Gas Operator Trainee-Welder

From: Brian Skelton - CEO/President

Date: September 25, 2025

Re: External Job Posting

Open Job Position – Gas Operator Trainee - Welder

Beginning Thursday, September 25, 2025, Riviera Utilities will begin taking applications to fill a job vacancy for Gas Operator Trainee-Welder. We are considering applicants with qualifications in the following range, salary commensurate with education and experience.

Education and Experience

High school diploma or an acceptable equivalent diploma (GED). Experience in construction or maintenance occupations is preferred but not required.

Licenses or Certifications

Must obtain an Apprentice Gas Fitters Certification within one year of employment. Must work to obtain a Journeyman Gas Fitters Certification while employed as an Operator Trainee.

Must prepare for and strive to receive training for Work Zone Traffic Control, Competent Person Fall Protection & Rescue, Confined Space Training and the 10-hour OSHA Training related to Construction with a focus on Personal Protective Equipment, Fall Protection, Job Site Hazards, and OSHA Inspection Procedures.

Possession of or ability to obtain certification in Riviera Utilities welding procedure.

Special Requirements

Possession of or ability to obtain a valid Driver’s License within 60 days of employment.

The selected applicant must obtain a valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) within 1 year after the date of hiring. If less than 18 years of age, applicant must have a valid Driver’s License and, within 1 year after turning 18 years of age, applicant must obtain a valid CDL.

Applications accepted for the open position through Thursday, October 9, 2025. Interested individuals should go to our website at www.rivierautilities.com to review the Job Description for this opening, click on the Application link, complete the application, and submit it by the deadline.

In Compliance with the Alabama Immigration Law, Riviera Utilities participates in the Federal E-Verify Identification Program.

Salary Range: $43,004 - $62,283 Grade 103

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were written out in this job description.

GAS OPERATOR TRAINEE - WELDER

Department: Gas

Pay Grade: 103

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Reports To: Gas Supervisor

Effective Date: 9/2025

# JOB SUMMARY

This position is an entry-level trainee position focused on becoming acquainted with the functions, operations, and processes involved in installing, repairing, operating, and maintaining gas distribution systems and compressor stations. Typically works under the immediate direction of a qualified Gas Operator and assists in getting materials and supplies ready for projects and performing the physically intensive tasks involved in gas operations. This position may also work with other assigned mentors within the department to aid in the learning process.

# ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

- Applies pipe coating (“hot wrap” coating) for corrosion control purposes to include cleaning the surface, flashing the flame over the surface, applying the primer, and wrapping the pipe.

- Cleans and coats pipes for atmospheric corrosion using a wire brush and applies a coating.

- Measures for pipe-to-soil potential.

- Inspects for atmospheric corrosion.

- Sets natural gas meters and taps natural gas mains that are active.

- Maintains and cleans tools and equipment required in the maintenance of gas systems.

- Maintains signs by ensuring they are upright, clean, easy to read, and replaced when damaged.

- Maintains distribution systems and stations including cleaning, painting, weed eating, and inspecting for general problems.

- Inspects and operates gas valves to check for leaks, partial operation; clears of debris, aligns, and lubricates.

- Measures pipe-to-soil potential using voltmeters at various test stations.

- Protects sites and workers in excavated areas; locates and marks pipelines.

- Investigates leak and odor complaints.

- Checks and maintains fuel levels in the plow, truck, and generator.

- Operates heavy equipment, as assigned and appropriately licensed.

- Assists in locating underground utilities.

- Weld steel gas tap on high pressure gas main.

- Weld steel gas tap on low pressure gas main.

- Weld steel gas pipe ranging in sizes from ¾” to 6”.

- Retire steel gas mains or steel gas services by welding shut/cap off.

- Weld tees, elbows, and other steel fittings associated with steel gas main relocates.

- Knowledge of acetylene welding and cutting.

- Knowledge of various tools associated with welding and pipe fitting.

# Other Functions

- Loads and unloads equipment, materials, job site debris, and performs other housekeeping duties.

- Notifies supervisor when problems occur, or abnormal operations are discovered.

