Aquatic Life Support Technician

Salary : $40,250.00 - $67,670.00 Annually
Location : Various Locations within the City of El Paso, TX
Job Type: Civil Service
Job Number: 16480-1223
Department: ZOO GATE REVS ADMIN
Opening Date: 12/07/2023
Closing Date: 12/12/2023 11:59 PM Mountain
Requirements
MOS Codes: None
Education and Experience: High School Diploma, GED, or higher and three (3) years of experience working with institutional water treatment and filtration, or experience with aquaculture, marine mammal, or institutional aquarium Life Support systems.
Licenses and Certificates: Texas Class "C" Driver's License or equivalent from another state. Level 1 Life Support Operator Certification from the American Associate of Life Support Operators within eighteen (18) months of appointment.
General Purpose
Under general supervision, install, operate, monitor, and maintain Aquatic Life Support systems and moat treatment systems for zoo exhibits.
Typical Duties
Operate and maintain all Aquatic Life Support and moat circulation systems to meet required water quality standards. Involves: Perform testing and monitoring of water quality parameters such as water chemistry, disinfection, clarity, and temperature. Administer aquatic systems chemical treatments as needed, ensuring proper dosing and monitoring for animal and environmental safety. Coordinate chemical treatments and maintenance with all stakeholders for that system. Perform maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair of Life Support system components including, but not limited to sand filters, UV filters, ozonation water treatment equipment, protein skimmers, chlorinators, chillers, heat exchangers, pumps, motors, valves, and plumbing. Maintain water chemistry, treatment, and maintenance records using computerized records system. Generate water quality and maintenance reports as needed. Report daily status of water systems using the most efficient communication available including shared electronic records systems, e-mail, department radio, cell phone, and/or direct verbal communication.
Develop, enforce, and maintain standard staff, animal, and equipment safety operating procedures. Involves: Assist and train additional personnel who work with the systems. Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations pertaining to water quality for animals. Follow all city and departmental safety policies and procedures. In consultation with supervisor and other stakeholders, develop and implement standard operating procedures for monitoring, operating, and maintaining each aquatic system. Maintain open communication regarding aquatic systems operational feasibility with section supervisors including veterinarians.
Advance the quality of aquatic systems at the zoo. Involves: Network with other Life Support Systems professionals and attend continuing education to maintain current best practices and system improvements. Contribute to the planning and design of new facilities with Aquatic Life Support components. Oversee and participate in the installation of new systems as assigned. Conduct educational presentations in both formal and informal settings.
Supervise assigned staff and/or volunteers as needed. Involves: Schedule, assign, instruct, guide and check work. Appraise employee performance. Enforce personnel rules and regulations, and work behavior standards firmly and impartially. Counsel, motivate and maintain harmony. Interview applicants. Recommend hiring, termination, transfers, discipline, merit pay or other employee status changes.
General Information
For the complete job specification, click here.
Important Note: The required Supplemental Questions and answers are considered an examination component and will generate a score.
Applicants are being tested on a conditional basis pending a review of minimum qualifications. Applications will be reviewed for applicants who pass the Supplemental Questions exam.
Per CSC Rules & Regulations, after review of the minimum qualifications for applicants that pass the Supplemental Questions exam, a passing score, combined with applicable seniority points and veteran points, will be used to create a list of candidates.
Note: Applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. This position will close when a preset number of qualified applications have been received.
A résumé and/or other documents will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application. Comments such as "See résumé" are not acceptable and will result in the application being considered incomplete.
To qualify for this position, the required education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be clearly stated on your application's employment history. We do not use any information on your resume to review if you meet the minimum qualifications for this position.
Failure to fully detail all experience and job duties in the application, copying/pasting directly from the job specification, or responses referring to your résumé will eliminate you from consideration for the position.
BENEFITS
LIFE AND HEALTH INSURANCE
Every regular, full-time employee who is paid by the City, shall be entitled to receive group life, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, health insurance coverage as provided by the City. Employees shall be eligible for enrollment during the City's designated enrollment period. (Amended 08/28/07)
Employees shall have the option of membership in a qualified health maintenance organization (HMO) as an alternative to health insurance coverage. Should an employee opt for HMO membership, the City shall contribute to the HMO an amount equal to the health insurance premium the City would have otherwise been obligated to pay on the employee's health insurance coverage. Any difference between the amount the City contributes and the cost of HMO membership shall be deducted from the employee's paycheck and forwarded to the HMO.
ELIGIBILITY FOR VACATION LEAVE
All regular employees who are regularly scheduled to work on an average, a minimum of twenty (20) hours per week, who have held a position in the City Service for a period of six months from date of employment, shall be eligible for vacation allowance as hereinafter set forth. Part-time employees shall accrue vacation leave at a pro-rated amount of full-time entitlement based on the number of hours that they are scheduled to work. Employees covered by collective bargaining agreements shall accrue vacation as provided in the applicable agreement.
Regular employees in the City Service shall accrue vacation credit at the following rates per pay period, calculated from the date of employment of each employee:
For 0 - 5 years of service (12 days):
40 hour per week employees - 3.70 hours per biweekly pay period
For >5 to 15 years of service (17 days):
40 hour per week employees - 5.24 hours per biweekly pay period
For >15 or more years of service (20 days):
40 hour per week employees - 6.16 hours per biweekly pay period
SICK LEAVE WITH PAY
Employees shall be entitled to accrue sick leave with pay in accordance with the Rules of the Civil Service Commission.
ACCIDENT WITH PAY LEAVE
The Amended Section 4.4 of the Ordinance shall become effective upon adoption and shall apply to occupational injuries and occupational diseases occurring on and after date of adoption. Occupational injuries and occupational diseases occurring before such date will be governed by the Ordinance in effect at the time of the date of injury or disease.
PREGNANCY LEAVE
A) Pregnancy shall be treated the same as any other temporary physical disability.
B) An employee on pregnancy leave shall use accumulated and unused regular sick leave time and then (unless granted use of special sick leave) shall be on leave without pay, unless the employee chooses to use any accumulated and unused annual leave.
C) An employee going on pregnancy leave shall give written notice to her department head with appropriate medical verification. Before returning to work from pregnancy leave, the individual will provide appropriate medical documentation releasing the employee to return to work, as is required for any individual who has been on leave for a temporary physical disability.
LEGAL HOLIDAYS
The following days are hereby declared legal holidays for all the City departments, provided that the provisions of this section shall not apply to members of the Fire Department whose duties are to prevent or extinguish fires, or to members of the Police Department whose duties are those of law enforcement: (Amended 10/03/95)
1. First day of January (New Year's Day)
2. Third Monday in January (Martin Luther King Holiday)
3. Thirty-first day in March (Cesar Chavez Day)
4. Last Monday in May (Memorial Day)
5. June 19 (Juneteenth)
6. Fourth day of July (Independence Day)
7. First Monday in September (Labor Day)
8. Eleventh Day in November (Veteran's Day)
9. Fourth Thursday in November (Thanksgiving Day)
10. The Friday following the fourth Thursday in November (Day after Thanksgiving)
11. Twenty-fifth Day in December (Christmas Day)
12. Employee's Birthday
In addition to the above days, the following days are also declared to be legal holidays: 1. Any day designated as a holiday by City Council. 2. When any legal holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be considered a legal holiday. 3. When any legal holiday falls on a Sunday, the following business day shall be considered a legal holiday.
01
What is the highest level of education you have completed?

