APPRENTICE UTILITY TECHNICIAN

 

Tucson Water is the second largest water utility in Arizona, serving over 730,000 customers over a 390 square mile service area. Tucson Water is recognized internationally as a leader in water conservation, sustainability, and service. Our employees are proud stewards our community’s most precious natural resource, working to embody the utility’s motto of “Pride in Service.”

The Maintenance Division of the Tucson Water Department is looking for qualified individuals to provide multi-skilled apprentice level maintenance services of the associated assets of the Tucson Water System. The work performed is very demanding, physically labor intensive, and working in all weather conditions is required. This position is subject to weekend, after-hours, on-call, and shift assignment work. There are numerous vacancies to be filled. The tentative start date for successful candidates is June 12, 2023.

CITY WIDE BENEFITS

The City of Tucson offers a wide range of generous benefits for eligible employees. Some of those benefits include:

• Medical: Choice between a high deductible plan (HSA or HRA), or Network plan
• Dental: Choice between a national dental PPO and a local dental HMO
• Vision: Coverage for annual eye exam and glasses or contacts, plus LASIK
• Life: City-paid coverage for you & dependents, plus option to buy more
• Long-Term Disability: Income replacement of up to 60% of your base salary in the event of a qualifying disability
• Employee Assistance Program: Enhance your wellbeing when life doesn’t go as planned
• Flexible Spending: Pay for qualified health and dependent care expenses using pretax dollars
• Colonial Voluntary Benefits: Financial help in the event of cancer, hospitalization, accident, and more

 

Your Security and Future

• Pension: Generous pension plans that help both civilian and public safety employees retire more comfortably
• Deferred Compensation: Save more toward a comfortable retirement with a 457(b) plan
• Training & Tuition Assistance: Pursue your dream through internal training or financial help toward a degree
• Back-Up Care: Care for your loved ones when your regular care is unavailable

 

Your Peace of Mind

• Paid Parental Leave: Six (6) weeks paid leave when you welcome a child, plus other generous leave policies for FML, Medical and USERRA
• Paid Time Away: New hires enjoy 37 days of paid time off in the first year, with time increasing steadily thereafter (In year one: 13 accrued days of vacation, 13 accrued days of sick leave, and 11 paid holidays)
• Employee Discounts: Generous discounts, ranging from car rentals to computers, gifts to groceries, electronics to entertainment
• Social Connectedness: Forge connections with the community we serve through paid volunteerism and payroll-deducted charitable giving

Provides multi-skilled services for the operation and maintenance of the associated assets of the Tucson Water System.

The essential duties include but are not limited to:

• Maintains water systems by providing routine installation, monitoring, maintenance and emergency service on specific parts or systems related to all water systems and water treatment plant facilities and systems.
• Monitors and services water systems by investigating and locating repair sites, collecting appropriate data, testing water quality as situations demand, assisting in determining job priorities, installing or repairing system components and/or initiating or terminating service.
• Provides customer/citizen service by resolving water service problems, monitoring and recording water usage and providing emergency service on an as-needed basis.
• Participates in new construction and the excavation of buried assets by locating appropriate areas for digging, excavating trenches, determining the extent of repairs and installing new lines.
• Manages work requirements and inventory by determining equipment and supply needs, providing inventory services for parts and recommending replacements or purchases, confirming and implementing work orders and coordinating scheduling and supply needs with Planner Schedulers and Supervisors as appropriate.
• Provides maintenance and/or repairs by working on production facility equipment.
• Utilizes computers and computerized programs to retrieve work orders, input work completed, track/order materials and supplies, and enter timekeeping information.

Minimum Education Level & Type: High School Diploma or G.E.D.

Minimum Experience Qualifications: No experience

Valid and Unrestricted Class D -  Driver's License

The Utility Technician classification (Apprentice, Craft, and Journey levels) is a Skill-Based Pay Program (SBP) that focuses on employee attainment of specified skills deemed most integral to efficient completion of Tucson Water functions. 

The starting salary $15.38 per hour is inclusive of Skills A-01 through A-04 basic safety, computer skills, tool usage, and customer service.

A Grade 1 Water Distribution Certification (D1) from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), and Skills A-01 through A-04 are all required within 12 months of hire. Failure to obtain the ADEQ cert and Skills A-01 through A-04 will result in failure of probation and employment will be terminated effective immediately. 

The ADEQ certification must be maintained thereafter. Failure to maintain the ADEQ certification will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

The work performed is very demanding, physically labor intensive, and working in all weather conditions is required. It also involves after-hours and weekend work as needed. We have found that most of our successful candidates possess experience in one or more of the areas listed below.  One year of experience in the installation, maintenance, or repair of any of the following:

• Water distribution systems and components
• Sewer lines and components
• Gas pipelines and components
• Underground electrical lines
• One year experience installing or maintaining irrigation systems under the direction of a licensed contractor

**You are encouraged to print this bulletin because it contains important dates and information that will not be available online once this position closes.**

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be evaluated on the education and work experience in their employment profile and the responses to their supplemental questions. Applicants will then be invited to participate in a Written Examination. 

• Written Examination will be held April 4, 2023

Upon completion of all examination processes, the highest scoring applicants will be placed on the Civil Service Employment List.  An applicant's ranking on the Civil Service list will be based on their final score which will be calculated as:      

• 50% for the Written Examination 
• 45% for the Hands-On Practical Assessment 
• 5% for Education and Work Experience

This recruitment will establish a civil service list that will be utilized to fill vacancies occurring at Tucson Water within the next 6 months. Hiring interviews may be conducted post list and prior to final selections.

Communication during this process will be sent via email to the email address on file, so please ensure your browser accepts emails from jobs@tucsonaz.gov and check your email account regularly; this may include your junk box/spam filter.  Failure to respond or follow instructions may result in disqualification.

Basic Physical

Respirator Physical

75 lb Lift Test

To ensure accurate payroll information for tax purposes, the successful candidate will need to provide their original Social Security Card or original letter from the Social Security Administration with their social security number prior to beginning work with the City of Tucson.

The City of Tucson hires lawful workers only - US citizens or nationals and non-citizens with valid work authorization - without discrimination. Federal immigration laws require all employers to verify both the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States. In its efforts to meet the law's requirements, the City of Tucson participates in the E-Verify program established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to aid employers in verifying the eligibility of workers.

Retired City of Tucson employees receiving benefits from the Tucson Supplemental Retirement System who are considering reemployment with the City should be aware that pursuant to Section 22-37(g) of the Tucson City Code, retirement benefits shall be suspended during the period of reemployment with the City of Tucson unless you have been separated at least twelve consecutive months before returning to work AND you return to a non-permanent employment classification. Creditable service does not accrue during any reemployment period.