Electrical Engineering - GIS Technician (Entry Level)

General Description:

The Electrical GIS / Engineering Technician I is an entry level technical position responsible for providing engineering, design, and Geographic Information System (GIS) support for the City’s electric utility distribution system. Under direct supervision, the employee performs electric distribution design support, construction staking, project coordination, cost estimating, field inspections, and GIS database management for overhead and underground electric facilities. This position if focused on maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the electric utility GIS database. The role includes creating, editing, and validating electric system assets such as poles, conductors, transformers, switches, services, streetlights, and underground infrastructure. Work supports engineering design, system planning, asset management, outage restoration, and utility operations by ensuring GIS data accurately reflects field conditions and construction activities. All work is performed in accordance with City of Rock Hill engineering standards, applicable utility construction specifications, the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC), and accepted electric utility engineering practices.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:

An Associate’s Degree in Electrical Engineering Technology, Civil Engineering Technology, GIS, Geomatics, Surveying, Engineering Technology, or related field experience is preferred. The equivalent combination of education and related work experience may be considered.

Special Certifications and Licenses:

Valid Driver’s License

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Thorough knowledge of overhead and underground electric distribution systems.
• Working knowledge of electric utility engineering principles, construction practices, and the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC).
• Working knowledge of GIS principles and utility mapping practices.
• Proficiency with ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Enterprise, CMSEditor, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Knowledge of GPS data collection and spatial data management techniques.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, plats, surveys, construction plans, and utility maps.
• Ability to perform basic engineering support calculations such as voltage drop, conductor sizing, and load estimation.
• Ability to prepare technical reports, cost estimates, maps, and documentation.
• Strong communication skills with employees, contractors, consultants, and the public.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under stress when confronted with emergency situations or tight deadlines.
• Ability to maintain positive customer-focused relationships with co-workers, supervisors, agencies, the general public, and all other internal and external customers. Personally demonstrates appropriate customer service skills.
• Work is performed onsite. The incumbent must be present at work to perform the essential functions of this job.

Essential Job Functions:

Engineering:

• Prepare construction packages for new electric services, distribution line extensions, system improvements, roadway relocations, street lighting, and utility relocation projects, including design sketches, construction drawings, material lists, labor estimates, easements, permits, and specifications.
• Perform overhead and underground distribution design support, including determining conductor sizes, transformer locations, switching devices, metering requirements, and protective equipment.
• Reviews plan review for but limited to fences, signs, in-field lots, roadway encroachments, etc.
• Provide project coordination from initial design through construction, working with contractors, developers, surveyors, City departments, and utility personnel.
• Perform field staking, site investigations, and engineering inspections to verify design feasibility and construction compliance.
• Develop cost estimates for new construction, system upgrades, conversions, and capital improvement projects.
• Coordinate service upgrades with electricians, contractors, developers, and customers.
• Prepare and submit permits including SCDOT encroachments, joint-use agreements, railroad permits, utility crossings, and right-of-way documentation.
• Assist with easement acquisition by researching property ownership, preparing exhibits, reviewing legal descriptions, and coordinating with Right-of-Way staff.

Geographic Information System (GIS):

• Maintain and update the City’s electric utility GIS database, ensuring accurate representation of all distribution assets including poles, conductors, transformers, switches, services, underground facilities, streetlights, capacitors, and regulators.
• Perform GIS editing using construction drawings, as-builts, GPS data, staking sheets, engineering sketches, work orders, and field verification.
• Conduct GIS quality assurance and control to identify and correct mapping errors, connectivity issues, duplicate features, attribute inconsistencies, and spatial inaccuracies.
• Maintain electric network connectivity to support outage management, system reliability, switching operations, and engineering analysis.
• Create engineering exhibits, utility maps, easement exhibits, construction drawings, presentation graphics, and mapping products for internal and external stakeholders.
• Resolve discrepancies between GIS records, customer information systems, work management systems, engineering drawings, and field conditions.
• Coordinate GIS updates resulting from construction, maintenance, retirements, and emergency repairs.
• Support engineering studies by maintaining accurate GIS data for load tracking, reliability analysis, transformer inventory, and system planning.
• Assist in implementing GIS standards, workflows, asset management initiatives, mobile applications, and technology improvements.

Operations Support:

• Provide technical support to Engineering, Operations, Line Construction, Customer Service, Right-of-Way, contractors, developers, consultants, and the public.
• Assist field crews during emergencies by performing damage assessments, locating facilities, preparing emergency maps, and updating system data to support restoration efforts.
• Investigate and resolve streetlight billing discrepancies and electric asset record issues.
• Monitor engineering work orders and GIS update requests to ensure timely and accurate completion.
• Performs all other duties as may be assigned to meet organizational needs.

This Notice is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties, knowledge, skills and abilities required to do the job. This is intended only to describe the general nature of the job. A more comprehensive list of duties, responsibilities and essential job functions is available on the job description. The City of Rock Hill is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, political affiliation, disability, national origin, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition), or age.