Utilities - Apprentice Lineperson

City of Stoughton; Stoughton (WI); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wisconsin Retirement System

No premium for dental insurance

Low medical premiums and out-of-pocket

Free Anytime Fitness membership

Job summary

The City of Stoughton is seeking an Apprentice Lineman to join its Utilities Division. This role provides a clear pathway through the State of Wisconsin Lineworker Apprenticeship Program with hands-on training, field work, and a schedule that keeps you close to home.

Residents within a 30-minute response time are preferred; the position is essential and involves standby duties, rotation, and progression toward Journeyman Lineman status as classroom hours and on-the-job training are completed.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent is required or equivalent education/experience.
• Successful completion of a 9-month electric power distribution technical course or enrollment in the Wisconsin Lineworker Apprenticeship Program preferred.
• Must maintain enrollment in the Wisconsin Lineworker Apprenticeship Program.

Responsibilities

• Assist in operating diggers, bucket trucks, live-line tools for distribution work.
• Operate and supervise equipment near distribution lines and install overhead/underground systems.
• Prepare safe worksites, conduct tailboard meetings, and support safety programs.
• Maintain meters, perform system inspections, and support outage restoration as needed.

Skills

Electrical linework

Teamwork

Safety focus

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

State of Wisconsin Lineworker Apprenticeship Program

Tools

Forklift certification

CPR/First Aid certification

Commercial driver’s license (CDL) with tanker and airbrake

Job description

Join the City of Stoughton as a Journeyman Lineman

TheCityof Stoughton, an equal opportunity employer, is seeking a skilled and motivated Apprentice Lineman to join our Utility Division. This is a great opportunity to work close to home, with a consistent schedule and excellent benefits.

Why Join Us?

• Regular work schedule with evenings at home and half-day Fridays*

Excellent benefits, including:

• Wisconsin Retirement System
• No premium for dental insurance
• Low medical premiums and out-of-pocket costs
• Free Anytime Fitness membership

About the Role

As an Apprentice Lineman, you’ll work within the City of Stoughton and its surrounding service area—approximately 55 square miles—eliminating long commutes. You’ll be part of a dedicated team of experienced professionals focused on maintaining a reliable and resilient electrical system.

This position requires residency within a 30-minute response time to the City of Stoughton.

Schedule & Standby Details

• Includes rotating standby duty with additional compensation
• During standby weeks, you’ll respond to after-hours electrical calls*
• Occasional assistance may be requested outside of your standby rotation during major events
• Stoughton Utilities maintains a low volume of standby callsdue to proactive maintenance and system reliability
• This is an Essential Position—you may be called in during citywide emergencies

What We’re Looking For

We’re seeking a self-motivated, responsible individualwho thrives in a team environment. This role involves:

• Electrical distribution line construction, maintenance, and repair
• Working in the field for extended periods
• Accessing work areas via foot, ladder, or elevated platforms
• Performing duties in varying and sometimes hazardous environmental conditions

The purpose of this position is to efficiently and safely assist in performing electrical distribution line construction, maintenance, and repair tasks in accordance with Stoughton Utilities construction specifications and standards. Responsibilities for this position will increase in complexity and level of individual responsibility as the employee progresses through the State of Wisconsin Lineperson Apprenticeship Program.

This position is intended to provide education and on-the-job training leading to journeyman lineman status and requires continual progression, and is not considered a permanent employment status. Advancement to Journeyman Lineman status occurs upon completion of required classroom instruction, on-the-job training hours, and demonstration of job knowledge and competency.

The following duties are the primary duties of this positionbut do not compose an exclusive or all-encompassing list of duties. Other duties may be assigned or required to accomplish the main goals of this position:

• Assists in operating diggers, bucket trucks, hand tools near and around electrical distribution lines. Assists in operating live-line tools to connect and disconnect distribution lines and components.
• Operates diggers, bucket trucks, and hand tools near and around electrical distribution lines. Operates live-line tools to connect and disconnect distribution lines and components. Installs primary and secondary overhead and underground electrical systems. Performs all other industry-standard duties expected of an apprentice lineman.
• Prepares and secures safe worksites, including truck and equipment setup, placement of warning signs and cones, traffic control and direction, and more. Conducts tailboard meetings to review projects and safety.
• Operates the electric SCADA system to monitor system health, record data and equipment readings, operate controls, evaluate circuit performance and load, and investigate outage conditions.
• Responds to customer inquiries and complaints and performs corrective measures. Communicates with customers as required to resolvecustomer inquiries and complaints, and to provide notice of planned system outages.
• Performs work tasks at active job sites to plan, direct, and oversee system and equipment maintenance and repair tasks. Works onsite to recommend operational changes and safety improvements, and to evaluate safety compliance.
• Installs, repairs, and maintains municipal street lighting.
• Monitors system tree trimming and removal needs, and ensures clearance program compliance. Works with division employees to trim and remove trees and brush. Communicates with customers to provide notice of upcoming line clearance projects, and resolves line clearance complaints and inquiries.
• Participates in the utility’s apprentice lineman program, including soliciting and receiving education and mentorship, and working towards advancement through the program.
• Attends and assists with utility-sponsored public events, prepares public educational materials and participates in outreach efforts, conducts system demonstrations and tours, and gives electrical safety presentations.
• Completes and maintains work orders, staking sheets, outage reports, timesheets, preflight checklists, tailgate meetings, inventory forms, and all other division paperwork, and maintains records and prepares reports as directed. Conducts system inspections and records findings.
• MaintainsGISsoftwareapplicationsanddatabases,includingelectricserviceconnectiondetails,circuitidentifications,overheadand undergroundsysteminspections,equipmentmaintenancetasks, andother recordsas directed.
• Maintainsanabilitytoworkaflexiblescheduletoaccommodateplannedactivitiesoutsideofthetypicalworkschedule,includingbutnotlimitedtoplannedcustomeroutagesorsystemmaintenancework,aswellasplannedseasonalschedulechanges andtasks.
• MaintainsanabilitytotravelwithinWisconsintolocationsrequiringovernightstaysuptoaweekinlengthtocompletetherequired apprenticeshipclassroomand hands-on training.
• Maintainsanabilitywheneverpossibletorepondtoutilityemergenciesandassistthoseservingon-call.Asprogressionthroughtheapprenticeshipprogramoccurs,maintainsanabilitytoserveonstandbyon-callduty,scheduledona rotationalbasis withinthe ElectricSystemDivision.
• Complies with all Stoughton Utilities safety programs, and guidelines and regulations set by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) and the National Electric Safety Code (NESC).

