Midwest Energy Job Opportunities
Midwest Energy offers exciting careers in the Electric and Natural Gas industries in dozens of locations throughout Central and Western Kansas. As an equal opportunity employer, Midwest Energy will accept applications and/or resumes for those positions that are open and available to external candidates.
Please forward an application and/or resume with indication of the position of interest to:
Midwest Energy, Inc.
Administrative Services Department
P O Box 898
Hays, KS 67601
or email a resume. (Include your resume in the body of the email, or attach as a .doc file.)
You may also download and print out an application form and an optional application data form in PDF format.
Current Job Openings
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Gas Maintenance
Wilson, KSMidwest Energy, Inc. has an opening for a Gas Maintenance employee, with a construction focus, in the natural gas department in Wilson, KS. The primary duties of this position include a variety of gas trade functions in the construction and maintenance of the natural gas system. This position works with the construction crew in the laying, joining and other job related tasks for the installation, removal or repair of natural gas mains, services and related equipment. Experience with backhoe and trencher operation, welding and fusion of steel and PE Pipe are helpful. Individual must possess a valid Class A CDL and carry a current medical card. Must be able to pass pulmonary test for respirator use. This is a safety sensitive position and is subject to drug testing. Individual must have the ability to perform work in a constant state of alertness and safe manner. Individual must have personal characteristics suitable for working with customers and the public. Individual will be required to meet the standards set forth in the Company’s Gas Qualification Program. Work experience in the gas industry is preferred. Midwest offers a comprehensive benefit package. Applicants should submit an employment application and a resume summarizing their relevant experience, along with a letter of application.
Close Date: April 01, 2019 -
Customer Service Representative
Great BendMidwest Energy has an opening in its Great Bend office for a Customer Service Representative. The successful candidate will provide courteous and accurate customer service by managing customer accounts, responding to customer inquiries, processing payments, and updating customer records. Associate degree in Business or equivalent is required. Applicants should have a minimum of two years experience in customer relations or sales including general office operations. Personal computer and excellent communication skills are required. Should be able to acquire, within a reasonable time span, an understanding of the Company's rates, billing and collection regulations and other policies and procedures affecting the customers. Individual must be able to effectively deal with a variety of people under difficult circumstances. Candidate must be able to handle a variety of diverse activities with attention to detail and accuracy. Regular hours of work with irregular volume of transactions. Subject to overtime during emergency situations. Occasional travel to the the Hays office is required. Bilingual Spanish/English proficiency is preferred. Midwest Energy provides a comprehensive benefit package. Applicants should submit a resume summarizing their relevant experience and education along with a letter of application. Completion of Midwest Energy Employment Application is also required.
Close Date: April 01, 2019 -
Student Lineman
Sharon Springs, KSMidwest Energy, Inc., has an opening in Sharon Springs, KS for an individual, who is interested in becoming an electric lineman. Individual must demonstrate the skills necessary to construct and maintain the electric distribution system by providing high quality electric service to all customers. High school diploma is required. Post-secondary education in related field is preferred. Within six months, the individual must obtain Company climbing certificate and acquire a Commercial Class A license with a medical card. Individual must be able to demonstrate a basic understanding of the construction and operation of an electrical distribution system and the ability to learn and apply construction standards.
This is a safety sensitive position and is subject to drug testing. Individual must have the ability to perform work in a constant state of alertness and safe manner. Individual will be required to complete the Company Apprentice Lineman Program. Should be skilled in the areas of team work, organizing, planning and following directions to enhance the efforts of the crew. Major portion of work day involves general activities of line construction, including construction and maintenance. Subject to call 24 hours per day, including weekends and holidays. Subject to long periods of work. Work involves outside work in all types of weather. Midwest offers a comprehensive benefit package. Applicants should submit an employment application and a resume summarizing their relevant experience and training, along with a letter of application. This position will remain opened until filled.
