Combustion Turbine Technician

Job Highlights

Company Profile

Northern Natural Gas (a Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company) provides natural gas transportation and storage services to 81 utilities and numerous producers, energy marketing companies, and industrial end-users. It also provides grid transportation between other interstate and intrastate pipelines, and access to major North American gas supply basins in Canada, the Rocky Mountains, the Mid Continent and Permian Basins, and major shale gas developments.

Job Profile

The company is looking for a Combustion Turbine Technician who will perform electrical, mechanical, and control functions for the maintenance, repair, inspection, testing, installation, and removal of electrical circuits and equipment, electronic, and pneumatic control systems at generating sites.

Follows all procedures and safety rules. Performs work alone or with other employees depending on the character and nature of the work.

Performs duties in connection with the maintenance, repair, installation and removal of station and yard mechanical equipment and structures, including inspection, testing, monitoring, maintenance, repair, non-code welding, cutting, brazing, adjustment, and alignment of station and yard mechanical equipment such as piping, valves, boilers, boiler auxiliaries, turbine generators, turbine generator auxiliaries, heating, ventilation, air conditioning excluding work requiring certification, insulation, buildings and structures, painting and protective coatings, and rigging.

Education Level

• High School Diploma or GED

Work Experience

• 1 year of demonstrated knowledge of power plant operation, outside operator job skills, or equivalent education and experience

Duties/Responsibilities

• Handles preliminary work arrangements such as work management systems, parts availability, and shop inventory; maintains/develops Bill of Materials, etc.
• Checks and maintains fluid levels on operator serviceable items such as crankcase, gear case, radiators, batteries, steering, power take-off, hydraulic systems, and brakes of equipment assigned to operate
• Collects, reports, and records information relative to mechanical equipment and apparatus maintained or repaired as required. May use the maintenance control system to perform these duties.
• Disconnects and reconnects linkages, operating arms, and couplings, installs or removes temperature and pressure gauges as necessary in the performance of regular duties.
• Do electric arc and gas welding where a qualified welder is not required by boiler, piping, or welding codes. Does gas and plasma arc cutting. Does soldering and similar work?
• Installs and maintains plant lighting.
• Installs and maintains pneumatic control piping and equipment.
• Installs cable and conduit. Uses a welder to attach brackets, supports, and boxes.
• Installs, calibrates, and repairs primary sensing devices, such as thermocouples, pressure switches, temperature switches, gauges, level switches, transmitters, level devices, etc.
• Installs, calibrates, troubleshoots, repairs, and maintains plant control, interlock, indicating, and recording equipment. This equipment may be mechanical, pneumatic, electrical, or electronic. Types of equipment include transmitters, gas analyzers, solenoid valves, pneumatic controllers and positioners, recorders, switchgear, solid state controls, relays, switches, contactors, indicating lights, air quality monitoring systems, and PLCs. Work includes installing, calibrating, testing, repairing, cleaning, and troubleshooting associated equipment.
• Installs, cleans, and repairs motor controllers and motors.
• Leads, trains, and instructs other employees in their work.
• Maintains a chronological record of data on the operation of the plants and records data as required or directed for proper unit operation, either manually or through the use of the plant computer system.
• Maintains and cleans plant power distribution system.
• Maintains and troubleshoots plant UPS systems.
• Maintains work areas in a neat, orderly, and safe condition; cleans up after completion of work and properly disposes of debris.
• May initiate work requests.
• May maintain outage tag records and reports.
• May operate diesel generators and combustion turbines from the control room where applicable.
• Monitors and takes corrective action as indicated by such instruments as turbine vibration equipment, valve position, eccentricity, and oil temperature. Operates such turbine auxiliary equipment as lube oil pumps, turbine control systems, and cooling water pumps, excludes GDEC.
• Operates station vehicles and equipment such as trucks, pickups, cars, forklifts, front-end loaders, vacuum cleaning equipment, steam cleaners, portable welders, portable air compressors, overhead and mobile cranes, material handling equipment, mowers, and yard tractors.
• Operates within established environmental criteria. Responsible for performing SPCC and SWPCC inspections. Shall monitor SPCC materials inventory levels.
• Operation of batteries, simple cycle CT, and diesel units as applicable including starting, operating, changing load on, and shutting down turbines and turbine auxiliary equipment. Synchronizes the generator to the transmission system in the correct fashion and performs switching duties as necessary from the control room equipment. Changes generator MW and VAR loadings as requested by System Operations and as dictated by operating needs. Operates generator auxiliary systems such as the hydrogen system and the generator cooling systems.
• Performs all work safely. Complies with all safety rules, regulations, and procedures. Performs all work that they are qualified and trained to do in a manner to protect themselves, their fellow employees, and the public from injury.
• Performs assembly work associated with maintenance and repair of mechanical equipment; works from blueprints, diagrams, and specifications and uses tools such as micrometers, calipers, dial indicators, and gauges, to perform work within close tolerances.
• Performs building and ground maintenance including painting, cleaning, cutting weeds, and mowing.
• Performs storeroom duties including transporting, handling, receiving, and storage of equipment, material, and supplies.
• Procures incidental tools and supplies in conjunction with their assigned work, from the storeroom/toolroom where applicable.
• Removes and installs insulation on piping, boilers, vessels, and ductwork
• Replaces and installs, performs fixed vibration monitoring, performs field analysis, inspects, cleans, repairs, adjusts, balances, lubrication, and aligns mechanical equipment such as turbines, boilers, pumps, valves, fans, air compressors, generators, heat exchangers, strainers, condensers, piping, screens, fire protection, and other mechanical equipment. Starts and stops equipment by local control when out of service for maintenance and repair for test after having obtained clearances and making necessary arrangements with the operating force.
• Switches station equipment and circuits. Opens and closes disconnects and switches under established procedures and safety rules.
• Troubleshoots and maintains the plant programmable logic controllers control systems. This may include tuning controls, installing and upgrading software, and point directory maintenance where appropriate to assist the systems analyst or engineer. Creates and modifies circuit-wiring diagrams (CWD’s). May assist with loops, ladders, text algorithms, and workstation graphic creation and maintenance.
• Works from schematics, blueprints, diagrams, computer systems, and specifications. Updates and corrects diagrams and documentation.

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities

• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment in a calm collective attitude during emergencies and stressful situations.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks and projects concurrently.
• Ability to read and understand documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence accurately.
• Ability to communicate effectively, and use acceptable telephone and radio etiquette necessary to communicate needed plant responses.
• Ability to work rotating shifts and some overtime as needed to maintain plant coverage.
• Knowledge of basic computer skills
• Valid driver’s license.

Benefits/Perks

• Adoption Assistance
• Bereavement Leave
• Dental
• Disability
• Dress Guidelines
• Employee Assistance Program
• Fitness Center​
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Life Insurance
• Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA)
• Medical
• Paid Time Off
• Retirement Savings Plan
• Tuition Reimbursement/Learning
• Vision
• Voluntary Benefits

Employer’s Statement

Northern Natural Gas is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status.