Utility Construction Technician

Berkeley County (SC) Government; Moncks Corner (SC); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Pension Plan

12 Paid Holidays

SCRS Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Job summary

Berkeley County Water and Sanitation is seeking a skilled worker responsible for constructing, installing, repairing, and maintaining potable water mains and service lines. The role includes locating mains, performing trenching, and operating a variety of equipment while ensuring safety and quality across tasks.

Responsibilities include meter and valve work, data entry, and adherence to Federal, State, and County safety standards.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Ability to attain and maintain Class D Water Distribution License within 12 months of hire.
• One year of utility or public works related experience.

Responsibilities

• Perform skilled and semi-skilled tasks in construction, installation, repair, and maintenance of water mains and services.
• Locate mains and valves using maps or equipment; identify safe digging locations.
• Provide traffic control and set up barricades to protect crews and the public.
• Operate a range of construction equipment; inspect and maintain tools and machinery.
• Install, repair, and test meters, valves, and related apparatus; work with safety protocols.

Skills

Pipefitting

Valve operation

Heavy equipment

Trenching

Safety compliance

Reading maps

Customer service

Quality testing

Data entry

Teamwork

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Tools

Cityworks

GIS (ArcGIS)

EAM

Job description

Job Summary And Essential Functions

Under immediate supervision, performs a wide variety of semi-skilled and skilled tasks in the construction, installation, servicing, repair, and maintenance of Berkeley County Water and Sanitation (BCWS) mains, service lines, and related appurtenances used in the production, treatment, storage, transmission, and distribution of potable water; operates light-, medium-, and heavy-duty motorized equipment; and deals courteously and effectively with fellow employees and citizens.

Essential Job Functions

• Performs skilled and semi-skilled work in construction, installation, repair, and maintenance of potable water services and mains comprised of C-900 PVC, asbestos cement, ductile iron, as well as other BCWS infrastructure assets.
• Locates mains and valves by map plots or specialized equipment; locates all utilities by potholing; determines the amount of hand digging required.
• Provides traffic control; prepares barricade plans and sets up and removes barricades to protect crews from street traffic; identifies utility markings at job site to determine safe excavation locations.
• Excavates and backfills sidewalks, streets, trenches, and culverts using hand and power tools; exposes mains and services, following safe dig practices and shutdown procedures; installs and removes various types of trench shoring; fabricates forms and pours and finishes concrete; repairs asphalt surfaces; backfills and tamps with gravel; tamps asphalt fill to grade.
• Cuts mains, services, pipes, and cables to permit repairs and installation; assesses damage and determines materials required to make repairs; replaces old mains and pipes; performs water main taps under pressure or following main shutdowns; operates and exercises large and small valves to shut-off and turn-on water service.
• Performs pipefitting for pressurized mains, both in the shop and in the field; identifies and utilizes transition couplings, full circle repair clamps, pipeline adapters, compression fittings, and other water related materials.
• Performs pre-trip safety inspections on vehicles and equipment; ensures parts and materials are available and on crew truck.
• Operates trucks, vacuum trucks, loaders, backhoes, trenchers, motor graders, dozers, compressors, tapping machines, concrete saws, valve machines, jackhammers, pipe cutters, concrete saws, and a wide variety of other hand, hydraulic, and power equipment; checks condition of equipment; cleans and maintains tools and equipment used in the field and shops; inspects, services, and makes minor adjustments to light-medium and heavy-duty equipment.
• Works in vaults and other confined spaces, lifts and removes vault lids; ventilates vaults; performs vault repairs; locates buried valves at varying underground depths.
• Performs skilled work in assembling, laying, and aligning water and sewer mains and service lines; establishes stable main and pipe base when necessary; cuts pipes using saws, pipe cutters, torches, and other tools; caulks joints; threads and bends pipe.
• Operates equipment to locate, analyze, troubleshoot, and repair water leaks in mains and service lines as well as other public utilities; cleans out around damaged area; removes excess water; shuts down and restores water service; notifies supervisors of private property damage.
• Inspects and tests valves; centers valves in boxes; installs, repairs, and replaces corp. stops, meter stops, and curb stop valves under pressure or following main
• shutdowns; assembles and repairs pressure-reducing and air vacuum release valves; fabricates valve fittings.
• Installs and repairs meters, and meter and valve boxes; raises and lowers valve boxes.
• Performs grounds maintenance activities including weed abatement, pond/site maintenance, including discing, grading, excavating, and various earthworks, etc.
• Hauls and separates spoil to local landfills, recycle facilities, and stockpiles.
• Installs, repairs, replaces, and maintains fire hydrants.
• Documents work performed through mobile application work orders and handwritten field notes.
• Performs data entry on various computer systems including but not limited to Cityworks, EAM, and(or) GIS.
• Observes and complies with all Federal, State, and County mandated safety rules, regulations, and protocols.
• Performs field water quality test and obtains water samples.
• Draws as‑built diagrams for new installations and repairs.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements To Perform Work

