Senior Instrument and Control Technician
City of Santa Clara Santa Clara, California, United States
- Location: Santa Clara, California, United States
- Categories: Public Works, Water and Wastewater Treatment
- Job Type: Full Time
- Posted: Apr 10, 2025
Job Description:
Senior Instrument and Control Technician
Description
DescriptionThe Department:
Silicon Valley Power (SVP) currently provides over 700 Megawatts of power to residential and business customers within Santa Clara, of which 40 percent of comes from carbon-free renewable resources. In addition to using green energy from large-scale wind, solar, geothermal and hydroelectric projects outside of the area, SVP employs innovative ways to locally produce electricity by operating Thermal Generation facilities utilizing Simple Cycle, Combined Cycle, and Cogeneration technologies. It is the mission of SVP to be a progressive, service-oriented utility, offering reliable, competitively priced services for the benefit of Santa Clara and its customers. Being competitive in the marketplace with a continuous focus on customer service, SVP can provide economic value to the City of Santa Clara and its customers while maintaining low residential rates and offering competitive rates for all customers.
The Position:
Silicon Valley Power (SVP), the Electric Department of the City of Santa Clara, is seeking an experienced Senior Instrument and Controls Technician.
The Senior Instrument and Control Technician is a senior level technical classification. The Position has a key role in the optimization of the Preventative Maintenance program and the development of SVP’s Maintenance philosophy. This classification performs maintenance and repair on all instruments, control systems, and electrical equipment in the City's power generation facilities. The incumbent inspects, repairs, tests, adjusts, installs, and removes all power plant electrical, DCS/control, and instrumentation systems and equipment including:
- Monitors, maintain, and repairs gas turbine, steam turbine control systems, generators, transformers, and switchgear.
- Maintains, calibrates and repairs plant electrical, instrumentation, and control systems.
- Performs routine and advanced trouble shooting activities
- Maintains logs, manuals, records, drawings, schematics and operating procedures in a neat and professional manner.
- Provides written reports on control system conditions when required.
The Sr. I&C Tech. is a leadership position and is expected to incorporate safe behavior into all activities. The Position consistently complies with all established safety and health policies and procedures, and helps to identify and eliminate or actively manage risks in all work activities.
Additional Information:
Applications must be filled out completely (e.g. do not write “see resume, NA, or personnel file.”). To receive consideration for the screening process, candidates must submit a 1) Cover Letter and, 2) Resume. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Application packets may be submitted online through the “Apply Now” feature on the job announcement at www.santaclaraca.gov . Applications must be submitted by the filing deadline of May 9, 2024, at 4:00 PM. The first round of application reviews will be on April 25, 2025. If you are interested in applying you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, before the position is closed.
THIS RECRUITMENT MAY BE USED TO FILL MULTIPLE POSITIONS IN THIS, OR OTHER DIVISIONS OR DEPARTMENTS BESIDES THE POSITIONS LISTED BELOW. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN EMPLOYMENT IN THIS CLASSIFICATION, YOU SHOULD APPLY TO ENSURE YOU ARE CONSIDERED FOR ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY UTILIZE THE APPLICANTS FROM THIS RECRUITMENT. MEETING THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS DOES NOT GUARANTEE ADMITTANCE INTO THE EXAMINATION PROCESS. ONLY THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATES WHO DEMONSTRATE THE BEST COMBINATION OF QUALIFICATIONS IN RELATION TO THE REQUIREMENTS AND DUTIES OF THE POSITION WILL BE INVITED TO TEST OR INTERVIEW.
The annual salary range for this position is $187,857.48 - $240,516.72. This position may be filled at or near the minimum of the salary range.
Minimum Qualifications
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
One of the following education requirements:
- Education equivalent to graduation from high school and
- Four (4) years of electric generation operation and maintenance experience in a medium sized electric generation power plant or the equivalent is required, two (2) years of which must have been at above the entry-level
- Two (2) additional years of electric generation operation and maintenance experience with an electric generation power plant or the equivalent is highly desirable.