• High School Diploma or GED
• Associate's Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree or higher
• None of the above

02
How many years of experience working with institutional water treatment and filtration, or experience with aquaculture, marine mammal, or institutional aquarium Life Support systems?

• 3 - 4 years
• 5 - 10 years
• More than 10 years
• Less than 3 years

03
Do you have a valid USA driver's license? If so, what type of driver's license do you have?

• Texas Class A - CDL or equivalent from another state.
• Texas Class B - CDL or equivalent from another state.
• Texas Class C or equivalent from another state.
• No, I do not have a valid driver's license.

04
Describe your level of knowledge of water treatment, fluid dynamics, and process systems?

• No knowledge of water treatment, fluid dynamics and process systems.
• Some knowledge of water treatment, fluid dynamics and process systems
• Good knowledge of water treatment, fluid dynamics and process systems.
• Considerable knowledge of water treatment, fluid dynamics and process systems.

05
Describe your level of knowledge of maintenance and repair methods, techniques, and ability to disassemble, assemble, maintain, and install standard water equipment.

• No knowledge of maintenance and repair methods, techniques, and ability to disassemble, assemble, maintain, and install standard water equipment.
• Some knowledge of maintenance and repair methods, techniques, and ability to disassemble, assemble, maintain, and install standard water equipment.
• Good knowledge of maintenance and repair methods, techniques, and ability to disassemble, assemble, maintain, and install standard water equipment.
• Considerable knowledge of maintenance and repair methods, techniques, and ability to disassemble, assemble, maintain, and install standard water equipment.

06
Describe your level of knowledge of record-keeping, and documentation methods.

• No knowledge of record-keeping, and documentation methods.
• Some knowledge of record-keeping, and documentation methods.
• Good knowledge of record-keeping, and documentation methods.
• Considerable knowledge of record-keeping, and documentation methods

07
Describe your level of knowledge of math calculations for volumes and quantities.

• No knowledge of math calculations for volumes and quantities.
• Some knowledge of math calculations for volumes and quantities.
• Good knowledge of math calculations for volumes and quantities.
• Considerable knowledge of math calculations for volumes and quantities.

08
Select all of the following you have experience working with:

• Piping
• Valves
• Pumps
• Electrical Connections
• Filters
• None of the above

09
Briefly describe any experience and expertise you have in installing standard water equipment including piping, valves, pumps, electrical connections, and filters. If you do not have any enter N/A.
10
Required supplemental questions and answers are considered an examination component and will generate a score.

• I understand that my answers to the supplemental questions will generate a score.

11
I understand that I am being tested on a conditional basis pending a review of my minimum qualifications. Note: Only applications that pass the supplemental questions exam will be reviewed.

• I understand that I am being tested on a conditional basis pending review of my minimum qualifications.

12
Candidates will be evaluated based on the information provided on both the application and the completeness of the responses to the Supplemental Questions. Failure to fully detail all experience and job duties in the application, or copying/pasting directly from the job specification, or responses referring to your résumé will eliminate you from consideration for the position.

• I acknowledge I have read and understand the above information.

Required Question