemicals as needed to maintain the correct range of pH
• Checks levels and adds salt as required to water softener units
• Inspects water levels in boilers and regulates as necessary
• Cleans flues and boiler tubes to prevent the build-up of residue
• Performs preventive maintenance work including oiling and lubricating pumps and auxiliar equipment
• Maintains general cleanliness and neatness of the boiler room
• Assists in the operation of boilers and related equipment, as required

Skills

Boiler operation

HVAC

Training completion

Job description

Description

STATIONARY FIREMAN

Department of Water - Bureau of Water Supply

Number of Positions: 8
Starting Annual Salary: $44.76/HOURLY

This position is open to the public and all current City employees covered under the City's collective bargaining agreement with the S.E.I.U. FIREMEN & OILERS DIVISION, LOCAL1 (BARGAINING UNIT #23). Only employees in City job titles in this bargaining unit are eligible to bid.

Applications for this position will be accepted until 11:59pm CDT on 8/24/2026.

Under supervision, fires and maintains high and low pressure boilers found in heating and ventilation systems, water treatment systems, and pumping stations, and performs related duties as required.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Starts and stops boilers as directed by a licensed Operating Engineer
• Monitors the operation of boilers to ensure that efficient fuel consumption rates are maintained
• Manually records daily boiler room readings and conditions in operating logs
• Checks monitoring instruments to identify problems with boilers and related equipment
• Takes water samples to test the pH of the water entering boilers and adds chemicals as needed to maintain the correct range of pH
• Checks levels and adds salt as required to water softener units
• Inspects water levels in boilers and regulates as necessary
• Cleans flues and boiler tubes to prevent the build-up of residue
• Performs preventive maintenance work including oiling and lubricating pumps and auxiliar equipment
• Maintains general cleanliness and neatness of the boiler room
• Assists in the operation of boilers and related equipment, as required

NOT E: The list of essential duties is not intended to be inclusive; there may be other duties that are essential to particular positions within the class.

Location: VARIES

Days: VARIES

Hours: VARIES

THIS POSITION IS IN THE CAREER SERVICE

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• One (1) year of experience working with boilers and related equipment including feed water pumps and chemical tanks;
• One year of experience working as a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technician;
• Completion of a recognized training course or program in basic boiler or steam plant operations

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Substantial lifting (up to 80 pounds) is required
• Ability to stand and walk for extended or continuous periods of time
• Ability to quickly bend, stretch, twist, or reach out with one's body, arms, and/or legs
• Ability to move one's hands and arms to grasp or manipulate objects
• Ability to climb staircases, ladders, and/or step stools
• Ability to operate applicable hand tools, power tools, and equipment

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Exposure to loud noise
• Exposure to extreme temperatures
• Exposure to fumes or dust
• Exposure to oily or wet environment

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND OTHER WORK REQUIREMENTS

• Safety principles, methods, practices, and procedures
• Routine testing and inspection activities related to boiler operations
• Use of steam, electric heating, and cooling equipment
• Tools, instruments, and techniques used in repairing heating and cooling equipment
• Operation of switches, circuit breakers, motors, and pumps
• Knowledge of applicable City and department policies, procedures, rules, and regulations

SELECTION REQUIREMENTS This is a non-interview, tested title . This position requires the successful completion of an online application and an initial screening process. Applicants who meet the established screening criteria may be invited to participate in one or more assessments designed to evaluate the knowledge, skills, or competencies relevant to the role. Depending on the position, this may include a pass/fail assessment, additional evaluative components, and/or an interview. Candidates who successfully complete all required assessment components may be invited to take part in a structured interview using a standardized set of questions, when applicable. In addition to the interview, applicants may also be evaluated through job-related exercises such as work samples, skill demonstrations, presentations, or other performance-based activities aligned with the requirements of the position. External applicants who receive a passing score on the test will be hired in lottery/random order. Bid applicants who receive a passing score will be selected in seniority order according to the collective bargaining agreement.

APPLICATION EVALUATION: Initial evaluation will be based on information provided on the application and the documents submitted. Department of Human Resource staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow any and all required Employment/Hiring Plan provisions, federal, state and local laws, and Collective Bargaining Agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY: To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces, and/or residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA) and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates to be referred to departments for consideration. These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders, as Collective Bargaining Agreements define the hiring process for bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates.

ALL REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT.

The City of Chicago is an Equal Employment Opportunity, Military Friendly, and Fair Chance Employer.

City of Chicago

Brandon Johnson, Mayor