Park Specialist - Electrical/Mechanical Systems

Supercharge your career! The City of Bellingham's Parks Department is recruiting for a Park Specialist Electrical/Mechanical Systems. The City provides the opportunity for a dynamic variety of work, from basic residential to complex commercial and industrial projects. All tools, trainings, and certifications are paid for by the City. Employees receive annual pay increases and stable work-life balance!

JOB SUMMARY:

Park Specialist Electrical/Mechanical Systems performs skilled duties associated with maintenance, repair, and operation of various electrical and mechanical systems. Plans and schedules preventative and corrective maintenance, troubleshoots problems, and repairs and performs installation of electrical, mechanical and electronic equipment, systems and facilities. Tracks and records maintenance needs; determines need for and orders required equipment, materials and supplies; provides technical direction and training to staff; and operates equipment as necessary to perform maintenance activities. Implements and maintains a computerized maintenance management system.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

This position will start at Step 1 ($30.96/hour). Employees receive step increases annually in accordance with the Guild of Pacific Northwest Employees, Local 1937 Collective Bargaining Agreement and City policy. The 2023 full hourly range for this position is $30.96 - $38.10. For internal candidates, placement within the range is based on City Pay Placement Procedures.

City of Bellingham employees receive medical, dental, and vision insurance as well as life insurance and long-term disability. Additional benefits include flexible spending accounts, a medical insurance opt-out program, and access to our employee assistance program. All eligible City employees are enrolled in a Washington State Department of Retirement Systems pension plan. Additionally, employees may elect to participate in the City's 457 deferred compensation retirement savings plan.

Employees will receive 12 paid holidays in addition to one paid floating holiday each year. Employees accrue 8 hours total of contract and state sick leave per month in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement and Washington State Law. At the time of hire, employees will accrue 7.33 hours of vacation per month. Vacation accruals increase based on years of service. Leave accruals are based on 1.0 FTE, accruals are pro-rated if part-time and require employee to be in paid status at least 120 hours/month.

For additional information regarding benefits and compensation Information please visit the following:

• Labor Agreements, Pay Schedules and E-Team Employee Handbook

• City of Bellingham (cob.org)

• Employment Benefits

• City of Bellingham (cob.org)

Closing Date/Time: July 8, 2024, 8:30 AM Pacific Time

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Works with supervisor to develop work programs and schedules for electrical/mechanical systems maintenance including electrical systems, LED lighting systems, HVAC systems, and electronic facility systems. Works with supervisor to establish performance standards for work activities.

• Implements and maintains a comprehensive preventative maintenance management system for the electrical, mechanical, and electronic equipment in City Park facilities.  Recommends modifications and updates of the maintenance management system to supervisor. Prepares and tracks maintenance records related to daily activities and tasks.

• Acts as lead worker in program area. Oversees and organizes day-to-day work; assigns, monitors, and prioritizes tasks of Park Technicians, Park Workers and seasonal employees as assigned. Provides training, technical guidance and feedback; ensures work methods comply with recognized City, state and national standards. May participate in the interview process for program appropriate staff. Provides input regarding employee performance to supervisor.

• Maintains inventory of electrical/mechanical systems assets.

• Installs and maintains electrical wires and equipment for all systems including lighting, heating, power, remote control signaling and communication circuits; includes fixtures such as: interior and exterior building lighting, parking lot lighting, sports field lighting, artwork lighting, electrical power distribution, sewer pump stations and controls, public address systems, timers and athletic field scoreboards. Secures permits and works closely with electrical contractors or consultants on capital projects or highly technical repairs to facilities, components, or systems.

• Performs programming of equipment and controllers including complex communications and computer-based lighting systems.

• Determines appropriate equipment and materials to complete work according to specifications, verbal instruction, and established procedures. As necessary, adapts equipment and materials to meet specific requirements of the job. Maintains contacts with other departments, vendors, and outside agencies to gather information regarding equipment, acquisition, and support services as needed. Assists contractors with system information and coordination of new system installations.

• Interprets and uses engineering drawings, plans, and other applicable specifications in the installation and maintenance of electrical, lighting and electronic systems.

• Determines supplies and materials necessary for repair stock and to complete specific repair and installation projects. Tracks and orders materials, equipment and supplies for program area, including price and product evaluation as well as bid packet specifications and evaluation.

• Assists in the development of program area budget including maintenance and project costing and tracking, costing and purchasing of equipment and materials and supplies including bid package formation, submittal and review.

