Utility Plant Specialist - Mechanical

Utility Plant Specialist - Mechanical

Salary

$45,302.40 - $75,462.40 Annually

Location

3920 Douglasdale Road, Richmond, VA

Job Type

Full-Time Permanent

Job Number

35M00000294

Department

Public Utilities

Opening Date

05/27/2026

Closing Date

6/10/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Are you Richmond R.E.A.D.Y? Respect. Equity. Accountability. Diversity…YOU!!!

This is an EXCITING time to Join the City of Richmond! We are committed to nurturing talent, fostering growth opportunities, and building strong connections within our workforce. As we continue to make strides to becoming the employer of choice, we are thrilled about the below employee benefit enhancements:

• Virginia Retirement System (VRS)
• Language Incentive
• Referral Bonus
• Tuition Assistance Program

Description

The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities seeks two qualified candidates to fill the Utility Plant Specialist - Mechanical positions in the Water Purification Plant Division.

Duties include but are not limited to

• Performing maintenance and repair to various types of mechanical equipment and plumbing;
• Assisting maintenance personnel in other classifications, such as plumbers and electricians, in performing their duties;
• Operating welder, drill, saw, grinder and other power equipment as necessary in performance of tasks;
• Performing installations and repairs of AC compressors, fan motors, valves and pumps;
• Determining repairs necessary on faulty equipment and makes repairs when necessary or notifies proper maintenance personnel to handle repairs;
• Maintaining log of work orders;
• Performing snow and ice removal.

This is an essential position, which requires the selected candidate to report to work for emergency and on call duty in response to inclement weather/natural disaster.

The selected candidate will be required to work 24 hour on call, weekend and holiday call duty as scheduled.

Qualifications, Special Certifications and Licenses

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

• High School Diploma or GED
• No experience required
• Advancement through the broadband depends in part on additional experience (Zone II, minimum of 12 additional months of experience; Zone III, minimum of 18 additional months of experience; and Zone IV minimum of 36 additional months of experience
• An equivalent combination of training and experience (as approved by the department) may be used to meet the minimum qualifications of the classification

LICENSING, CERTIFICATIONS, and OTHER SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Requires a valid Commonwealth of Virginia Drivers License with a satisfactory driving record or must obtain a valid Commonwealth of Virginia Drivers License within 30 days of hire.
• Zone II requires all the above plus Forklift certification OR the ability to obtain Forklift certification within 90 days of hire, and has ability to obtain a class B commercial driver's license (CDL) within 12 months of hire.
• Zone III requires all the above plus VA Contractor Board Journeyman license.
• Zone IV requires all the above plus VA Contractor Board Master License.

PREFERRED TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

• A state Journeyman trade certification in mechanical field is preferred (i.e. HVAC, Plumbing, Backflow, Welding, and etc.);
• Two (2) years of experience in a related field;
• Working experience rebuilding centrifugal water pumps;
• Experience working with chemical feed hose pumps;
• Experience working in maintenance;
• Experience working with hand tools and power tools;
• Experience in record keeping of mechanical equipment;
• Ability to work in confined spaces;
• Must be capable of wearing a full face respirator and capable of passing a breathing test as well as being able to work around chemicals such as ammonia, alum, hypochlorite, lime and polymer used in water treatment;
• Valid Drivers License is required;
• Class B or higher CDL is a plus.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

TYPICAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: These are a representative sample; position assignments may vary.

Knowledge (some combination of the following):

• Conduit bending and installation
• Electric motor/wiring Megger testing
• National Electrical Code
• NFP 70E and Arc Flash Hazards
• Principals of boiler maintenance and operations
• Principles of HVAC
• Centrifuges
• Chemical metering
• Electrical and mechanical equipment used at a utility plant (e.g. water purification, pumping, and wastewater equipment)
• CMMS automated system
• Utility plant operations
• Safety practices and principles

Skills (some combination of the following):

• Troubleshooting electrical circuits
• Updating, repairing, and replacing plant lighting systems
• Maintaining and repairing electrical systems ranging from 120 volts to 4160 high voltage
• Disassembling pumps
• Carpentry and plumbing
• Reading and understanding drawings, blueprints, and maps
• Using and operating various equipment safety and correctly
• Using chemicals properly
• Working with vendors

Abilities (some combination of the following):

• Operate equipment such as bucket trucks and forklifts
• Operate back-flow testing equipment
• Operate plumbing equipment such as sewer snakes and drain cleaners
• Operate power washers, chain saws, lawn mowers, weed eaters, and pruners
• Operate cranes and other equipment for hoisting and pulling equipment
• Operate equipment for laser alignment of pumps and motors
• Operate and use basic hand and power tools
• Operate drill press
• Operate torches
• Operate refrigerant equipment such as gauges, recovery machines, leak detectors, and scales
• Operate electrical and electro-mechanical equipment
• Problem solve and troubleshoot

