DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM OPERATOR/CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE WORKER
OAKDALE IRRIGATION DISTRICT
JOB DESCRIPTION FOR
DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM OPERATOR/CONSTRUCTION &
MAINTENANCE WORKER
DEFINITION
Distribution System Operator: Under general supervision of the Water Operations
Manager and working through the Assistant Water Operations Manager and various
Water Operation Supervisors, to perform a variety of semi-skilled and skilled duties in
the scheduling and distribution of irrigation water to irrigators; perform minor repair work
in, on and around irrigation works including cleaning and maintenance of irrigation
canals, ditches, and structures as necessary to assure: (1) safe access to facilities, (2)
proper operation of works, and (3) the proper conveyance and distribution of irrigation
water; and perform related work as required.
Manage and control water for irrigation purposes and related duties for the extent of the
irrigation season, working twelve 12 hours per shift, inclusive of 1/2-hour unpaid lunch
break. Work schedule may vary depending upon District operations, but it is expected
to include seven (7) consecutive workdays, and seven (7) consecutive days off
throughout the irrigation season.
Construction and Maintenance Worker: Under general supervision of the Support
Services Manager and working through various Field Operations Supervisors, to perform a
variety of semi-skilled and skilled duties in the construction, repair, cleaning, and
maintenance of irrigation canals, ditches, pipelines, pump lines, and structures; and to
perform other duties as assigned.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
Employees of this class should have attained the degree of experience allowing them to
function independently in a variety of irrigation and maintenance assignments with
exceptional skill and efficiency. At times, employees may also be expected to assist in the
cross training of less experienced personnel.
EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES OF DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM OPERATOR
This work is extremely physical in nature and it is essential that the employee be
physically and mentally able to work as outlined under the "Typical Physical and Mental
Activities" section of this job description.- Accurately and completely follow the Rules and Regulations Establishing the Essential
Duties of a Distribution System Operators.Personally contact irrigators to determine the number of acres that will be under irrigation, the types of crops that will be planted and other pertinent information either
shown on District forms or specially requested by the District. - Drive pickups and other work trucks over various types of road and road conditions,
sometimes while pulling a trailer or similar piece of equipment. - Continuously patrol and inspect District canals, ditches, conduits in assigned division to
assure that all is in order and that water delivery is as scheduled. - Perform said patrols and inspections when not manually operating control gates, weirs
and valves, and when not physically cleaning, painting, and maintaining District
structures and their appurtenances, and further, when not communicating with irrigators
and compiling records required by the District. - Use person-to-person contact and phone systems to communicate (speak) in English
with departmental supervisors and management, other distribution system operators,
maintenance supervisors, and irrigators. - Coordinate irrigation deliveries, and the conveyance capacities of assigned irrigation
ditches and pipelines, with adjacent distribution system operators. - Schedule irrigation deliveries to maximize the flow capacities of the systems within
assigned division while following established District procedures and required delivery
intervals. - Insure that no water is wasted; measure and record water in OID facilities within
assigned division, both what is being delivered and flowing in the drains. - Read, understand and relate water measurement "tables" to manually measured and
observed field conditions and situations. - Maintain written records in English and keep current and accurate water usage records
for each irrigator served. - Minimize usage of deep well and reclamation pumps; when channel capacity exists,
maximize the delivery of surface water supplies. - Have the physical strength and agility to manually operate, oil, lube, and clean
reclamation and deep well pumps and related equipment according to District
procedures. - Perform minor manual repair work in, on, and around irrigation works, including cleaning
and maintenance of irrigation canals, ditches and structures as necessary to assure: (1)
safe access to facilities, (2) proper operation of works, and (3) and the proper
conveyance and distribution of irrigation water. - Maintain and keep current time and equipment logs, materials and supplies used
records, and rotation sheets. - Make good judgment decisions involving safe and proper work procedures and the order
in which assignments are completed. - Operate and monitor water operations and deliveries utilizing Supervisory Control and
Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems - Know and stay updated on basic computer skills to track and record water deliveries,
make notes, navigate various maps and utilize email services. - Complete work orders for repairs as necessary; coordinate and schedule service
interruptions and outages to facilitate repairs and replacement of OID facilities.
EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES OF CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE
- Dig with a shovel; lift, cut, carry, and tie reinforcing steel; lift, set, and install form work and
necessary shoring and scaffolding; place and finish concrete over-pour structures,
pipelines, canal linings and related irrigation and drainage works. - Perform general carpentry, plumbing, painting, concrete, gunite, and other similar major
and minor repair, alteration and maintenance work on District works and facilities using
various hand tools and mechanical equipment. - Layout, install, disassemble, and repair gates, valves, ladders, rails, structures, machinery,
equipment, and other components commonly found in and around irrigation and domestic
water works. - Safely operate forklifts, and other mechanical equipment to lift, transport, and move raw
materials, finished components, and other fixtures used to repair and improve irrigation
and domestic water works and their appurtenances. - Operate a variety of light equipment. Drive pickups and other work trucks over various
types of road conditions, sometimes while pulling a trailer or similar piece of equipment.
Perform various construction and maintenance tasks under field conditions, in adverse
weather conditions, in confined spaces and at elevated work surfaces. - Keep supervisor apprised of changed working conditions, and of the need for materials,
supplies, tools, and equipment purchases necessary for the safe and efficient operation of
the Department. Apprise supervisor when work is complete and new assignments are
needed. - Basic methods, tools, techniques and materials used in the construction, maintenance,
repair and cleaning of irrigation facilities. - Uses and purposes of general construction and maintenance tools and equipment.
- Safe and efficient processes and procedures used in the operation of hand tools used
for digging, painting, cleaning, grinding, drilling and breaking concrete, and other
concrete placement and finishing tools and equipment. - The operation of a variety of construction equipment and tools.
- Perform work in confined spaces, in the vicinity of load noises, in inclement weather,
and on elevated platforms. - Perform related manual work as required.
TYPICAL PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ACTIVITIES
- Operates, in a sitting position, District vehicles and power driven equipment to transport
materials and to travel between job sites for periods of approximately 1 to 8 hours per day.
Intermittently kneels, squats, climbs, and carries for brief to moderate duration.
Communicates orally with District staff and constituents in face-to-face, one-to-one
settings. - Uses a cellular telephone and email for communication.
- Work involves exposure to environmental elements and various chemicals and materials
used in the construction and repair of concrete structures and in the repair of metal alloy
components. - Visual and physical hazards are those common to remote construction sites, including
poison oak, bees, snakes, rodents, and solar and cement burns. - Regularly ascend and descend ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, and the like using feet
and arms. Frequently performs these activities while carrying tools, equipment, and
materials used in the trade. - Employees may stand intermittently for durations ranging up to 10 to 15 minutes at each
occurrence for approximately 3 to 4 hours or more per day. Standing will occur
intermittently with walking, sitting, kneeling, squatting, crawling, and climbing. - Intermittent standing, sitting, pushing/pulling, crawling, reaching, carrying, stooping,
twisting and lifting for periods of approximately 1 to 3 hours per day. Some repetitive
pushing/pulling with the use of arms, hands, feet, and legs. Twisting of the wrists and
elbows may be performed in conjunction with reaching, pushing, pulling, bending, lifting,
and gripping and grasping. Twisting of the knees and ankles will occur throughout the
work shift. Intermittent twisting of the upper torso may occur for periods of 3 to 4 hours
total. - Uses both hands and fingers to grip and grasp and to manipulate tools and components. These functions are intermittently performed for brief to moderate periods ranging from 5 to 7 minutes for daily totals between 5 to 7 hours.
- Frequently lifts, carries and walks with heavy materials (60 pounds), such as cement and sandbags and concrete pipe units for periods of 1 hour or more daily. Lifting may be performed in conjunction with pushing, pulling, bending, stooping, gripping, and grasping.
- Lift to the height of 3 to 6 feet various materials, tools, component parts, and equipment weighing up to 60 pounds for up to 2 hours daily, for distances normally not exceeding 100 feet.
- Frequently pulls, and pushes objects, such as movement of materials to and from working sites and the installation and removal of different types of pipe forms. Such work involves frequent grasping with hands and strenuous use of back, stomach, and arm muscles.
- Intermittent laying on back/stomach on various work surface types for moderate to extended periods (3 to 6 hours total).
- Intermittent to continuous reaching and bending of the elbows, knees/ankles for brief to moderate duration, however, typically for periods of 5 to 7 hours or more. Reaching and bending functions are generally performed in conjunction with the other motor movements.
- Stooping or bending may be performed while the employee is in a variety of positions, including standing, sitting, kneeling, and squatting. Intermittent stooping ranges from 7 to 10 minutes for a daily total of approximately 3 to 4 hours.
- Employee will perform intermittent neck motion/flexion ranging up to 10 minutes at each occurrence for about 4 to 5 hours per day.
- Continuous use of normal to corrected normal hearing and vision with good depth perception.
- Frequently uses knowledge and experience to make proper judgment decisions involving work processes and procedures.
- Occasionally it will be necessary for the employee to lie on his back/stomach and to crawl, especially when he has to reach something in a canal or get under a farmers fence enclosure.
- Additionally, the employee may also use his hands and arms as well as feet and legs to push and pull the above-described tasks.
- Twisting of the wrist and elbows, the upper torso and knees and ankles will occur when the employee performs routine tasks such as the manipulation of gates that are of the larger variety.
- Some bending of the wrists may be repetitive in nature for brief to moderate periods of 10 to 15 minutes. Bending of the knees and ankles will total approximately 10 to 12 hours per day, with intermittent, brief to continuous movement, occurring throughout the day.
- For a total of 2 to 3 hours or more per day, the employee will perform intermittent finger manipulation and some fine finger dexterity movements when using the phone and computer and to complete written reports.
- Read and speak in English at a level sufficient to communicate effectively over the phone, in person, and over the radio. Read, understand, and follow instructions, either written in English or verbally presented in English, which cover the safe use and handling of chemicals and which are prepared to insure the safe and efficient completion of daily work assignments
QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge of:
- Soils and crops.
- Record keeping and reporting procedures.
- Safe work practices and procedures. Safe and efficient operation of a variety of
construction equipment. - Operation of pickup with either a stick shift or automatic transmission.
Ability to:
- Learn and use good judgment in the implementation of District policies and procedures
with respect to the Essential Duties of a Distribution System Operator and the
conveyance and distribution of irrigation water in a safe and efficient manner. - Safely and efficiently perform a wide variety of semi-skilled and skilled tasks such as
concrete work, painting, and high water pressure cleaning used in the construction,
maintenance, repair and cleaning of irrigation facilities. Safely and efficiently use a variety
of hand tools and equipment in the repair and fabrication of concrete and metal structures
such as hand saws, hammers, chisels, skill saws, electrical and air drills and jack
hammers. - Work without direct supervision, alone or in a crew of many.
- Establish and maintain cooperative relationships with coworkers and those contacted in
the course of work. - Safely operate and properly maintain assigned vehicle.
- Operate and maintain a variety of construction and concrete placement equipment,
including gunite, pipe laying, and other concrete application equipment. - Perform heavy manual labor in the control/operation of gates, valves, and weirs and in
the use of hand tools such as weir hooks, hoedowns, shovels and an assortment of
specialty devices used to open and close inline valves. - Walk on sloping and irregular work surfaces, climb fences, ladders, and bend, reach,
and pull/push in the operation of gates and the removal of weirs. - Perform mathematical calculations involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, and
division. - Perform work on elevated work surfaces, within confined spaces, in the office, in
assigned vehicle, under daylight and nighttime conditions, and out in the field under
varying weather conditions. - Appropriate precautionary measures to mitigate occupational hazards of the trade and as
occasioned in the performance of work in the field on irrigation and domestic water system
works and their appurtenances. - Hazard and safety precautions to use when working with various chemicals and materials
commonly used in the maintenance and construction of irrigation and drainage works. - Vehicular and safety codes and procedures affecting the operation of hoists, cranes, fork
lifts, trucks, and other equipment used in the transport, fabrication, and movement of
materials, parts, tools, and equipment. - Keep track and tell time using Military time procedures.
- Work Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays and nights.
- Work overtime or various shifts as assigned.
EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION
Experience:
- Knowledge of general construction and maintenance in the construction, maintenance,
repair, and cleaning of irrigation facilities. - A farming background is desired, but is not a requirement.
Education:
Completion of formal or informal education sufficient to assure the ability to read and
write in English, and perform mathematical computations at the level required for
successful job performance.
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
- Must provide two forms of identification for proof of legal right to work in the United
States. - Possession of an appropriate California Driver's License, and a good motor vehicle
driving record as evidenced by freedom from multiple or serious traffic violations or
accidents for at least two (2) years’ duration. The driving record will not contribute to an
increase in the District's automobile insurance rates. - A Department of Motor Vehicles "Driver Record Information" printout will be required at
the time of hire. - Pass a chemical and physical examination and background check before any offer of
employment will be made.
The essential duties and other contents of this job description, and the responsibilities,
duties, and requirements for acceptable performance have been explained to me and I
understand them. I further understand that it is impossible to identify all the duties and
expectations for the position and realize that my daily assignments may vary greatly
according to District needs.