High Voltage Technician

GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The HV Technician will provide electrical, high-voltage (HV), and substation emergency response to operating wind farms across the Company with a primary focus on an assigned region. You will lead the maintenance, service, and repair of HV assets in conjunction with other technicians and HV Reliability Engineers.
Main Accountabilities:
• Monitor and provide electrical, high-voltage, and substation support to operating wind farms in an assigned region, including 24/7 on-call support
• Perform testing, repairs, switching, and construction activities as requested
• Provide technical expertise for commissioning, start-up, and initial operating activities
• Maintain HV spare parts inventory and warehouse
• Perform HV switching of step-up transformers, feeder breakers, gang-operated switches, and other related components
• Operate heavy machineries such as bucket/line trucks, forklifts, aerial lifts, and overhead cranes
• Analyze and report on infrared inspections, battery maintenance, and dielectric oil and SF6 sampling
• Lead substation maintenance via Orders to Operate (OTOs) and outage planning
• Perform substation and transmission inspections in accordance with NERC compliance requirements
• Work closely with site Operations Managers to ensure day-to-day reliability
• Serve as the first responder for emergency and routine repairs on HV equipment, including transmission lines, HV cable terminations, and splices
• Provide remote HV support to the HV Reliability Engineers for complex troubleshooting, component testing, and proof checking
• Ensure adherence to all pertinent HV OSHA safety requirements
• Provide detailed written reports to management including root-cause analyses
• Maintain HV vehicle in ready-to-respond order
• Perform critical HV test equipment calibrations
• Additional duties as required
Direct reports: None
Travel: 30%+
Minimum qualifications:
• Continuing education in the electro-mechanical field
• 5+ years of relevant technical experience; experience in power generation or distribution preferred
• Necessary qualifications to operate HV equipment
• Strong knowledge of medium- and high-voltage substation electrical equipment, collection systems, transmission design, and operations; familiarity with power factor test sets, AC/DC hi-pots, low res ohm meters, and transformer turns ratio test units preferred
• Familiarity with electronic communication systems (SCADA)
• Familiarity with Order to Operate (OTO) and Lock-Out Tag-Out (LOTO) procedures
• Ability to operate a motor vehicle and possession of a valid driver’s license
Behavioral requirements:
• Strong problem-solving ability
• Ability to be self-motivated and work with minimal supervision
• Ability to multi-task in a complex, dynamic environment
• Ability to perform basic electrical mathematical calculations
• Ability to read and understand plans, specifications, drawings, and documents relating to engineering and construction, including one-line, three-line, and wiring diagrams
• Ability to work with other crews performing high-line maintenance and repair
• Familiarity with the operation of capacitor banks, transformer load tap changers, and motor-operated air breaks
• Willingness and ability to travel at least 30%
• Ability and willingness to respond to site emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, as needed
Physical Demands & Working Conditions:
• Sitting/Standing/Flexibility: Ability to frequently perform physical tasks including standing, sitting, walking, kneeling, bending, twisting, squatting, and reaching approximately 75% of the time while on wind farm sites. Ability to stand and sit for 8 or more hours when in an office environment.
• Walking: Ability to walk .25 to .5 miles per day, including across unpaved and rough surfaces when on wind farm sites
• Speech/Reading: Ability to speak, read, and write English proficiently and deliver a variety of instructions furnished in written, verbal, diagram, or scheduled form
• Lifting: Ability to frequently lift items weighing up to 60 pounds and to occasionally lift items weighing between 60 and 100 pounds
• Climbing:

• Ability to climb turbine towers in excess of 100 meters in height to access the work area
• Weight must be between 125 and 275 pounds, excluding equipment/gear worn when performing job related tasks, to be in accordance with the ANSI Fall Protection Standards.

• Vision/Hearing: Ability to interpret and follow a variety of instructions furnished in written, verbal, diagram, or schedule form
• Tolerance to Extreme Weather Conditions: Ability to work in adverse weather conditions 25% of the time while on wind farm sites
• Safety: Ability to understand and communicate safety precautions when necessary