- Documents valve locations.

- Documents Gas Meter installation.

- Performs other related duties as required/assigned.

# QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

High school diploma or an acceptable equivalent diploma (GED). Experience in construction or maintenance occupations is preferred but not required.

Licenses or Certifications

Must obtain an Apprentice Gas Fitters Certification within one year of employment. Must work to obtain a Journeyman Gas Fitters Certification while employed as an Operator Trainee.

Must prepare for and strive to receive training for Work Zone Traffic Control, Competent Person Fall Protection & Rescue, Confined Space Training and the 10-hour OSHA Training related to Construction with a focus on Personal Protective Equipment, Fall Protection, Job Site Hazards, and OSHA Inspection Procedures.

Possession of or ability to obtain certification in Riviera Utilities welding procedure.

Special Requirements

Possession of or ability to obtain a valid Driver’s License within 60 days of employment.

The selected applicant must obtain a valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) within 1 year after the date of hiring. If less than 18 years of age, applicant must have a valid Driver’s License and, within 1 year after turning 18 years of age, applicant must obtain a valid CDL.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

- Knowledge of various hand tools, their purpose, and proper operation.

- Skill in active listening to and giving full attention to what people are saying, asking questions as appropriate, not interrupting as needed to take direction, gathering information, and responding to instructions.

- Ability to read and understand Riviera Utilities’ Employee Handbook, Safety Manual, and other departmental operating manuals, policies, and procedures.

- Ability to verbally communicate clearly, accurately, and timely with customers, the public, other employees, and representatives from other utilities, power companies, and emergency personnel in person, over the phone, and via the radio.

- Ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide all units of measure, estimate quantities, practical applications of fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions.

- Ability to write legibly and with clarity as needed to complete forms with accuracy.

- Ability to operate computers for data entry and time entry.

- Ability to operate small/light equipment, such as power tools.

- Ability to have regular and predictable work attendance.

- Ability to recertify in Riviera Utilities welding procedure annually.

# PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work is medium: exerting up to fifty pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to thirty pounds of force frequently, and/or up to ten pounds of force constantly to move objects. Additionally, the following required physical abilities:

- Balancing: sufficient to maintain body equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing, or crouching on narrow, slippery, or erratically moving surfaces. The amount of balancing exceeds that needed for ordinary locomotion and maintenance of body equilibrium.

- Climbing: sufficient to ascend or descend ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles, and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms. Body agility is emphasized.

- Crawling: sufficient to move about on hands and knees or hands and feet.

- Crouching: sufficient to bend the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.

- Feeling: sufficient to perceive attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature, or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.

- Fingering: perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature, or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.

- Grasping: sufficient to apply pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.

- Handling: sufficient to pick, hold, or otherwise work, primarily with the whole hand.

- Hearing: sufficient to perceive the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction; ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discrimination in sound.

- Kneeling: sufficient to bend legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.

- Lifting: sufficient to raise objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position. It occurs to a considerable degree and requires substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles.

- Mental Acuity: sufficient to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.

- Pulling: sufficient to use upper extremities to exert force to draw, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.

- Pushing: sufficient to use upper extremities to press against something with steady force to thrust forward, downward, or outward.

- Reaching: sufficient to extend hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.

- Repetitive Motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.

- Speaking: sufficient to express or exchange ideas by means of the spoken word including the ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately and concisely.

- Standing: Particularly for sustained periods of time.

- Talking: sufficient to express or exchange ideas by means of the spoken word including those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.

- Talking: sufficient to shout in order to be heard above ambient noise level.

- Visual Acuity: sufficient to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures, transcribing, viewing a computer terminal, and/or extensive reading.

- Visual Acuity: sufficient to include color, depth perception, and field vision.

- Walking: sufficient to move about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or move from one work site to another.

# WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment is outside in a variety of weather conditions with no effective protection from weather. Works in an environment with heavy equipment and machinery that could result in bodily harm to co-workers or others.

E.O.E. Riviera Utilities does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or military service in employment or the provision of services.