Overview

UIC Municipal Services is based in Utqiagvik. Our mission is to help the North Slope Borough achieve their goals “to sustain and improve the quality of life for the North Slope Borough residents by providing a wide range of cost-effective and well-coordinated essential municipal services.” During their certification training, the USS Apprentice will be expected to work with a Utility System Specialist (USS) on the operation and maintenance of treatment, distribution, and collection systems.

The USS Apprentice will be under the direct supervision of the USS (Utility System Specialist). Work with a team of local operators to maintain operational and regulatory compliance status of local municipal water and sewer utility systems. The USS Apprentice will rotate in and out of each of the seven villages on North Slope, where populations range from 250 to 1000 residents. Work schedule will be 10 hours daily at a minimum, with longer days to meet repair and call out needs. Summer water pumping will be 12-hour days for approximately 3 calendar months. Rotation schedule will be 3 weeks on (23 days), 3 weeks off (19 days). $70 a day per diem is provided.

The USS Apprentice will be staying in provided local housing (no camp). Travel from/to Anchorage, AK or Fairbanks, AK to the villages is paid by the employer; all other travel expenses are the responsibility of the employee. The USS apprentice will report directly to the Field Operations Lead, or to the Project Manager when the Field Operations Lead is unavailable. Equipment preventative maintenance and repairs will be required, including directing or accomplishing the excavation and repair of buried pipes in arctic conditions and repair of individual residential and commercial service connections.

GENERAL SYSTEM DESCRIPTIONS:

Water Treatment:

1. Raw water intake
2. Bag/Micro/Nano filtration with chemical disinfection, backwash, and cleaning systems
3. Short water production season to store annual water supply

Water Distribution:

1. Water storage tanks with volumes totaling 3 to 10 million gallons in storage
2. Central water circulation plant with fire pumps, water monitoring systems, and chemical dosing
3. Direct-buried water circulation loops
4. Residential and commercial service connections

Wastewater Collection:

1. Direct-buried gravity or vacuum collection systems
2. Sewage holding tanks

Wastewater Treatment:

1. Extended aeration/activated sludge/MBBR waste treatment and sludge dewatering
2. Ocean, surface water, and sub-surface effluent discharge

Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Ensures Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation compliance of utility plants
2. Maintains a safe working environment and reports safety concerns to supervisor
3. May train, mentor, or direct and oversee local resident utility operators as needed or as requested
4. Daily reporting to central office by phone or email
5. Performs a variety of duties essential to the operation of a small water and wastewater treatment facility
6. Performs a variety of duties essential to the operations of water distribution and wastewater collection systems
7. Inspects, operates, monitors, and maintains a variety of facilities, equipment, and systems involved in various processes of a water and wastewater treatment plants
8. Monitors plant operation through visual observation and SCADA
9. Regulates flows
10. Performs chemical analysis and tests
11. Performs related duties to ensure the facility’s final finished water and effluent is of the best quality and compliant with regulatory requirements
12. Perform seasonal raw water pumping and treatment to meet anticipated water reserves
13. Maintains logs of plant operations – periodic checks on fire hydrants, fire pumps, generators, valves, etc.
14. Perform annual inspections of residential service barrel services
15. Daily completion of work order reporting – detailing incidents, repairs, and call outs conducted by all the W&S staff on all aspects of W&S infrastructure.
16. Supports the maintenance (preventive and corrective) of the utility plants and systems
17. Implement emergency protocols to protect the W&S systems, water reserves, and general public safety during W&S emergencies or system failures.
18. Coordination between W&S Operators and other local resources to identify, locate, isolate, and repair leaks in W&S systems within the expertise of the W&S Operators onsite.
19. Notify public of boil water notice or shut down of W&S services
20. Provide temporary water and sewer to individuals that experience interrupted services
21. Maintain and inventory parts and materials in the utility plants
22. Work with vendors on soliciting quotes for parts and supplies
23. Submit purchase requisitions and receiving reports on orders
24. Submit service requests to local municipality for non-water/sewer repairs to facilities and equipment
25. Coordinate water and sewer repairs with local village supervisor
26. Will act as the wastewater/sewer plant manager overseeing all water sewer related activities
27. Assume the lead operator's role in the absence of a local operator or as needed
28. Operation of heavy equipment, if pre-approved
29. Monitor assigned village cell phone
30. Subject to twenty-four (24) hour call outs and works varied shifts as assigned
31. This position has no supervisory responsibilities.
32. Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Essential Knowledge; Skills and Expertise:

1. Follow directions and respond to requests given by the USS, Training Administrator, and other Water and Sewer Project staff
2. Study the exam prep materials outside of normal work hours.
3. Coordinate with the Training Administrator and exam proctors to take the required exams while off rotation.
4. Take one exam while off work every six weeks.

Required Qualifications:

1. Ability to pass a respirator fit test
2. Valid driver's license
3. High school diploma or equivalent.