- Three (3) years of operations and maintenance level experience above the entry level with work assignments in the City of Santa Clara combined cycle generation facilities may substitute for the above experience requirements.
License/Certifications :
Possession of a valid California driver's license is required.
Possession of the following certificates are required within one year of appointment for the duration of the appointment:
- Department of Transportation (DOT) Qualified Operator for Natural Gas Pipeline;
- Department of Transportation (DOT) Qualified Operator for Natural Gas Compressor Station;
- Department of Transportation (DOT) Drug Testing Program for Natural Gas Pipeline and Compression Station Operator;
- Qualified to wear a respirator;
- Qualified electrical worker, who is qualified to do switching, required within two years of appointment and for the duration of the appointment; and
- Incumbents shall be required to obtain and maintain any other licenses(s) and or certification(s) that may be required by future regulation by Federal, State and/or industry requirements.
Physical Requirements:
- Incumbents may be assigned to work on a rotating shift schedule. Incumbents must have the ability to work, as assigned, to schedules that may include Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and non-traditional work hours; and a willingness to work overtime as required.
- Employees are required to pass initial and periodic comprehensive background checks, which may include fingerprinting, to meet Federal, State and/or industry security requirements. Incumbents hired before 6/16/04 are grandfathered from the initial background requirement.
- Must be able to identify color and materials normally used in the electric trade.
- Must be able to lift twenty (20) pounds in awkward positions and fifty (50) pounds from the floor to the waist.
- Must be able to bend, stoop, crawl, lift, reach, walk up and down stairs, and climb ladders at elevations of eighty (80) feet or more as necessary to perform assigned duties.
- Must be able to wear respirator and any other appropriate safety equipment.
Other Requirements:
Must be able to perform the essential functions of the job assignment
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Incumbents in this position are required to file a Conflict of Interest statement upon assuming office, annually and upon leaving office, in accordance with City Manager Directive 100.
Follow this link to view the entire Class Specification, which includes more information on Typical Duties and Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.
Candidates must attain a passing score on each phase of the examination process to qualify for the Eligible List. A department interview may be required prior to appointment.
Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of Santa Clara will not sponsor, represent, or sign documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.
PERMANENT CITY EMPLOYEES PREFERENCE POINTS: Current permanent employee candidates who receive a passing score on the examination will have an additional five (5) points added to their final score.
The City of Santa Clara is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of Santa Clara is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at (408) 615-2080 or HumanResources@santaclaraca.gov .
City of Santa Clara Benefit Summary Overview for Bargaining Unit #3
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local #1245 (IBEW)
This summary provides a brief overview of the City of Santa Clara’s benefits available to Bargaining Unit #3 employees in 2025. In the event of any conflict between the information in this summary and the applicable official plan documents, City Manager’s Directives (CMDs), Personnel and Salary Resolution, or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the applicable official plan documents, CMDs, Personnel and Salary Resolution, or MOU will prevail over this summary. Benefits are subject to change.
