Apprentice Power Plant Operator Jobs in Colorado

United Power has an exciting opportunity to fill a vacancy for an Apprentice Lineworker. We are looking to fill this vacancy at a Step 2, with the desired minimum qualification of a certificate of completion from an accredited pre-apprentice line program or documented 1000 hours of applicable experience from a registered apprenticeship.

Rate of Pay:

Step 1: $48.16/hour

Step 2: $50.72/hour

Step 3: $52.01/hour

Step 4: $53.93/hour

Step 5: $55.86/hour

Step 6: $57.79/hour

Step 7: $59.07/hour

Step 8: $60.36/hour

Location: Brighton

WORK HOURS: 6:30a.m.-5:00p.m., half-hour lunch, Monday-Thursday. Overtime as necessary. On-call per bargaining agreement.

Works under the direct supervision of the Journeyman Lineworker, Working Foreman, Operations Superintendent and Vice President of Operations. Performs various duties related to the construction and maintenance of distribution and transmission lines, and related facilities during a four (4) year training program.

• On a daily basis, the Apprentice Lineworker must read staking sheets; climb poles with hooks; care for and use hand and power tools; read and use testing equipment; and know first aid, RUS specifications and United Power's safety rules and regulations.
• Learns to practice safe operation and proper care of all power-driven equipment. Drives trucks to and from job site and operates compressor, air hammer, drill and other power tools.
• Prepares and interprets staking sheets, service orders, etc. daily.
• Learns to check out supplies and watt hour meters, and assemble materials needed for jobs.
• Performs clean-up, loading of equipment, general maintenance, and other labor tasks as required by Lineworker or other supervisor.
• Operates two-way radio under established procedure and FCC rules.
• Frequently assists in digging holes, framing poles, setting anchors, sagging and stringing conductors, hanging and connecting transformers, and rebuilding and changing out services, service breakers and regulators.
• Frequently performs dead and low voltage work during first year of training under direction of supervisor or Lineworker; then learns and works energized lines of high voltage after first year's training under direction of supervisor or Lineworker.
• Occasionally assists in troubleshooting outages and system service interruptions with Lineworkers, Troubleshooters, or other supervisory personnel.
• Occasionally performs more technical jobs during course of training program as tasks are learned by field work and by formal study.
• Must complete required electric Lineworker's courses as prescribed under apprenticeship program during four-year training period. Performs related duties.
• Able to react to change productively and to handle other tasks as assigned.

Must have high school diploma, or equivalent.

Must be 18 years of age.

The completion of one year's work as a Ground Person is desirable.

Knows, understands and applies all OSHA regulations and safety rules necessary to perform the job. Must be able to apply first aid techniques.

Must have aptitude for mechanically-oriented work and must be able to work several feet off the ground when climbing poles or doing work from a bucket truck.

Must have a valid Colorado Driver's License before employment and a Commercial Drivers License (CDL) within 90 days of employment.

Thirty percent (30%) of the time is spent standing, thirty percent (30%) sitting, and forty percent (40%) walking. Apprentice Lineworkers will occasionally lift up to 100 lbs. Carrying up to 50 lbs. is done occasionally when carrying equipment from truck to work site. When doing pole work or moving a transformer, it may be necessary to push and pull approximately 150 lbs.

Operating controls is done constantly while sitting in a vehicle driving and operating machinery. Climbing poles or ladders using feet/legs and hands/arms is done frequently.

Balancing is done constantly while walking and standing on rough and uneven terrain. Occasionally, an Apprentice Lineworker must stoop, kneel, crouch, and crawl. Reaching and handling are done frequently. Fingering and feeling are occasionally necessary while putting up or repairing lines.

Talking in order to exchange ideas over a two-way radio and to communicate with other employees in the various offices is done frequently. An Apprentice Lineworker must constantly listen for radio transmissions and be able to hear faint arcing sounds or transformer humming to detect problems.

The Apprentice Lineworker will occasionally need to see "near" while working on lines. It is constantly necessary to see "far" while driving, patrolling line or constructing lines. Depth perception and color vision is essential while driving. While constructing poles and lines, depth perception and field of vision is constantly necessary.

Due to the possible danger in an Apprentice Lineworker's job, it is extremely important that they are always alert, precise, and patient. Analytical ability is important especially for the required course work. They must also have ingenuity, problem-solving abilities, spatial perception, speaking ability, memory, creativity, concentration, judgment, initiative, reasoning, visual discrimination, and auditory discrimination while working under adverse weather conditions.

Seventy-five percent (75%) of the Apprentice Lineworkers work is done outdoors under constant adverse weather conditions. Employee may be exposed to high noise levels occasionally.

Apprentice Lineworkers frequently work under various hazards such as dust in the air, exposure to sunlight and toxic chemicals. Various mechanical and electrical hazards are present.

Department: Operations

Bargaining Unit: IBEW Ops

FLSA Status: Non-exempt

Updated: September 2026

In addition to a competitive salary, we offer a generous benefits package that includes an employee retirement plan, 401K with match, paid holidays, vacation & sick leave, medical, dental, vision, short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance. For a full list of benefits, please visit our careers page at https://www.unitedpower.com/careers.

We are interested in every qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. However, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Pre-Employment Screening Notice: This position is subject to pre-employment drug screening, consistent with Colorado law and federal regulations. Applicants should be aware that a positive drug test-including for marijuana-may disqualify them from employment, as permitted under Colorado law. Additional information about our drug-testing policy will be provided during the hiring process.

United Power is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. United Power prohibits discrimination against applicants or employees on the basis of age 40 and over, race, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, color, religion, military or veteran status, national origin, disability, genetic information or any other applicable status protected by state or local law.