Underground Cable Installation Jobs in California

Requisition ID # 169729 

Job Category: Maintenance / Construction / Operations 

Job Level: Individual Contributor

Business Unit: Electric Operations

Work Type: Onsite

Job Location: Oakland

Department Overview

The workers of Electric Operations ensure the delivery of safe and reliable electric service to our customers. Electric Operations is responsible for every aspect of PG&E's electric distribution and transmission operations, including planning, engineering, maintenance and construction, asset management, business planning, restoration and emergency response.

Position Summary

This classification is represented by IBEW Local 1245, which has over 100 years of experience representing employees at PG&E. This job is subject to collective bargaining.

A coworker who has the qualifications of a Cable Splicer, is familiar with the underground system and has the experience and ability to analyze cable and equipment troubles quickly and to restore services promptly by replacing fuses, switching, disconnecting defective cables or apparatus, making repairs, etcetera. May be required to perform other underground work such us preparing cable racks, pulling in and racking cables, maintaining equipment in the underground system, etc. Shall install and maintain services, meters, and equipment including conduit and wiring up to the meter on customers' premises and shall handle trouble in such installations. Drives a truck and operates the associated equipment as assigned. Background of apprenticeship and experience must be such as to qualify an employee to perform these duties with skill and efficiency. Shall be familiar with Company's standards, procedures and safety regulations. 

This position may be subject to Joint Apprentice Training Committee (JATC) review and approval. Provisional hires will be required to participate in targeted training to achieve journey-level knowledge of electrical technician roles and responsibilities.

This position is in the Bay Area region, and headquarters in Oakland subject to change based on business needs.

This position is a DOT (Department of Transportation) covered classification and is subject to random drug and/or alcohol screening.

PG&E is providing the hourly rate that the company in good faith believes it might pay for this position at the time of the job posting. This position is subject to collectively bargained hourly wage rates and increases. The starting wage rate for this position is $67.58 per hour.  This wage rate is specific to the locality of the job. The wage rate is based on multiple factors, including, but not limited to, specific skills, education, licenses or certifications, experience, market value, geographic location, collective bargaining agreements, and internal equity.  

Job Responsibilities

• Perform all necessary duties with skill and efficiency by performing maintenance on underground transmission and distribution lines.
• Perform work in connection with the construction and maintenance of underground manholes, vaults, splice boxes, duct lines and similar structures.
• Installs and maintains services, meters, and equipment including conduit and wiring up to the meter on customers' premises
• Maintains equipment in the underground system
• Prepares cable racks
• Pulls and racks underground cables and wires into and out of pipes, conduits and duct lines.
• Splices cables of any kind or voltage for the connection of cable, transformers, junction boxes, and other equipment in the underground or overhead systems or stations.
• Ensure effective customer and internal communication.
• Restore service to the public by installing / repairing services and all types of meters.
• Analyze cable and equipment trouble quickly and restore services promptly by replacing fuses, switching, disconnecting defective cable on apparatus efficiently.
• Identify the location of and extent to which underground structures such as man holes and vaults have been damaged and perform minor repairs safely on underground enclosures.
• Isolate Network grid secondary's and Network Protectors (NP's).
• Install and remove Recording Volt Meters (RVM's) for power quality research.
• Physically demanding work that may include lifting, climbing, as well as going into confined spaces.
• Drive trucks, vans, and equipment and operate the associated equipment as assigned.
• May work with crew or independently. May oversee a crew and its equipment engaged in pulling underground cables and wires of all sizes, types, lengths and number of conductors into and out of pipes, conduits and duct lines and other necessary work in conjunction with pulling of cables.
• Support and maintain a working relationship with other departments which include, Distribution Operators, Service Op drive erectors, Engineering, Estimating and Construction to improve processes and ensure a high level of customer service.
• Working knowledge of applicable safety rules, programs and safe work practices.
• Expected to learn and follow safety and work procedures.
• Working knowledge of available mobile technical software.

Qualifications

Minimum:

• CA CDL Class A Permit, or equivalent, subject to 150% driver/vehicle ratio
• Knowledge of procurement strategies and processes and relevant regulatory framework as needed to perform at the job level
• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Must possess a High School diploma or GED
• Completion of formal union sanctioned Cable Splicer apprenticeship
• Must possess an IBEW journey- level card for a Cable Splicer or State or JATC certification
• Must be able to lift 90 lbs
• Able to wear company provided Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Able to work and drive in all types of weather and road conditions
• Able to work extended hours, nights, weekends and holidays
• Able to travel to job sites as necessary
• Ability to work shift schedule (evening)
• Ability to complete and obtain a 40 hour Switchman Training Certification/Card
• Must pass Post-Offer Physical Assessment as a requirement of the pre-employment process
• If hired as Provisional, must pass the provisional training plan within one year from hire date
• Must qualify on Cable Splicer Assessment 
  • Internal PG&E Employees:
    • Must possess and maintain a valid Class C California Driver's License (or higher) by Day 1 of hire
    • Must possess and maintain a valid Class A California Driver's License Permit by within 3 months of hire
  • External:
    •  Must possess and maintain a valid Class A California Driver's License Permit by Day 1 of hire
    • Must possess and maintain a valid DMV Medical Card by Day 1 of hire

Desired:

• Live within 30 minutes of headquarters due to emergency and urgent requests
• Experience as a cable splicer with familiarity of underground and network systems (lead training)
• Minimum of two years of experience as a Journey Cable Splicer
• Relevant PG&E/Hiring Hall experience
• Ability to install transition splices, clear cap, straight splices, terminations and other various splices
• Ability to properly ground conductor cable and equipment
• Ability to install switches, transformers and banking transformers
• Ability to build risers
• Ability to tag and identify underground cable and equipment
• Ability to operate load break and dead break equipment
• Ability to phase lines and equipment
• Ability to make and trace service connections
• Ability to build to PG&E & G.O. 128 standards
• Qualified to work on primary and secondary voltages
• Ability to work on lead splices such as hot solder wipes
• Ability to work on network systems and its equipment

Pre-Employment Testing

PG&E Employees: You must have qualified on all prerequisite tests prior to submitting an application, and all secondary tests prior to interviewing. For more information on prerequisite and secondary exams, including study guides, please visit the Pre-employment testing program website.

• Physical Test Battery
• Post-Offer Physical Assessment Apprentice Cable Splicer
• Work Orientation Inventory-Physical/Technical Driving
• Cable Splicer Assessment