Plant Maintenance Technician I-IV

The City of Frederick • Frederick, MD

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Plant Maintenance Technician performs industrial plant maintenance at municipal water and sewer facilities for the City of Frederick. The role installs, maintains, troubleshoots, repairs, and upgrades electrical and mechanical process equipment and building support systems. The position is considered essential: the employee may be required to carry a cell phone while on standby and respond to emergencies throughout the Department of Public Works when directed. Duties and qualifications vary by career level (I–V), with advancement based on employee merit and initiative. The city provides Stationary Engineer exam preparation certification training and four-year online electrical trade school training through its career pathing program.

Across the levels, work includes preventive maintenance; equipment troubleshooting and repair; use of general skilled trades; boiler and pressure-vessel operation; and, at higher levels, maintenance of HVAC, electrical, instrumentation, control, and network systems. Senior technicians provide field guidance, supervision, and training. The job also involves maintaining maintenance records, locating and ordering parts, communicating with coworkers, officials, vendors, and the public, and operating a vehicle.

The position requires a high school diploma or GED. Experience requirements increase by level: Technician II requires one year of related experience or training; Technicians III–V require two years in industrial facility maintenance, including boilers and pressure vessels; and Technicians IV–V also require four years of electrical industrial-facility maintenance experience or comparable education and experience. Additional licenses and certifications apply by level, including a vehicle operator’s license, DOT medical certificate, electrician’s license, Maryland stationary engineer license, and EPA 608 certification. The employee must pass a respirator physical and fit test and maintain facial hair in compliance with federal requirements for wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus.

The work involves regular exposure to mechanical equipment, heights, confined spaces, outdoor weather, electrical hazards, vibration, wet or humid conditions, fumes, airborne particles, and potentially toxic or caustic chemicals. Occasional exposures include extreme temperatures, RF energy, and radiation. The role requires substantial mobility and physical activity, including climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, twisting, kneeling, crouching, and crawling; lifting up to 25 pounds regularly, up to 50 pounds frequently, and up to 100 pounds occasionally with assistance. Safety-toe boots are required.

Requirements

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED).
• Technician II: One year of related experience and/or training in facility maintenance or a related trade; a combination of relevant education, experience, and training may substitute.
• Technicians III–V: Two years of related experience and/or training in industrial facility maintenance, including boilers and pressure vessels; a combination of relevant education, experience, and training may substitute.
• Technicians IV–V: Four years of electrical industrial-facility maintenance experience involving low- and medium-voltage systems, or a combination of experience and education comparable to journeyman-level electrician experience.
• Vehicle operator’s license with a satisfactory driving record meeting the City’s insurance carrier’s insurability standards; must be maintained throughout employment.
• DOT Medical Examiner’s Certificate, or ability to obtain it within 30 days of employment; must be maintained throughout employment.
• Technicians I–III: Maryland State Board of Electricians Apprentice License, or ability to obtain it within 30 days of employment; must be maintained throughout employment.
• Technicians III–V: Grade 4 Maryland Stationary Engineer License, or ability to obtain it within two years of employment; must be maintained throughout employment.
• Technicians IV–V: EPA 608 Type I and Type II Technician certification, or ability to obtain it within two years of employment; must be maintained throughout employment.
• Technicians IV–V: Maryland State Board of Electricians Journeyman License, or ability to obtain it within six months of employment; must be maintained throughout employment.
• Ability to successfully complete training that may include confined-space training, CPR and first aid, and electrical safety.
• Technician I: Basic ability to use hand and power tools, understand equipment-maintenance hazards and safety precautions, and use computers in a Windows environment and learn software programs.
• Technician II: Intermediate ability to use hand and power tools, understand equipment-maintenance hazards and safety precautions, and use Windows-based computers and learn software programs.
• Technician III: General knowledge of equipment-maintenance practices, methods, tools, hazards, and safety precautions; working knowledge of administrative software and computers in a Windows environment; intermediate familiarity with facilities, processes, and equipment; advanced knowledge of fire-tube boilers and pressure vessels; and basic knowledge of HVAC and electrical systems, work practices, and safety.
• Technicians IV–V: Comprehensive knowledge of equipment-maintenance practices, methods, tools, hazards, and safety precautions; comprehensive knowledge of administrative software; complete familiarity with facilities, processes, and equipment; advanced knowledge of boilers and pressure vessels, HVAC systems, and electrical systems and associated safe work practices.
• Technician V: Advanced knowledge of instrumentation, including inspecting, testing, calibrating, and replacing instruments; process controllers and PLC troubleshooting, programming changes, and hardware repairs; network setup and troubleshooting, Ethernet, Modbus, ModbusTCP, and network hardware and cabling; and supervisory software configuration and use for process evaluation and troubleshooting.
• Ability to pass a respirator physical and fit test and maintain facial hair in compliance with federal requirements for wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus.
• Ability to wear safety-toe boots and meet the physical demands of the job, including work at heights and in confined spaces, climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, twisting, kneeling, crouching, crawling, and handling materials.
• Ability to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds regularly, up to 50 pounds frequently, and up to 100 pounds occasionally with assistance.
• Ability to communicate and understand spoken English, convey detailed instructions, perceive visual and auditory information, recognize problems, identify changes and differences, and coordinate multiple limbs while stationary, standing, or lying down.

Nice To Haves

• Completion of a four-year technical school in the electrical trade.

Responsibilities

• Perform routine preventive maintenance, including inspecting equipment condition and performance, adjusting clearances and tolerances, making adjustments, lubricating equipment, and replacing filters, belts, hoses, bearings, and other wearing parts.
• Assist other technicians with projects and repair work as needed.
• Respond to oral and written instructions and maintenance problem reports; maintain work records and logs.
• Record preventive maintenance, repairs, and labor and parts costs in written records and the applicable equipment database or Hansen Database.
• Locate repair parts, obtain pricing, enter purchase requisitions, and order parts.
• Maintain effective working relationships with City officials, coworkers, vendors, and the public; communicate professionally by telephone and in other interactions.
• Operate a vehicle regularly while observing legal and defensive driving practices.
• Troubleshoot mechanical equipment failures and make corrections or repairs, with the scope of work varying by technician level.
• Perform skilled-trade maintenance tasks, including plumbing, pipe fitting, welding, cutting, machining, HVAC, pneumatics, hydraulics, masonry, and carpentry.
• Fabricate, install, maintain, repair, and upgrade mechanical equipment and systems.
• Operate and maintain boilers and pressure vessels.
• Install, maintain, troubleshoot, repair, and upgrade HVAC systems and electrical equipment and systems, as permitted by the technician level and supervision requirements.
• Install, maintain, troubleshoot, repair, and upgrade instrumentation and control systems at higher technician levels.
• Verify that process-instrument calibration is within manufacturer-specified tolerances at Technician V level.
• Provide guidance and field supervision to lower-level technicians, train employees, and lead field work at Technician IV and V levels.
• Respond to emergencies when directed and carry a cell phone while on standby as required.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Stationary Engineer exam preparation certification training provided through the city’s career pathing program.
• Four-year online electrical trade school training provided through the city’s career pathing program.

What This Job Offers

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