While the following tasks are necessary for the work of the unit, they are not an essential part of the purpose of this position and may be performed by other unit members.

• Disconnects electrical service to customers upon receipt of disconnection work orders due to delinquency or safety violations, and at customers’ request. Conducts periodic reviews of disconnected properties for connection evaluation
• Installs electric meters, including current transformers (CTs) and voltage transformers (VTs) as necessary, at customer premises, including temporary and permanent services. Assists the meter technician with the maintenance and repair of electric meters, CTs, and VTs. Reconnects and transfers electric meters.
• Maintains grounds and facilities, such as painting surfaces, ice and snow removal, custodial tasks, basic carpentry, basic commercial electrical maintenance, basic plumbing, and similar tasks as assigned.
• Provides emergency after-hours support to the Wastewater and Water System Divisions, including basic system repair, traffic control and direction, site preparation and cleanup, equipment transport and operation, and other tasks as directed. Provides local and regional emergency disaster response.
• Performs routine vehicle maintenance.
• Performs other Stoughton Utilities tasks as directed.

• High school diploma or equivalent, plus vocational or technical training in electrical systems, or a combination of education and at least 3–4 years of experience that provides equivalent knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Successful completion of a 9-month electric power distribution technical course or enrollment in the State of Wisconsin Lineworker Apprenticeship Program preferred.
• Must maintain enrollment in the State of Wisconsin Lineworker Apprenticeship Program.
• Must have or obtain and maintain forklift certification and CPR/First Aid certification.
• Must have or obtain and maintain a commercial driver’s license with tanker and airbrake certification.
• A valid motor vehicle operator’s license is required at hire.
• Must be within 30 minutes drive of Stoughton Utilities when On Call.

Language Skills and Interpersonal Communication

• Ability to analyze and categorize data and information in order to determine the relationship of the data with reference to established criteria/standards. Ability to compare, count, differentiate measure, and/or sort data; assemble, copy, record, and transcribe data and information. Ability to classify, compute, and tabulate data.
• Ability to explain, demonstrate and clarify to others within well-established policies, procedures, and standards, as well as the ability to follow specific instructions and respond to simple requests from others.
• Ability to utilize a variety of advisory data and information such as work orders, staking sheets, maps, outage reports, hazardous materials lists, safety manuals and procedures, construction specifications, transformer manuals, PCB manual, timesheets, vehicle logs, accident reports, technical operating manuals, procedures, and guidelines.
• Ability to communicate effectively with customers, co-workers, law enforcement personnel, electricians, contractors, tree trimmers, and other city employees.
• Ability to graduate from a State of Wisconsin Four-Year Lineman Apprenticeship program.

Mathematical Skills

• Ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; calculate percentages and decimals; interpret and develop basic descriptive statistical reports; and may require the ability to perform mathematical operations with fractions and algebra.

Judgment and Situational Reasoning Ability

• Ability to carry out directives both with and without direct supervision. Ability to exercise independent judgment to apply facts and principles for developing approaches and techniques to problem resolution.
• Ability to apply principles of influence systems such as leading and teaching.
• Ability to exercise the judgment, decisiveness, and creativity required in situations involving the evaluation of information against sensory and/or judgmental criteria.

Physical and Mental Abilities Required to Perform Essential Position Functions

• Ability to operate equipment and machinery such as impact tools,aerial bucket truck, digger /derrick, forklift, wood chipper, chain saw, backhoe, roller, compression tools, cable cutters, nail gun, meters, hand and power tools, snowplows, and blowers, and other equipment requiring monitoring multiple conditions and making multiple, complex, and rapid adjustments. Ability to repair complex equipment and machinery.
• Ability to coordinate eyes, hands, feet, and limbs in performing skilled movements such as high voltage electrical work.
• Ability to install and repair meters and perform coordinated activity around live electricity, potentially in tight spaces.
• Ability to exert regular and sustained heavy physical effort in very heavy work, typically involving some combination of climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling and lifting, carrying, pushing, shoveling and digging, and pulling heavy objects and materials in excess of 100 pounds.
• Ability to recognize and identify degrees of similarities or differences between characteristics of color, shape, sound, textures, and odor associated with job-related objects, materials, and tasks.

Environmental Adaptability

• Ability to work under uncomfortable and potentially unsafe conditions that require exposure to severe environmental factors such as temperature variations, high winds, rain and snow, odors, toxic agents, noise, vibrations, wetness, dusts, machinery, explosives, gas, vehicular traffic, and high voltage electrical currents. This exposure may cause discomfort and presents a high risk of injury or death.