• Operates aerial lift truck and other equipment as necessary including backhoe, front-end loader, auger and trencher.

ADDITIONAL WORK PERFORMED:

• Performs other duties within the scope of the classification.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT: Work is performed outdoors in all weather conditions and indoors at a computer workstation or in tight confined spaces as needed. The work is in a high-risk environment which requires special safety precautions, i.e., working around high voltage electrical equipment. Employees may be required to use protective clothing such as coveralls, rain gear, masks, boots, goggles, gloves, shields, or other equipment. The person in this position independently lifts and handles a variety of moderately heavy components and may be required to work weekends, holidays, or emergency shifts.

Physical ability to perform the essential functions of the job, including:

• Adequate hearing;

• Correctable vision suitable for working on small parts, distinguishing between color-coded electronic parts and operating and reading a computer terminal;

• Manual dexterity to work with small parts, operate a computer workstation and power equipment;

• Perform physical labor including operating heavy equipment, climbing, bending and working from ladders;

• Work from heights of up to 50 feet;

• Lift and carry objects weighing up to fifty (50) lbs. occasionally, and up to seventy (70) lbs. infrequently;

• Frequently communicate verbally;

• Move between work sites.

• High school diploma or equivalent (GED).

• Three years recent work experience in building trade area of electrical maintenance and repair. Successful completion of two years post-secondary education/training in the full range of electrical or mechanical systems can substitute for 2 years work experience.  Structured coursework may be completed through programs at military training centers, community college, technical or trade school, apprenticeship, or other City-approved institutions.

• Experience working in an industrial electrical maintenance setting preferred.

• Experience with equipment such as aerial lift truck, auger, trencher and front-end loader and backhoe preferred.

• One year maintenance supervisory or lead experience preferred.

• Experience working with a computer-based maintenance management system preferred.

• Valid Washington State driver's license at time of hire and good driving record. A three-year driving record abstract must be submitted at time of hire.

• Employment contingent upon passing a criminal convictions check, child and adult abuse records check and local background check (see Fair Hiring Practices below).

• Must obtain and maintain First Aid and CPR certification within six (6) months of employment.

• Ability to secure a flagging and traffic control card within one year of hire.

• Willingness and ability to respond to callouts for emergencies, or when special circumstances require.

You are encouraged to print a copy of this job announcement for your reference as the process moves along

Please ensure your application is complete and all required information has been provided. Standard completeness means all application fields (contact information, personal information, education, work experience, references, and required supplemental questions). The information provided in your application must support your selected answers in the supplemental questionnaire. Provide as much detail as you believe will fully describe your experience and training.

Application Review Process:

• Minimum Qualifications: Applicants must provide specific, detailed information so an initial determination can be made regarding your level of qualifications for this position. Applicant status will be updated on or around July 9, 2024.

• Experience and Training Rating: Applicants that meet minimum qualifications will go through an Experience and Training Rating. Relevancy of your experience and training, together with composition, grammar, spelling and punctuation will be considered when evaluating responses. Applicant status will be updated on or around July 17, 2024

• The top eight (8) scoring applicants from the Experience and Training Review will be invited to participate in an Oral Board Interview, tentatively scheduled for the week of July 28, 2024. Applicants must have a passing score of 60% or higher to be placed on the eligibility register.

• Applicants will be notified via email of Final Scores & Ranks. The final ranking of the register will be based on total scores for the following: Experience and Training Rating  (40%) and Oral Board Interview (60%).

If you wish to claim Veterans' Preference Points, please complete the Veterans Scoring Criteria Declaration Form and upload it to your application with your DD214.

Final candidates will be referred to the department for additional examination, assessment, or test.

This recruitment process will create a Civil Service eligibility register that will be used to fill current and future vacancies as they become available. There is currently 1 full-time vacancy in Parks. This position is represented by a union. 

Please Note: Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently, including your spam folders for messages filtered by your email providers.

Equal Opportunity:

Our environment is characterized by respect for cultural backgrounds, belief systems, and ethnic diversity. The City of Bellingham is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in its work force. We do not make decisions on the basis of an individual's race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40+), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. All are encouraged to apply for employment.

Fair Hiring Practices

• The City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment.

• The City will not inquire about an applicant's criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made.

• The City will disregard the prior arrest and conviction record of an otherwise qualified individual unless the offense is directly related to the job position for which the individual has applied.

• The City will notify an otherwise qualified applicant about a potentially disqualifying conviction and give the applicant an opportunity to submit information regarding the accuracy of the criminal records as well as evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as appropriate.