Position Summary: Collection, transfer, and edit meter readings manually or automated from the field to billing. Inventory, install, replace, test, calibrate, and repair of all devices involved with the measurement of electricity, water, and gas. Inventory, install, replace, test, calibrate, program, and repair all devices involved with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), and customer load management units. Responds to customer service calls regarding meter issues and performs disconnection/reconnection of services due to non-payment issues.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Responsible for the reading, installation, maintenance, testing, repair, and inventory of OPU's electric, water, and gas meters. This includes the ability to work on live electricity up to 480 volts, pressurized gas lines, relighting gas appliances and the use of handheld computers, iPads, and laptops with numerous software applications. Responsible for selecting, loading, and unloading route information to mobile meter reading hardware, as well as post readings for billing purposes, editing, and auditing readings daily to identify meter malfunctions and possible meter tampering.
Analyze and compile data to perform billing corrections and estimate meter readings.
Responsible for the installation, programming, maintenance, testing, repair, and replacement of electric, water, and gas meter remote communications device including AMI devices and supporting equipment. This includes the use of computerized handheld devices and PC applications. Responsible for inspecting electric, water and gas meter sets to identify tampering or diversion of commodities. Responsible for testing current transformers, potential transformers, and entire electric meter sets to identify equipment for replacement or repair. Responsible for configuring Home Area Networks on electric meters to pair with pulse output equipment to provide customers with real time commodity usage. Responsible for the verification, installation, and maintenance of load management control units including programming of new units with computer software. Responsible and accountable for wiring and testing industrial electric meter sets with voltage and current transformers. This includes the ability to determine application by transformer connection. Proficient in gas regulation and relief setting and installation. Accountable for the calibration of gas pressure monitoring devices using a certified Dead weight test machine. Answers and responds to service calls taken in person or dispatched providing professional, efficient, and timely service for all OPU customers. Performs disconnection and reconnection of service for non-payment including installation and operation of remote disconnect hardware and software. Coordinate with other departments and customers to schedule work and customer outages. Obtain Operator Qualifications to be certified to work on OPU's natural gas regulation and metering equipment.
Obtain Meter Technician certificate of completion from Northwest Lineman College.
Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactory. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education: Two (2) year Technical College degree is required, i.e. metering, electronics, electricity, natural gas, or other related degree.
Experience: Two (2) years' work experience in the utility metering field is preferred. Other combinations of training and/or documented experience will be considered.
Language Skills: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before small groups of customers or employees of organizations.
Reasoning Ability: Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
Mathematical Skills: Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume.
Computer Skills: Advanced knowledge of computer fundamentals. Computer skills to include windows operating system and be reasonably proficient at Microsoft Office Suite - Word, Excel, and Power Point or the ability to learn.
Additional: Knowledge of electricity, water, and natural gas fundamentals including natural and toxic gas levels. Ability to detect natural gas odorant by smell. Employee is required to identify meter and regulator type and size by eye. Responsible for the memorization of electric meter "form" numbers as they apply to their respective service and transformer connection. Understand and be able to use blueprints and schematics when testing and maintaining utility meters on the electric, water, and gas distributions systems. Experience in the use of mobile radio and phone to dispatch and communicate with outside and inside crews. Knowledge of software and systems associated with metering, meter data management and associated hardware.
Certificates and Licenses: Valid Class D Minnesota Drivers' License is required. Gas Operator Qualified certification obtained within 6 months of hire is required. Company certified to drive a forklift and/or skid loader within 6 months of hire is required. Successful completion of the Northwest Lineman College Meter Technician Certification Program within in 3 years of employment.
Tools and Equipment used: Computer, iPad, Forklift, Skid Loader, power tools, hand tools, phone, and mobile radio.
Interested candidates please fill out and return an application and applicable forms to the OPU Human Resources Department (found on our website: www.owatonnautilities.com)