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Must have the ability to attain and maintain a Class D Water Distribution License within 12 months of hire.
• One (1) year of experience in utility or public works-related maintenance and construction work.

Special Requirements

• Must have and maintain a valid driver’s license for South Carolina with safe driving record.
• Departmental testing may be administered during interview.
• A criminal background check will be completed on selected applicant if a current one (less than 3 years old) is not on file.
• This is a safety sensitive position and is subject to random drug and alcohol testing.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge Of

• Methods and techniques of construction maintenance in multiple trades areas including, but not limited to, pipefitting, trenching, shoring, concrete finishing, asphalt repair, and pipe fitting and fabrication.
• Methods and techniques of locating services and valves.
• Common watermain materials i.e., Plastics, C-900 PVC, asbestos cement, ductile iron, steel, copper, brass, polybutylene, etc.
• Operational characteristics of a diverse range of construction equipment, and hand and power tools.
• Construction mathematics.
• Traffic safety methods, practices, and regulations.
• Federal, State, and County mandated safety rules, regulations, and protocols.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, inspectors, and County staff.
• The structure and content of the English language, including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Modern equipment and communication tools used for business functions and program, project, and task coordination, including computers and software programs relevant to work performed.

Skills And Abilities To

• Perform semi-skilled to skilled tasks in the maintenance and repair of water mains and service lines.
• Operate the tools and equipment common to public utility construction and maintenance.
• Perform pipe cutting, fitting, and fabrication.
• Estimate necessary materials and equipment to complete assignments.
• Properly and safely operate light-, medium-, and heavy-duty construction equipment.
• Work underground and in confined spaces and be certified to use a respirator.
• Read and interpret maps, construction plans, and specifications.
• Perform traffic control functions.
• Perform heavy manual labor.
• Understand, interpret, and apply all pertinent laws, codes, regulations, policies, and procedures, and standards relevant to work performed.
• Independently organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines, and follow-up on assignments.
• Effectively use computer systems, software applications relevant to work performed, and modern business equipment to perform a variety of work tasks.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, using appropriate English grammar and syntax.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Physical Demands

This position requires the employee to reach, pull and push with hands and arms; stand; and use hands to handle, feel, finger, grasp or operate objects, tools or controls; sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; use mental acuity and repetitive motion; and walk, talk and hear. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to ninety-five (95) pounds with the help of additional workers and(or) mechanical assistance when needed to ensure safe work practices. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Conditions

The work is regularly performed in a dynamic environment that requires sensitivity to change and responsiveness to changing goals, priorities and needs. Thirty-seven and one half (37.5) hours per week. Normal working hours are Monday through Thursday 7:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Scheduled hours/days, job location, duties and any other information contained herein is subject to change. May be required to work extra hours and to perform extra or different duties during emergency situations.

Berkeley County offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package to its employees, including:

• Health, Life, and Dental Insurance
• Optional Life and Disability Insurance
• Optional Medical and Dependent Care Spending Accounts
• Personal Leave
• Twelve (12) Paid Holidays
• South Carolina Retirement System (SCRS) State Retirement Plan
• Police Officers Retirement System (PORS - as applicable)
• Optional Deferred Compensation Program (i.e. 401K, 457)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Wellness Program

01

Do you have a valid High School diploma or equivalent?

• Yes
• No

02

Do you have a valid driver's license?

• Yes
• No

03

Do you have one (1) year of related experience?

• Yes
• No
• Required Question