Retirement:
- Membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS)
- Classic Employees: 2.7% @ age 55 formula - employee pays 8.00% of gross pay, minus $61 bi- weekly
- New Employees: 2.0% @ age 62 formula - employee pays 7.00% of gross pay
- Medicare and Social Security (FICA)
- Employee pays 6.20% up to $10,918.20 (Social Security) and 1.45% (Medicare) of gross pay
- City contribution up to $2893.54/month, based on enrollment in a CalPERS health plan
- Employees electing health coverage with premiums above the City health contribution will pay additional premium costs from salary on a pre-tax basis
- If an employee enrolls in an employee only plan with a premium that is less than the Kaiser (Region 1) plan for Employee Only, they will be paid the difference in cash
- If an employee enrolls in an employee plus one plan with a premium that is less than the Kaiser (Region 1) plan for Employee + 1 Dependent, they will be paid the difference in cash
- If an employee enrolls in a family plan with a premium that is less than the Kaiser (Region 1) plan for Employee + 2 or More Dependents, they will be paid the difference in cash
- Coverage is effective as early as the first day of the month after date of hire
- Choice of two Delta Dental plans; enrollment is mandatory
- City pays lowest cost employee only plan; additional cost is paid by employee
- Coverage is effective as early as the first day of the month after date of hire
- Choice of two VSP plans
- City pays lowest cost employee only plan; additional cost is paid by employee
- Coverage is effective as early as the first day of the month after date of hire
- City contributes $100.00 a month toward employee’s VEBA account
- Account funds may be used to pay for qualified medical expenses after separation from the City and after age 50 (pre-tax)
- City pays for $25,000 of Basic Life Insurance coverage
- Coverage is effective the first of the month after one calendar month of employment
- Additional optional insurance may be purchased by the employee for the employee, spouse, domestic partner, and/or dependent children
State Disability Insurance (SDI):
- Employee pays 1.2% of gross pay (includes Paid Family Leave)
- 7 day waiting period. Weekly paid leave for absences due to non-work related injuries/illnesses. Benefit is based on past earnings. Refer to edd.ca.gov for more information
- Up to 8 weeks of benefits within a 12-month period to care for a family member or to bond with a new child
- No waiting period. Weekly paid leave benefit. Benefit is based on past earnings. Refer to edd.ca.gov for more information
- Voluntary plan through Nationwide Retirement Solutions
- Employee may contribute up to the lesser of the IRS maximum or 100% of gross compensation into a pre-tax 457(b) account or a post-tax Roth 457(b) account (or a combination of the two accounts) subject to IRS rules
- Employee may contribute up to $3,300 per year in pre-tax dollars to a health care spending account
- Employee may contribute up to $5,000 per year in pre-tax dollars to a dependent care spending account
- Employee may contribute up to $325 per month in pre-tax dollars to a commuter benefit plan
- Vacation is accrued bi-weekly, cannot use vacation during first 6 months of City service
- For 1 - 4 years of service: 10 days (80 hours)/year
- For 5 - 9 years of service: 15 days (120 hours)/year
- For 10 - 15 years of service: 20 days (160 hours)/year
- For 16 - 20 years of service: 22 days (176 hours)/year
- For 21+ years of service: 24 days (192 hours)/year
- Maximum vacation accrual is 400 hours
- Once per year, employees can elect to convert up to 40 hours of accrued vacation to cash to be paid out the following calendar year
- Sick leave is accrued bi-weekly for equivalent of 96 hours per calendar year with no maximum accrual
- Up to 48 hours/year of accumulated sick leave may be used for family illness
- Up to 32 hours/year of accumulated sick leave may be used for personal leave
- Employee may convert sick leave to vacation once per calendar year (annual maximum conversion is 96 hours sick to 48 hours vacation)
- Partial sick leave payoff provision on retirement depending on years of service
- Employees may accrue CTO in lieu of overtime hours up to a maximum of 240 hours
- 16 hours of PCTO is credited to employees each January 1st (prorated if hired after January 1st)
- Fourteen (14) paid eight-hour holidays per year (including Lincoln’s Birthday)
- Reimbursement up to $280/fiscal year for eligible classifications (per MOU)
- 5% night differential is available for Electric and Water System Operators and staff at the DVR Power Plant, depending on shift, assignment, and/or other requirements
- Up to $2,000 per fiscal year for tuition reimbursement
Employee Assistance Program:
- Confidential counseling to employees and dependents. Up to maximum of five (5) consultations per family member per incident per year
- City paid benefit
- Employees who retire from the City with at least ten (10) years of service shall receive reimbursement to help cover retiree single health insurance premiums. The reimbursement maximum includes the PEMHCA minimum.
- Up to age 65, retirees are eligible for reimbursement up to $425/month in 2025 (amount adjusted annually)
- After age 65, retirees are eligible for reimbursement up to $254/month in 2025 (amount adjusted annually)
Closing Date/Time: 5/9/2025 4:00 PM Pacific