Sr. Electrical and Controls Technician

Avantor•Bakersfield, CA

12d

About The Position

The Sr. Electrical and Controls Technician installs, troubleshoots, modifies, repairs, and maintains plant electrical and control systems and process equipment. The role includes installing equipment, conduit, and wiring; building industrial control panels; performing startup testing; and updating or generating electrical drawings for repairs, upgrades, and new equipment. The technician works from electrical drawings, P&IDs, blueprints, manuals, and verbal or written instructions, collaborating with engineers, mechanics, calibration technicians, and operators in daily plant operations and maintenance. The position covers systems ranging from low- to high-voltage single- and multi-phase power to low-voltage power, signal, and communications systems, including digital and Ethernet-based protocols. The technician evaluates mechanical systems when investigating faults, initiates purchase orders for parts, equipment, and contracted services, and coordinates equipment downtime with manufacturing schedules. Careful analysis is required when work could affect personnel safety, including equipment sensors, motion or process limits, and interlocks. The technician is expected to have full proficiency in at least two core skills, such as using electrical measurement and troubleshooting devices, applying electrical principles and safety procedures, working with hazardous-area wiring, selecting wire gauges, and running conduit or cable.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Typically five years of relevant experience; intermediate experience of five or more years.
Full proficiency in two or more core skills relevant to the work.
Increasing understanding of electrical laws and relationships, safety requirements and procedures, hazardous-area wiring and electrical requirements, wire gauge requirements, and conduit or cable running.

Nice To Haves

AS/AA degree in a related discipline.
Relevant professional certifications.
Increasing understanding and ability in electronics, computer and PLC programming, and CAD.

Responsibilities

Assist with installing new equipment, including conduit and wiring, building industrial equipment control panels, and performing startup testing.
Troubleshoot, install, and modify increasingly complex electrical and control systems.
Work with components including relays, programmable logic controllers, Ethernet networking equipment, temperature controllers, thermocouples, heaters, refrigeration units, variable frequency drives, motors, starters, contactors, potentiometers, timers, circuit protection devices, and pneumatic or electrically driven valves.
Work with low- to high-voltage single- and multi-phase power systems, low-voltage power and signal/communication systems, digital communication protocols, and Ethernet-based protocols.
Use drawings, P&IDs, blueprints, manuals, and verbal or written instructions to install, repair, replace, and maintain process equipment and electrical/control systems.
Update, modify, and generate electrical drawings for repairs, upgrades, or new equipment design and implementation.
Work closely with engineers, mechanics, calibration technicians, and operators on plant operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
Use familiarity with mechanical systems to help evaluate whether issues have electrical or other causes.
Initiate purchase orders for parts, equipment, and contracted services.
Analyze situations that could affect personnel safety, including sensors and equipment controlling or limiting motion, speed, temperature, or pressure, and equipment operating interlocks.
Schedule equipment downtime for repairs, upgrades, and installations in coordination with manufacturing schedules to minimize downtime.
Perform other duties as assigned.