Americans with Disabilities Act Requirements

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS: Working conditions may include exposure to travel to other locations within the City of Richmond as well as outside of the City of Richmond; exposure to hazardous physical conditions such as mechanical parts, electrical currents, vibrations, etc.; atmospheric conditions such as fumes, odors, dusts, gases, and poor ventilation; inadequate lighting; intense noise; and environmental hazards such as disruptive people, imminent danger, and a threatening environment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT: Due to the nature of work assignments, incumbents must be able to perform detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks, with frequent interruptions and under time constraint. The essential duties of this classification may require the ability to regularly talk, hear, see, and perform repetitive motions; frequently climb, balance, kneel, crouch, reach, stand, walk, push, pull, lift; and occasionally stoop, crawl, finger, grasp, and feel. The working conditions may include environmental hazards. In terms of the physical strength to perform the essential duties, this classification is considered to be heavy work, exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and up to 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The City of Richmond provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

The City of Richmond is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, the City of Richmond will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodations. If you require reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to participate in the job application and/or the interview process, please contact Jessica McKenzie, Human Resources Manager by email at Jessica.McKenzie@RVA.GOV.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

The City of Richmond Values Veterans. We are an official V3 Certified Company.

The City of Richmond is a proud partner with the US Army Partnership for Your Success PaYS Program.

With over 4,000 employees, the City of Richmond is an "Employer of Choice" among cities throughout the nation. The City strives to hire and retain employees who bring dedication and talent to the workforce. Offering a competitive, cost effective, and quality benefits package is one element of an "Employer of Choice".

The City offers a full range of benefit programs from initial hire through retirement. Please visit our Web site for details.

01

10-point compensable veteran. You must have an existing compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more. Other 10-point veteran include disabled veteran or a veteran who was awarded the Purple Heart for wound or injuries received in action, veterans widow or widower who has not remarried, wife or husband of a veteran who has a service-connected disability, widowed, divorced or separated mother of an ex-service son or daughter who died in action, or who is totally and permanently disabled. Do any of these apply?

• Yes
• No

02

5-point veterans must have been discharged under honorable conditions and had one of the following: Active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States, in a war, or during the period 4/28/52-7/1/55 or active duty for more than 180 consecutive days other than for training, any part of which occurred during the period beginning 2/1/55 and 10/14/76 or active duty during the Gulf War sometime between 8/2/90 - 1/2/92 or active duty in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized or active duty for which more than 180 consecutive days other than for training, any part of which occurred during the period beginning 9/11/2001 and ending on the date prescribed by the Presidential proclamation or by the law as the last date of operation Iraqi Freedom. Do any of these apply?

• Yes
• No

03

Which best describes your highest level of education?

• High school diploma/GED
• Some college
• Associates degree
• Bachelors degree
• Masters degree or higher
• None of the above

04

Employees in this job classification are designated as Essential Personnel and must be available to report to work during inclement weather, disasters and other emergencies. Are you willing and available to report to work during these conditions?

• Yes
• No

05

Do you have a valid Virginia drivers license, or can you obtain one within 30 days?

• Yes
• No

06

Do you have a current and valid commercial driver license or the ability to obtain one within twelve (12) months of hire?

• Yes
• No

07

Are you willing to work an on-call/weekend/holiday schedule?

• Yes
• No

08

Do you have a state certified tradesmen license in Mechanical field? If yes, select all that apply.

• Plumbing
• HVAC
• Welding & Fabrication
• None of the above

09

Which best describes your years of experience working in maintenance?

• Less than two (2) years of experience
• Two (2) to five (5) years of experience
• Five (5) or more years of experience

10

Which best describes your years of experience working with industrial mechanical equipment?

• Less than two (2) years of experience
• Two (2) to five (5) years of experience
• Five (5) or more years of experience

11

Which best describes your years of experience you have rebuilding centrifugal water pumps?

• Less than two (2) years of experience
• Two (2) to five (5) years of experience
• Five (5) or more years of experience

12

Which best describes your years of experience working in record keeping of mechanical equipment?

• Less than two (2) years of experience
• Two (2) to five (5) years of experience
• Five (5) or more years of experience

13

Have you worked in confined spaces before?

• Yes
• No

14

Can you pass a breathing test performed in order to determine if you can wear a full face respirator?

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer City of Richmond

Address 900 East Broad Street

Suite

Richmond, Virginia, 23219

Phone (804) 646-5660

804-646-5660

Website https://www.rva.gov/