Operations Specialist, Level 1-4 (Bloomfield, NM)

Kinder Morgan • Bloomfield, NM

2d

About The Position

The Operations Specialist is responsible for installing, operating, and maintaining natural gas pipelines, compression stations, and related field operations. The role includes maintaining pipeline and facility equipment, supporting maintenance and construction work, conducting inspections and regulatory compliance activities, troubleshooting mechanical issues, and completing required records and documentation. The position also supports project planning, budgeting, safe operations, and communication with internal and external stakeholders.

The role requires working indoors and outdoors in varied weather and temperatures, sometimes in areas with high noise or low lighting. Travel may be required depending on location and workload. The employee must live within a reasonable response time—30 miles from Bloomfield, NM—and may need to carry a company-provided communication device for responses during working and non-working hours. Physical activities include lifting and carrying, pushing and pulling, reaching, squatting, kneeling, climbing, frequent confined-space entry, and working from elevated platforms, ladders, and walkways. The employee must follow applicable PPE guidelines, including wearing full FRC.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Strong mechanical skills.
• Proficiency using various hand tools.
• Familiarity and experience diagnosing mechanical issues.
• Ability to read and interpret blueprints, P&IDs, and other diagrams.
• Valid driver's license that meets company insurability requirements, to be maintained.
• Ability to achieve and maintain operator qualifications and obtain certifications as required for specific duties.
• Strong focus on completing assigned work safely and without accidents.
• Basic computer skills, including knowledge of MS Office and various operating systems, and ability to learn company software.
• Basic math skills, including arithmetic, fractions, and decimals.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong customer focus.
• Ability to work with a team, take direction from supervisors, keep required work schedules, attend to details, and follow work rules.
• Ability to organize, plan, prioritize, document, and complete work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external customers.
• Ability to demonstrate performance toward operational excellence.
• Ability to drive and work in all weather conditions, including extreme heat and cold.
• Ability to live within a reasonable response time of the reporting location, specified as 30 miles from Bloomfield, NM.
• Ability to consistently lift at least 20 pounds, sometimes in awkward positions, and sometimes lift from floor to waist and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Physical ability to lift and carry, push or pull, reach, squat, kneel, climb ladders or stairs, enter confined spaces, and work from elevated platforms, ladders, and walkways.
• Physical dexterity, hand and grip strength, depth perception, and other physical attributes needed to perform the job safely.
• Ability to use hand tools and equipment and perform repetitive hand movements involving grasping and twisting.
• Ability to frequently enter confined spaces and periodically work in low-lit areas, high-noise areas, and extreme temperatures, including inside compressor buildings.
• Ability to follow applicable PPE guidelines, including wearing full FRC.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with gas compressor stations and pipeline operations.
• Experience troubleshooting equipment and determining process failures.
• Experience with maintenance-tracking database activities.
• Knowledge of safe handling practices for flammable gases, liquids, and high- and low-pressure systems.

Responsibilities

• Install, repair, service, and maintain valves, pipe, pipeline appurtenances, generators, air compressors, pumps, gas compressors, and engines, including reciprocating and turbine engines as applicable.
• Maintain the general upkeep, cleanliness, and condition of company facilities and equipment, including pipeline rights-of-way.
• Participate in planning equipment shutdowns, maintenance, and outages.
• Oversee third-party construction and maintenance activities, including monitoring 811 one-call tickets.
• Inspect work completed by third-party contractors and construction crews.
• Perform governmental compliance activities, including line patrols, road and railroad crossing inspections, and valve inspections.
• Collect monthly condensate samples at facilities and deliver them to a third-party laboratory for analysis.
• Determine root causes of mechanical issues and failures and ensure necessary repairs are completed.
• Perform minor electrical maintenance and troubleshooting.
• Start and stop operating equipment, such as compressor engines and pumps, within defined operating parameters.
• Participate in developing project scopes and work plans.
• Represent the company in contacts with landowners and tenants, public and emergency officials, and at local meetings.
• Identify and report unsafe conditions and address safety and environmental concerns.
• Provide information to assist with creating, planning, forecasting, and managing operations budgets.
• Maintain records of company expenses to assist with cash-flow management, cost monitoring, and control.
• Provide input into O&M procedures, project scopes of work, and work plans.
• Complete applicable documentation and record keeping.
• Perform work in compliance with company standards and procedures, regulatory requirements, and company tariff requirements.
• Communicate work activities to appropriate parties.
• Actively participate in safety programs and initiatives and maintain regard for personal, employee, public, and company-asset safety.
• Respond to call-outs and work overtime as necessary, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Operate and maintain equipment such as UTVs, ATVs, forklifts, skid steers, and snow plows.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage.
• Flexible and Health Spending Accounts.
• Life and Accidental Death and Disability Insurance.
• Supplemental Life and Accidental Death and Disability Insurance for employees and dependents.
• Retirement benefits, including a 401(k) with employer and employee contributions and a company-funded pension plan.
• Paid time off.
• Paid holidays.
• Flexible work schedule.
• Voluntary benefit plans.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED