Communications & Control Technician (Electronic Technician)

DIVISION: Operations

DEPARTMENT: Field Operations, Operations Support, Metering & Monitoring, DI

UNION/GRADE: Unit 2/Grade 18

BASIC PURPOSE:

Participates in the development, installation and maintenance of the Authority's Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. Required to be on-call for emergencies 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:

Works under the general supervision of the Senior SCADA Technician or Unit Supervisor.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

Exercises close supervision of technicians and support staff.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assists with the development, installation, enhancement and maintenance of the control and monitoring system.
• Installs, repairs and services direct to line, time division multiplex digital channel banks, CSU/DSU high-speed data modems and other data communications equipment.
• Works with the phone company and other vendors to achieve data line installations and repairs.
• Performs precision calibration and maintenance on primary instrumentation devices utilized for the control and operation of SCADA controlled and monitored water and wastewater facilities.
• Installs, repairs and services UHF, point to multipoint multiple addresses, and spread spectrum data radios along with analog/digital microwave systems in the 2, 6, 10, 11 and 23 Ghz bands as directed.
• Installs, repairs and services microwave towers, antennas, transmission lines and dehydrator units as directed.
• Works with Human Machine Interface screens, SCADA PCs, network equipment, programmable logic controllers and remote terminal units as directed.
• Performs preliminary path studies of proposed microwave links as well as frequency interference and intermodulation studies at microwave/radio sites.

SECONDARY DUTIES:

• Performs related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and Experience:

• An Associate's Degree in Electronic Engineering, an electronics technician certification (community college or trade school), or an ISA Control Systems Technician Certification; and
• One (1) year experience maintaining and servicing computer controlled programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and/or other types of automated process control; and
• Experience in the calibration, repair and maintenance of instrumentation and data communication equipment required; or
• Any equivalent combination of education or experience.

Necessary Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to troubleshoot to the board level utilizing a variety of electronic test equipment as well as computer driven diagnostics is required.
• Ability to install, align and service microwave towers, dish, yagi and Omni directional antennas in excess of 100 feet above ground level required.
• Familiarity with windows-based HMI application software is desired.
• Familiarity with Auto-CAD, or other equivalent CAD design program is desired.
• Familiarity with computer aided microwave terrain analysis engineering program.
• Working knowledge of Windows Operating Systems.
• Strong initiative/work ethic and excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills required.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

Valid Massachusetts Class D motor vehicle license.

FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License (or ability to obtain license within six months.)

Pass Confined Space Entry Training within six months.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED:

Electronic test equipment, PLC's climbing and fall retrieval equipment, personal computer including word processing and other software, hand tools, mobile radios and copy and fax machines.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools or controls and reach with hands and arms. The employee is regularly required to walk, sit, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee occasionally works in outside weather conditions. The employee frequently works near moving mechanical parts and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions and vibration. The employee occasionally works in high, precarious places and is occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals and risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud in field settings and moderately quiet in office settings.

Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, sex or gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or veteran status.