Vegetation Management Inspector

Requisition ID # 160120 

Job Category: Maintenance / Construction / Operations 

Job Level: Individual Contributor

Business Unit: Operations - Other

Work Type: Onsite

Job Location: Merced

Department Overview

Vegetation Management and System Inspections is committed to improving the electric system for the safety of customers and communities by inspecting electric equipment and managing vegetation located near powerlines that could cause a wildfire or power outage. Vegetation Management inspects approximately 100,000 miles of overhead powerlines and prune or manage more than 1 million trees annually. System Inspections examines distribution, transmission and substation equipment to find and identify potential risks to the safety and reliability of the system. The team's commitment is to make sure PG&E's electric equipment is working properly and delivering reliable electricity for our hometowns. Vegetation Management and System Inspections is comprised of approximately 10,000 coworkers and contractors.

Position Summary

This is an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1245 represented classification, which has over 100 years of experience representing employees at PG&E.  This job is subject to collective bargaining.

Performs direct oversight of vegetation management work conducted on Electric Distribution or Transmission systems. Responsibilities include overseeing field safety, work quality, customer relations, public safety, permit compliance, and contractor performance. Job duties are outlined below.

The Vegetation management inspector-GC is a General Construction position and individuals must be able to travel and transfer to a new headquarters upon request at any time; throughout the entire PG&E service territory with no guarantees as to how long you will be away from home.

To better represent the communities we serve, applicants who live within 50 miles of the headquarter locations will be given preference.

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 $37.86 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

• Performs circuit patrols in accordance with annual VM plan, VM patrol standards and processes
• Acts as a customer relations representative on behalf of PG&E
• Supports the coordination between Contractors, Communities, Agencies, First Responders, and all other PG&E workgroups and stakeholders that may be involved in the successful completion of the vegetation project.
• Ensures compliance with all applicable regulations which may include Annual permits, Encroachment permits, Traffic Control Plans, railroad permits, Caltrans permits, and environmental protection measures as documented on Environmental Release to Construction
• Completes electronic and paper-based documentation and reporting, as assigned
• Identifies required tree work along the existing PG&E rights-of­ way
• Inspects documents
• Notifies property owners/agencies when tree work will occur
• May do work verification inspections of locations for tree work completion
• May perform investigation and documentation of tree-related outages
• Field checks prescribes work, and notifies of customers associated with non-routine locations when assigned
• Closes out CC&B cases in the field after fielding the case
• May support emergency response such as directed by OEC, or level one operations. Such as dispatching tree crews, field checking sites, first responder stand­ by agreements.
• Supports oversight of vegetation projects, including field operations such as tree assessment, tree trimming, and other work as required
• Supports compliance with vegetation management program scope, contract adherence, and PG&E standards and specifications over the entire PG&E service territory
• Required to participate in the Employer Pull Notice Program (EPN) with DMV

Qualifications

Minimum:

•Valid Class C Driver’s License with no major incidents

•High School diploma or GED

•Ability to obtain 911 Standby training within one year of start date

•Pre- Inspector Structure Learning Path (SLP) within one year of start date

Desired:

•To better represent the communities we serve, applicants who live within 50 miles of the headquarter location will be given preference

• 1 year of related field-based experience (e.g. tree work, forestry)

• 2-year degree OR higher education (BA/BS) in a related field

• Certified Arborist or Utility Specialist

• American Society of Consulting Arborist Registered, 4 years’ experience in forestry, or arboriculture industry

• Completion of the PG&E Power Pathway program

• Military Service with honorable discharge

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.

• Work Orientation Inventory- Physical/Technical Driving (WOID)

• Post-Offer Physical Assessment (POPA).