Maintenance Operator - Utilities

The Town of Cochrane is located in the breathtaking Bow Valley corridor in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in southern Alberta. With a population of over 30,000 people, and growing steadily every year, Cochrane is a thriving town, surrounded by world-famous ranch country. Our western heritage is reflected in the Town’s architecture and our friendly people. The Town of Cochrane welcomes innovative and skilled individuals to join our team of over 250 employees.

Did you know that 16 full-time staff work around the clock to make sure Cochrane’s water meets and/or exceeds provincial & federal requirements for drinking water? Additionally, they also operate and maintain Cochrane’s water distribution and wastewater collection systems.
 
We are looking to add a water distribution and wastewater collection system operator to our highly skilled Utilities team of hard-working and dedicated individuals. This individual will operate and maintain water and wastewater facilities, system networks, and equipment while adhering to industry best practices and occupational health and safety standards.
 
If you are an operator with certification in Water Distribution and Wastewater Collection, educated in water and wastewater sciences and/or technology, and have at least 1 year of experience in a Level II or higher facility, we want to hear from you!   
 
Please note: Alternate variations of applicable experience and education may be considered.  The successful candidate must be available to work during the day, evenings, weekends, while also rotating through an on-call schedule. Maximum response time while on-call must be within 30 minutes of Cochrane.  
 
Why should you consider working for us? 
Our community is going through a consistent period of growth and development. As our community continues to grow, our utility will grow, and with that, we will see an increase amount of opportunity and advancement within our Utility Operations department. In addition to career growth and development, our employees enjoy many perks including competitive public sector compensation, continuous career development, and the opportunity to work with other talented water and wastewater focused professionals in a progressive, forward-thinking, and inclusive environment.  
 
As an organization, Cochrane is focused on investing in people to develop highly skilled individuals and a strong, positive organizational culture. We make a point of celebrating our successes and learning from our mistakes. We don’t do boring, and we won’t stand still. We are growing into an organization with a focus on transparency, critical thinking, curiosity, reflection, and innovation. We support and encourage experimentation as part of the growth process and strive for excellence. As municipal employees we are accountable to all the residents and the community of Cochrane Alberta. Want to be a part of this exciting time? 
 
What are some of the duties of the Maintenance Operator, Utilities? 
•    Operates, monitors, and maintains the water distribution and wastewater collection system processes to meet or exceed the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines and Alberta Environment and Protected Areas quality standards. 
•    Operates, maintains, and monitors the water distribution system and all satellite distribution facilities, networks and related appurtenances while maintaining water quality throughout distribution system by monitoring online analyzers and collecting samples for routine in-house analysis, and independent 3rd party testing. Compiles, interprets, and verifies operating records. 
•    Operates, maintains, and monitors all satellite collection facilities, networks, and related appurtenances, while performing regular inspection and maintenance throughout the collection system, including wet well maintenance, sewer flushing, CCTV inspection, power auguring and sample collection for routine in-house analysis and independent 3rd party testing. Compiles and interprets operating records. 
•    Assists with leak detection and underground infrastructure repairs.  
•    Provides after-hours service, emergency assistance and on-call duties. 
•    Addresses customer concerns and complaints while promoting sanitary system best practices and water conservation.  
•    Operates and sustains mobile equipment necessary for the maintenance and repair of all piping and pumping facilities within the water and wastewater systems. 
•    Assists in the isolation and repair or replacement of water/sewer pipes, valves, connections, vaults, and hydrants. 
•    Participates in Construction Completion Certificate (CCC) and Final Acceptance Certificate (FAC) inspections of water and wastewater systems. 
•    Conducts Town infrastructure “locates” for Utility Safety Partners, through use of GIS and engineering drawings; provide feedback toward improvement of Cochrane GIS systems.  
•    Provides technical subject matter advice to internal/external stakeholders. 
 
Qualifications, Skills and Abilities  
 
Education and Experience: 
Required: 
•    High School Diploma or equivalent 
•    Minimum 1 year of experience in the operations of distribution and collection systems 
•    Mechanical aptitude and experience operating/maintaining equipment and tools 
•    Experience in the operation of Hydrovac and jet flushing 
•    Combination of education and experience may be considered 
Preferred: 
•    3-5 years heavy mobile equipment operating experience 
•    Municipal experience in the operations of distribution and collection systems 
•    Familiarity with underground infrastructure construction and standards 
•    Knowledge of Municipal, provincial, and federal water wastewater standards 
•    Knowledge of pump operation and repair 
 
Skills and Abilities:  
Required: 
•    Self-motivated with the ability to work independently 
•    Physically able to perform required duties 
•    Strong applied math skills     
•    Basic computer skills 
Preferred: 
•    Ability to interpret and understand engineering drawings and effective use of GIS 
•    Basic plumbing and pipe fitting skills 
•    Safe use of hand tools as well as small and large mobile equipment 
•    Strong understanding of basic sciences related to Water & Wastewater systems operation
•    Knowledge of pump operations  
 
Certifications, Licenses and/or Designations:  
Required: 
•    A valid Alberta Class 5 Driver’s License 
•    Clean Criminal Record 
•    Alberta Environment Water Distribution Certification  
•    Alberta Environment Wastewater Collection Certification      
•    Combination of education and experience may be considered
Preferred: 
•    A valid Alberta Class 3 Driver’s License and air brake endorsement 
•    Confined Space Entry and Rescue Level 1 and 2 
•    Safe Trenching, Excavation and Ground Disturbance 
•    Fall Protection Comprehensive 
•    H2S Alive 

Cochrane is committed to providing a healthy and safe work environment for all employees, which means that everyone is responsible for health and safety. This means that you must take reasonable care to protect the health and safety of your colleagues, contractors, the public, and of course, yourself by following all relevant health and safety legislation and corporate policies. 
 
Still interested?  Here’s how to apply: 

•    Qualified individuals are encouraged to submit your resume, and a letter stating how your experience match the required qualifications, skills, and abilities for this position.  
•    All qualified candidates will be requested to complete an online suitability survey. 
•    Applications for this position will be accepted until 9pm MST September 12th, 2024 at www.cochrane.ca/jobs 
•    Teamsters Local Union 987 - wage grid level 4