Utility Field Service Worker I - Essential Utilities

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company, employs people in a variety of roles within our eight-state footprint, ranging from field workers and customer service representatives who are on the front lines working with customers, to scientists and engineers who help ensure we’re delivering reliable water and wastewater services to our communities.  If you’re looking for a rewarding career helping improve our environment and protect our natural resources, we encourage you to join our team!

About Essential Utilities

Essential Utilities, Inc. delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families, and entire communities.

Operating as the Aqua (water and wastewater services) and the Peoples and Delta (natural gas) brands, Essential serves approximately 5.5 million people across 10 states. We are committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier employer status - including a competitive and comprehensive benefits package as well as a commitment to career growth opportunities.

We are advocates for the communities we serve and are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting more than 7,600 acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint.

Our company is one of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service and natural gas providers in the U.S. 

Are you looking for a fantastic career at Aqua? We have a great opportunity for a Utility Field Service Worker in our Erial Division, under the direction of the Area Supervisor.  This position performs a variety of duties pertaining to the production, treatment, and distribution of potable water, the collection and treatment of wastewater, customer service activities in the field, including meter installations, inspections, changeouts, and customer complaints investigation, and meter reading services.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Serves the customer in a polite, respectful and professional manner at all times.
• Operates and maintains the collections and distribution systems, as directed.
• Performs preventive maintenance on company equipment, facilities and stations as directed.
• Conducts sampling of distribution system, and production and treatment facilities in accordance with company and division policies and procedures.
• Assists with inspection of work performed on the distribution system by outside contractors.
• Performs maintenance of the distribution system such as hydrant maintenance, system flushing, valve exercising and other field work as required.
• Locates and marks mains, services and other facilities for construction work.
• Installs, repairs, and replaces meters.                                       
• Inspects water meters where problems may exist and takes appropriate action as needed or instructed.
• Investigates customer inquiries and complaints, i.e. dirty water, low pressure, billing problems, and sewer back-ups.
• Performs turn-ons and turn-offs as directed.
• May assist in meter reading duties, meter testing, office operations and general distribution.
• Collects water samples using proper collection and handling methods and maintains necessary records as required.
• Maintains appropriate records, both paper and data.
• From time to time, may be directed to check stations, sewer lift stations which involves reading instrumentation and responding to various situations that may arise.
• Inspects customers' plumbing for illegal connections, cross-connections, tampered-with meters or seals, etc., and makes appropriate report to supervisor.
• Accurately and efficiently operates the company’s meter reading system.
• Assists with other tasks or projects as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• High school graduate or equivalent required

• Must possess a valid U.S. valid driver’s license

• Must obtain a NJ DEP W1 license within 3 years from hire

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Excellent written and verbal communications skills; communicate effectively (clearly, concisely and professionally) with internal and external customers
• Strong customer service skills
• Ability to work well under pressure
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment
• A team player able to work effectively in a team fostered multi-tasking environment
• Will use and operate the following: Hand tools, power tools, laptop computer, computer tablets, basic office equipment, company's meter reading equipment
• Wil have a high degree of customer contact; access to confidential customer information and access to customers' properties
• At least one year experience in water/wastewater field preferred
• Good math skills and computer knowledge preferred
• Mechanical aptitude is a plus

WORKING CONDITIONS / PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Participates in on-call duty as required
• May be subject to extreme temperatures, noise, wet and/or humid conditions, mechanical, electrical, gas exposure hazards, fumes, dusts, mists, gases and/or poor ventilation atmospheric conditions
• Must be able to lift and carry up to 20 lbs
• Company vehicle is provided for business purposes only

***This is a union position.  Starting wage is $28.60 less $3.00 per hour.  The wage reduction will be returned in one-dollar ($1.00) increases once a year over a three (3) year period.  Employee will receive annual contract increases.

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. Equal employment opportunity is provided to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to the following legally protected characteristics: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions, including medical conditions related to lactation), physical or mental disability, covered-veteran status, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state or federal law.
Aqua is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities.  If you have a condition that may prevent you from applying for a job online or need to request an accommodation during the interview process, please call (1-877-271-9012).  
To maintain the integrity of the recruitment process and to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest due to employment and/or assignment of family members and personal referrals, specific guidelines apply to the hiring and assignment of these individuals including, but not limited to:

• Family members cannot result in a supervisor/subordinate reporting relationship
• Family members cannot work in the same department.