Plumber - Apprentice

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

• Assists in installing, maintaining, repairing, and troubleshooting general plumbing systems and components to include toilets, urinals, faucets, drains, water fountains, vacuum systems, and compressed units.
• Assists in operating and conducting routine preventive maintenance on College vehicles; notifies appropriate personnel of any vehicle maintenance required.
• Assists in repairing and replacing domestic hot water heat exchangers and water heaters.
• Assists in repairing and replacing pneumatic steam valves, radiator valves, traps, and steam and condensate pipes.
• Assists in repairing and replacing domestic hot water heat pumps, chilled water pumps, sump pumps, sewage pumps and booster pumps.
• Assists in installing, testing, and repairing all sizes of backflow prevention devices.
• Assists in troubleshooting and repairing steam, water, and gas utility distribution systems.
• Assists in performing scheduled maintenance and preventive maintenance service on plumbing systems and fixtures.
• Assists in ensuring all requirements as specified by the manufacturer of systems and fixtures are met.
• Assists in ensuring all installations, repairs and maintenance are properly sized, aligned, supported and graded.
• Assists in ensuring all installations, repairs and maintenance meet the requirements of the appropriate codes.
• Assists in ensuring all installations, repairs and maintenance meet environmental protection requirements.
• Assists in ensuring proper care in the use and maintenance of equipment and supplies; promotes continuous improvement of workplace safety and environmental practices.
• Uses the college's work order system (CMMS) to note time spent and the work performed relative to specific work request.
• Assists the supervisor with responding to emergency plumbing calls such as gas leaks, broken water lines, backed up and clogged drains, irrigation line electrical and water broken lines, evaluates situation and takes corrective action.
• Repair or replace irrigation system pipes, valves, sprinkler heads and drip lines.
• Locate and repair underground leaks on irrigation system.
• Prepares work order material by pulling from stock to meet technical and trade requirements.
• Adheres to safety and health regulations.
• Communicates frequently with city employees and vendors.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• At least one (1) year of related work experience in the plumbing field, preferred.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent oral, written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong computer skills with knowledge of Microsoft Office including, but not limited to, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, the Windows environment, and internet research skills.
• Knowledge of plumbing installation, maintenance, and repair skills.
• Knowledge of steam, water, and natural gas distribution systems maintenance and repair.
• Knowledge of published guidelines and Texas plumbing codes.
• Ability to use hand and power tools applicable to trade.
• Ability to prioritize, organize, and complete multiple tasks with attention to detail, within stated deadlines.
• Ability to work independently as well as a team player within department and with others.
• Ability to adapt to constant change and periods of fast-paced, high-intensity work situations.
• Must be willing and able to work various hours, various locations, and rotating shifts, including days, nights, weekends, College closures, and holidays, as needed.
• Ability to travel throughout the College district daily.
• Demonstrated commitment to achieving the vision and mission of South Texas College.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as blueprints, schematics, safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Ability to speak effectively before groups of students, customers or employees of organization.
• Ability to apply practical understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions.
• Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

Checks, Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations

• Security Sensitive position: all applicants are subject to a criminal background check under South Texas College policy.
• In addition, subject to a federal background check.
• Must have a valid Texas driver's license and be insurable under South Texas College's insurance policy for driving.
• Must maintain authorization to drive College-owned vehicles.
• Plumber Apprentice certification required.
• Landscape irrigator license is preferred.

Physical Requirements

• Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 30 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
• Maintaining 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.
• Ascending or descending ladders (6 ft. up to 12 ft. on step ladders and up to 24 ft. extension ladders, roof hatch ladders), stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms. Body agility is emphasized.
• Moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet.
• Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
• Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.
• Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
• Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand.
• Perceiving 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.
• Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.
• Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles.
• Ability to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
• Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.
• Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force in order to thrust forward, downward or outward.
• Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
• Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.
• Expressing or exchanging 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.
• Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires full motion of the lower extremities and back muscles.
• Expressing or exchanging 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.
• Shouting in order to be heard above ambient noise level.
• Close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; and/or extensive reading. Including color, depth perception, and field vision.
• Visual acuity to determine the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work assigned or to make general observations of facilities or structures.
• Visual acuity to operate motor vehicles and/or heavy equipment.
• Close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: visual inspection involving small defects, small parts, operation of machines; using measurement devices; and/or assembly or fabrication parts at distances close to the eyes.
• Mobility to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.

Work Environment:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts; high, precarious places; fumes or airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals; outside weather conditions; and risk of electrical shock.

The above job description is not intended as, nor should it be construed as, exhaustive of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.

Organization

Founded in 1993, South Texas College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and offers more than 120 degree & certificate options, including associate degrees in a variety of liberal art, social science, business, math, science, technology, advanced manufacturing and allied health fields of study. Additionally, South Texas College is the only community college in the State of Texas to offer four baccalaureate degrees. South Texas College has a faculty and staff of more than 2,700 to serve the college's five campuses, two higher education centers, and one virtual campus.

Since 2000, the Dual Credit Programs has served over 100,000 high school students at 70 high school sites, saving families over 200 million dollars in tuition.

South Texas College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the Baccalaureate and Associate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of South Texas College.