Close Date: April 05, 2019 -
Electric Lineman
Sharon Springs, KSMidwest Energy, Inc., has an opening in Sharon Springs, KS for an individual, who is an electric lineman. Individual must demonstrate the skills necessary to construct and maintain the electric distribution system by providing high quality electric service to all customers. High school diploma plus advanced trade knowledge equivalent to one or more years of apprenticeship is required. Prrevious work experience as a lineman or a certificate in electrical power distribution or electrical power technology from a technical school fulfills the requirement. A minimum of one year of experience in construction and maintenance of electric utility system or other related fields is preferred.
This is a safety sensitive position and is subject to drug testing. Individual must have the ability to perform work in a constant state of alertness and safe manner. Individual will be required to complete the Company Apprentice Lineman Program. Should be skilled in the areas of team work, organizing, planning and following directions to enhance the efforts of the crew. Major portion of work day involves general activities of line construction, including construction and maintenance. Subject to call 24 hours per day, including weekends and holidays. Subject to long periods of work. Work involves outside work in all types of weather. Midwest offers a comprehensive benefit package. Applicants should submit an employment application and a resume summarizing their relevant experience and training, along with a letter of application. This position will remain opened until filled.
Close Date: April 05, 2019 -
Communications/Relay Technician
Great Bend, KSMidwest Energy, Inc., an electric and natural gas utility company, is seeking a Communications/Relay Technician to work in its Great Bend, Kansas office. Midwest Energy serves 50,000 electric customers.
Position involves the installation, calibration, testing, maintenance, troubleshooting and repair of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and communications equipment in electrical transmission and distribution substations and generating facilities as well as point-to-point microwave and land mobile radio systems. The position duties include (1) Install, configure, program and perform functional tests on SCADA RTUs for high voltage substations and generating facilities; (2) Connect and configure data concentrators and other automation equipment to both SCADA RTUs and digital protective relays; (3) Test and troubleshoot both serial and IP-based communications between these devices using various types of diagnostic equipment; (4) Install, configure and maintain point-to-point microwave systems used for SCADA communications and install and maintain land mobile radio systems at communication towers and in vehicles; (5) Work with local exchange carriers to maintain and trouble-shoot leased circuits, including four-wire circuits, T1 services, fiber optic-based services, etc.
Minimum qualifications include a two-year associate’s degree in communications technology, electrical technology, or related discipline from a recognized technical school or certificate from a vocational school, and 2-4 years of experience as a communications technician supporting SCADA communications systems for an electric, natural gas or water utility or related industry. Additional experience may be considered, along with a High School Diploma or GED for the educational requirement.
Must hold and maintain a valid driver's license. Occasional work outside normal business hours required. Position is subject to ongoing background and security checks.
Midwest offers a comprehensive benefit package. Applicant should submit an employment applicantion and a resume summarizing their relevant experience and training in these areas, along with a letter of application. This position will remain opened until filled.
Close Date: April 05, 2019 -
Communications Technician
Hays, KSMidwest Energy, Inc., an electric and natural gas utility company, is seeking a Communications Technician to work in its Hays, Kansas office. Midwest Energy serves 50,000 electric customers.
Position involves the installation, calibration, testing, maintenance, troubleshooting and repair of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and communications equipment in electrical transmission and distribution substations and generating facilities as well as point-to-point microwave and land mobile radio systems. The position duties include (1) Install, configure, program and perform functional tests on SCADA RTUs for high voltage substations and generating facilities; (2) Connect and configure data concentrators and other automation equipment to both SCADA RTUs and digital protective relays; (3) Test and troubleshoot both serial and IP-based communications between these devices using various types of diagnostic equipment; (4) Install, configure and maintain point-to-point microwave systems used for SCADA communications and install and maintain land mobile radio systems at communication towers and in vehicles; (5) Work with local exchange carriers to maintain and trouble-shoot leased circuits, including four-wire circuits, T1 services, fiber optic-based services, etc.
Minimum qualifications include a two-year associate’s degree in communications technology, electrical technology, or related discipline from a recognized technical school or certificate from a vocational school, and 2-4 years of experience as a communications technician supporting SCADA communications systems for an electric, natural gas or water utility or related industry. Additional experience may be considered, along with a High School Diploma or GED for the educational requirement.
Must hold and maintain a valid driver's license. Occasional work outside normal business hours required. Position is subject to ongoing background and security checks.
Midwest offers a comprehensive benefit package. Applicant should submit an employment applicantion and a resume summarizing their relevant experience and training in these areas, along with a letter of application. This position will remain opened until filled.
Close Date: April 05, 2019 -
GIS Technician
Hays, KSMidwest has an opening for a GIS Technician in the Hays office. The GIS Technician position is to perform a variety of routine to moderately difficult technical duties in maintaining and supporting Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and GIS databases; use standard GIS tools and generate standard GIS products. In addition, the GIS Technician will perform a variety of GPS data acquisition duties and subsequent processing and training.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE: A Certificate or Technical Degree in Geographic Information Systems, GIScience, geography or a closely related field; or commensurate education, experience, or a combination of education and experience. Technical experience in the uses and operations of Geographic Information Systems, including the entry, editing and retrieval of geospatial data in GIS databases. Some level of on-the-job exposure, e.g. internship or part-time work, is preferred. Additional education or training related to the fundamentals of electricity or natural gas is desirable.
KEY COMPETENCIES: Ability to work independently with a minimum amount of supervision. Effective teamwork skills to work in a cross-functional environment. Demonstrated experience/knowledge in GIS software programs. Promote safe working habits and enforce all safety rules and regulations of Midwest Energy, Inc. Lead by example in safety compliance and take corrective action on safety violations, defective equipment, and any other practice that may adversely affect a safe working environment. Demonstrated intermediate-level proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite. Must be able to effectively communicate verbally and in writing with fellow employees, customers, vendors and the public. Must hold and maintain a valid Kansas Driver’s License.
WORKING CONDITIONS: Normal office conditions. Occasional overtime may be required during completion of major projects.
Midwest Energy offers a competitive benefit package with salary commensurate with experience and qualifications. Applicants should submit an application and resume summarizing their relevant experience and training in these areas, along with a letter of application.
Close Date: March 27, 2019 -
Manager Substation Construction and Maintenance
Hays, KSMidwest Energy, Inc. (Midwest), an electric and natural gas cooperative serving more than 50,000 electric members and 42,000 natural gas customers in central and western Kansas, is seeking a Manager for Substation Construction and Maintenance to work out of the Hays, KS area.
General Purpose of Job: Lead the construction and maintenance of transmission and distribution substations of Midwest Energy. This position plans, organizes, directs and supervises the Substation Technicians assigned, providing strategic support, project management, technical support and career development assistance.
Education and Experience: Bachelor's degree in engineering is desirable. Technical training in electric power systems and high voltage equipment is preferred, though qualified experience may be substituted. Mimimum of seven years of increasingly responsible experience in the maintenance and construction of substations up to 230kV. Possess a sound knowledge of principles and practices used in the construction, operation and maintenance of an electric transmission and distribution system.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Ability to demonstrate the following skills to include, but not limited to:
- Technical and supervisory skills to lead the construction and maintenance of transmission and distribution substations;
- Knowledge of the National Electric Safety Code and the National Electric Code.
- Experience with establishing schedules and methods for the completion of substation construction, upgrade and maintenance projects, utilizing project management principles and tools.
- Ability to organize and manage the utilization of contractors in the construction of new and upgraded substations.
- Experience in substation maintenance practices and apparatus installation, repair and trouble-shooting, as well as establishing schedules and objectives for the maintenance of transmission and distribution substations.
- General familiarity with the NERC reliability standards related to substation maintenance, testing and operations, and experience planning, prioritizing and supervising technicians involved in maintenance and testing activities and the documentation requirements therewith.
- Supervise and manage reporting personnel including interview and selection, performance management, employee training and development, corrective action, and termination.
- Proficiency in personal computer operations with ability to enter and extract data; storing and transferring files, knowledge of MS Office Products; ability to acquire knowledge of corporate computer systems as they relate to the position.
