Utility Plant Specialist - Mechanical

Utility Plant Specialist - Mechanical

Salary

$45,302.40 - $77,334.40 Annually

Location

City Hall, 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA

Job Type

Full-Time Regular

Job Number

35M00000736

Department

Public Utilities

Division

Water Utility

Opening Date

10/27/2026

Closing Date

11/10/2026 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 - Wastewater Utility is seeking a highly qualified Utility Plant Specialist with experience in the maintenance of industrial mechanical equipment.

This is an essential personnel position, which requires the selected candidate to report to work for emergency and on-call duty in response to inclement weather/natural disaster, disruption in water distribution system and other urgent events.

This position requires working 8-hour shift with overtime when necessary, including weekends and holidays, regularly.

Duties include but are not limited to

• Performing routine and specialized maintenance in one or more areas of specialization such as painting, carpentry, lock keying and replacement, tree trimming, traffic control systems, or welding;
• Performing routine and specialized maintenance in building/plant or grounds maintenance such as mowing, mulching, replacing ceiling tiles, repairing and installing faucets and bathroom fixtures, repairing and cleaning roofs and gutters, brick and concrete repair, fence repair, playground equipment repair, or small engine repair;
• Serving as lead worker over helpers, and other lower level staff; generating reports on a routine and recurring basis; maintaining records and files; attending staff meetings;
• Performing safety inspection of vehicles, safety inspections of equipment and work tools, safety and maintenance inspections of area of responsibility; ensuring helpers and staff under their lead follow safety procedures; and attending safety meetings;
• Ordering supplies and parts from vendors; overseeing and inspecting the work of contractors; and may interacts with citizens during the course of completing tasks;
• Performing assigned maintenance tasks and repairs;
• Troubleshooting and conducting preventive maintenance in areas of responsibility which includes but not limited to the wastewater plant and/or pumping stations;
• Responding to routine and emergency calls located in hazardous locations and working on gearboxes, conveyors and other relative wastewater treatment duties;
• Providing some Leadership/Training experience as needed.

Qualifications, Special Certifications and Licenses

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

• High School Diploma or GED;
• No experience required;
• Prefer two (2) years of experience in a related field:
• 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/or OTHER SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Requires a valid Commonwealth of Virginia Drivers License with a satisfactory driving record or must obtain a valid Commonwealth of Virginia Driver's 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;
• 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:

• At least two (2) years of pump repair experience;
• At least three (3) years of experience in Wastewater, Water or Industrial environment is a plus.
• HVAC and Boiler experience is a plus;
• A Commercial Drivers License (CDL) is preferred; But not required
• Mechanical experience is preferred

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 Veronica Kenner, by email at HR-ADA@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

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

• Yes
• No

04

Are you available to work rotating shifts which will include overtime, nights, weekends and holidays, as needed?

• Yes
• No

05

Do you have a valid Drivers License or ability to obtain a VA Drivers License within 30-days of hire?

• Yes
• No

06

Do you have a Class B or higher Commercial Drivers License?

• Yes
• No

07

If answered yes to the previous question, please indicate the license type and the date in which it expires.

08

Which answer best describes your highest level of education?

• High School/GED
• Some College
• Associate Degree
• Bachelors Degree
• Masters/Advanced Degree
• None of the above

09

Which best describe your years of experience working in Wastewater, Water, or industrial maintenance?

• No experience
• 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 Pump rebuilding experience?

• No experience,
• Less than two (2) years of experience
• Two (2) to five (5) years of experience
• Five (5) or more years of experience

11

Do you have experience using the Computerized Maintenance Management System?

• Yes
• No

12

This position works around sewage, sewer gases or being in contact with sewage. Are you able to work in this type of environment?

• 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/