Plant Operator I Jobs

Department Number/Name: 0-0251-001 / Utilities
College Division: Administrative Services-Physical Plant
Salary Plan: Staff
Job Code/Title: 9960 / Plant Operator I
Hiring Salary/Salary Range: $56,699.90
Position Number: 00003375, 00003762
ORGANIZATIONAL SUMMARY:
USF's Office of Administrative Services (OAS) is made up of the dedicated people who keep our campus, the equivalent of a medium-sized city, moving forward. OAS is a service organization and believes that providing excellent customer service starts with an engaged workforce. To that end, we are dedicated to offering opportunities for professional development and growth, providing the job resources necessary for success, fostering open communication and feedback at all levels, and recognizing the achievements of our team members!
The Maintenance and Utilities Services Department provides maintenance and repair for campus facilities. This includes the maintenance and operation of utility systems, plants, and water and electrical distribution systems. The department also manages and monitors all internal utility meters and is responsible for building control systems and infrastructure equipment.
POSITION SUMMARY:
This position regulates the operation of plant machinery inclusive of chillers, boilers, pumps, VFDs, cooling towers, fans, air compressors, lift stations, chemical treatment systems, controls systems, and related machinery and equipment. Adapt at operating plant control systems to ensure that all operating variables and settings like temperatures, pressures, and flow rates provide for reliable and cost-effective chilled and hot water service production and distribution. Responsible for monitoring, inspecting and identifying complications with plant machinery and works to develop solutions to meet service requirements. The position manages plant outages, initiates emergency communication, and takes appropriate action to reduce safety hazards, limit property/environmental risk, and limit service outage scope. The position is skilled at performing minor scheduled and unscheduled maintenance and proficient in the use of precision instrumentation and techniques including vibration analysis, thermography, oil analysis, ultrasonic, RPM meters, and flow instrumentation to detect pre-failure anomalies and defects in operational plant machinery. Develops daily operational reports based on energy and machinery data. The position is responsible for maintaining safe and sanitary plant facilities. Participates in and assists in training of new team members. Plant Operators are essential personnel and during emergency situations, including those that dictate suspension of campus activities and services and/or closure of campus operations, employees deemed essential must remain at, or report to their campus, as soon as reasonably possible. Begin/complete Certified Boiler Training, Plant Operator Technical Training Level 1 curriculum.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Plant and Distribution System Operations:

• Operation of plant control systems and software including parameter changes, alarms, trending, and reporting.
• Maintains proper cooling and heating temperatures, pressures, and flow rates in the chilled water and hot water energy systems to support the proper operation of building systems.
• Participates in and assists in training of new team members.
• Supports plant operations during outages and emergencies and escalates communication protocols as warranted by the situation. Works with operation and maintenance staff to identify the nature of the problem and takes appropriate action to ensure safety and minimize property or equipment damage and minimize the disruption to customers.
• Regulates the operation of plant machinery inclusive of chillers, fans, pumps, motors, VFDs, piping leaks as a function of make-up water, deaerators, boilers, boiler feed water, air compressors lift stations and generators.

Predictive, Preventative Maintenance, and Corrective Maintenance:

• Makes minor repairs when necessary or develops work requests for maintenance teams.
• Perform routine maintenance, such as Chiller and heat exchanger tube brushing, inspecting drives, motors, or belts, checking fluid levels, replacing filters, or doing other preventive maintenance actions.
• The use of precision instrumentation and techniques including vibration analysis, thermography, oil analysis, ultrasonic, RPM meters, and flow instrumentation to detect pre failure anomalies.

Data Collection and Reporting

• Compiles routine plant readings and maintains production and consumption records.
• Receives, records and communicates information relevant to previous and following shifts.
• Prepares required reports on plant operations.

Performs other duties as assigned.
POSITION QUALIFICATIONS:
MINIMUM:
High School Diploma or equivalent and four years of appropriate experience.
PREFERRED:
High School Diploma or equivalent and four years of appropriate experience. Experience working with high pressure steam boilers and large electric chillers; Chemical treatment of cooling towers, boilers, hot/chilled water circulation systems.
SPECIAL SKILLS/TRAINING:
Competent, responsive, helpful, and self-starting team player with the ability to learn and develop new skills. Compliance with operational policies and safe work practices. This position requires mechanical aptitude. Reading and analyzing prints, schematics, and trending data. Knowledgeable in diagnosing plant industrial machinery systems malfunctions and failures. Knowledge of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC). Knowledge of electronic instrumentation operation and measurement instruments. Performing electrical and mechanical risk assessments. Verbal communication skills. Written communication skills. Pursuit of knowledge and training on evolving practices or technology. Research skills. Verbal communication skills. Written communication skills.