- Effective written and verbal communication skills to interact with employees, management, contractors, vendors, other utilities and the public; ability to write work procedures for critical tasks.
Must hold and maintain a valid driver's license. Position is subject to ongoing background and security checks.
Midwest offers a comprehensive benefit package. Applicant should submit a resume summarizing their relevant experience, along with a letter of application. This position will remain opened until filled.
Close Date: March 27, 2019 -
Transmission Planning Engineer
Hays, KSMidwest Energy is seeking an individual that is ready to plan the transmission system of the future in central and western Kansas. This position offers professional growth potential as a key member of the Engineering group. Midwest has seen significant growth in its transmission assets, particularly at 115kV and 230kV, over the past decade, driven in part by new interconnections for wind generation and upgrades to the transmission system. This work continues to require significant resources going forward.
Essential Responsibilities: This position will work closely with Engineering and the System Operations staff to develop plans for both the near-term operations and long-term planning responsibilities of a transmission owner/operator, including: 1) Planning, coordinating, directing and providing engineering support for the development of the high voltage transmission system. 2) Planning coordination of system additions with other utilities. 3) Interconnection studies for new load, transmission and generation resources in the Midwest zone. 4) Represent Midwest in coordinated planning activities of the Southwest Power Pool, including working group and committee participation. 5) Development of system load flow, stability and short circuit models, aggregate study models and the SPP Integrated Transmission Plan. 6) Develop mitigation plans and/or upgrade strategies to address reliability concerns. 7) Support the development and execution of internal transmission planning standards as required by the Southwest Power Pool and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation and other regional reliability councils as applicable. 8) Assist in the development of internal operating standards related to transmission systems as required by the Southwest Power Pool and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation and other regional reliability councils as applicable. 9) Develop operating-horizon planning models and execute short-term transmission planning as required by North American Electric Reliability Corporation standards. 10) Analyze transmission switching and contingency mitigation planning to support System Operators.
Minimum Requirements: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET-accredited university with an emphasis in power system-related studies. Three to five years of progressively responsible experience in transmission planning, load flow studies, and/or operations planning. Additional consideration given for experience in distribution system planning. Experience should include the use of commercial power system analysis programs such as Siemens PTI PSS/E, Siemens Model On Demand, ASPEN, etc. Prior experience with coordinated regional planning with an RTO.Direct experience with the Southwest Power Pool is beneficial but not required. PE registration is helpful.
Applicants should submit a resume summarizing their relevant experience and training in these areas, along with a letter of application. This position will remain opened until filled.
Close Date: March 27, 2019 -
Electrical Distribution Engineer
Hays, KSMidwest Energy, Inc., an electric and natural gas utility company, is seeking an entry-level electrical engineer to work in its Hays, Kansas office. Midwest Energy serves 50,000 electric customers. The company has $164 million in total electric utility plant and 11,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines.
Position involves the distribution planning, protective device coordination, distribution and substation design and engineering support for the Operations Department. The position duties include (1) develop, plan, direct, coordinate and control the design, construction and operation of distribution facilities and support the system control functions so as to provide efficient, safe and reliable system operations; (2) support of the Outage Management System (OMS), (3) provide line and substation design engineering and construction support; and (4) investigate emerging developments in reliability and distribution technology.
Minimum qualifications: (1) Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET-accredited university, with preference for power system-related studies, (2) Midwest Energy will accept a recent graduate and will train; preference given for two or more years of progressively responsible experience in electric utility engineering.
Applicable experience includes all phases of electrical design, construction and maintenance with special emphasis in one or more of the following areas: distribution system planning and analysis, protection system coordination, line and substation design. Experience should include use of distribution analysis programs such as Milsoft or CYME or related electric utility experience. Professional registration, or the ability to become registered in the State of Kansas within 5 years is preferred, but not required.
This is an excellent opportunity to grow in an electrical engineering position with a solid organization that can provide a broad spectrum of experience.
Applicants should submit a resume summarizing their relevant experience and training in the areas outline above, along with a letter of application. This position will remain open until filled.
Close Date: March 27, 2019