First Class Line Technician

Come join us at Bandera Electric Cooperative (BEC), where we are lighting the grid to empower our members!

Help us Reimagine Rural America!

Bandera Electric Cooperative proudly distributes electricity to more than 28,000 members with over 39,000 active meters in seven counties in Central Texas. In addition, BEC Fiber, a division of Bandera Electric Cooperative, currently provides fiber internet service to more than 11,000 subscribers in eight counties across the beautiful Texas Hill Country.

Why work for BEC?

We offer Highly Competitive Wages and a Generous Benefit Package!!

Health, Life and Disability Benefits (no waiting period – benefits start on first day)

• Medical, Dental and Vision plans
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with a generous employer contribution of $3,250 for Individual medical coverage and $6,500 for Family medical coverage
• Company-paid Employee Life insurance and Business Travel insurance
• Short- and Long-term disability plans
• Supplemental Life and AD&D insurance options

Retirement Benefits

• 401(k) employer match
• Pension plan

Additional Benefits

• PTO – Accrue 180 hours/4.5 weeks of PTO per year
• 10 Paid holidays
• Tuition reimbursement
• Gym reimbursement for you and your spouse

We are looking for an experienced Line Technician to join BEC’s Operations Team. As an integral part of BEC’s Operations Team, our Line Technicians safely perform construction and maintenance on electric distribution lines, poles, and related equipment. Our experienced Line Technicians serve as leaders within their crews, assisting with training and leading by example by conducting themselves with integrity, honesty, and always following safety protocols.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Climbs poles on a regular basis.
• Perform numerous routine duties, both on the ground and overhead, involving construction and maintenance operations under energized line conditions in accordance with RUS Bulletin 1728F-806 and 803 specifications and written safety rules.
• Install, remove, or relocate all types of single and polyphase transformers, service drops, oil circuit breakers, poles, conductors, capacitors, regulators, and other line equipment with little or no supervision.
• Conduct rephrasing and phase rotation on polyphase circuits as assigned.
• Perform troubleshooting duties, including patrol of transmission and distribution lines, and required switching, sectionalizing and fusing functions.
• Assist in setting of poles, right-of-way clearing/tree trimming and other maintenance duties.
• Assist in the inspection of trucks, tools, and assigned equipment, ensuring proper use and good maintenance of all equipment.
• Must be able to read and understand the Cooperative’s system maps, work order staking sheets, REA Form 803 (Specifications and Drawings for Line Construction), National Electrical Safety Codes and other specifications or instructional material the Cooperative may incorporate for its operations.

Qualifications and Requirements

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Ten years of experience preferred.
• Satisfactory completion of approximately 12 months as a 2nd Class Line Technician and successful completion of the DOL four-year curriculum, or equivalent training and experience.
• It is expected that a qualified applicant will have completed training that includes the following thru Northwest Lineman College, TEC, TEEX, or its equivalent:
  • (TEC) Hotline III
  • (TEC) Hotline IV
  • (TEC) Troubleshooting School (Transformers)
  • (MJTS) Powerline Program Book Year IV
  • (TEC) OSHA 29CFR-1910 General Industry – Card/Certificate Training (30-hour course)
  • Perform the “Hurt Man Rescue” (Pole top and Bucket Truck) in 4 minutes or less.
  • (LCRA) Switching procedures training and be qualified to do substation switching.
• Must have a valid Class A CDL Texas driver's license with insurance or obtain within 6 months.
• Must have the ability to safely operate Cooperative vehicles and equipment in non-hazardous weather conditions.

Working Conditions

• Perform in outdoor weather conditions, perform where risk of fire or explosion and/or risk of electric shock. Perform where fumes or air-borne particles and/or toxic or caustic chemicals and/or blood-borne pathogens and/or risk of radiation and/or prolonged exposure to vibration.
• Position requires working indoors and outdoors under varying weather conditions. (Temperatures from 32 degrees or below to 100 degrees or higher).
• Tobacco free, professional office environment and fieldwork.
• Climb ladders, poles, and work in elevated positions.
• Loading and unloading equipment utilizing boom truck, forklift, hoist, winch or rope blocks.
• Operate text equipment and read scales, turn knobs, and operate switches.
• Occasional overtime required.
• May be assigned on call duty.

Physical Requirements

Stand, walk, lift or exert force up to 100 lbs., reach, stretch, climb, balance, crouch, and stoop.

Use close vision, distance vision, color discrimination, peripheral vision, depth perception, and focusing ability.

Operate large trucks with manual transmission, digger derricks, jack hammers, hand lines, hoists, hand tools, hydraulic tools, chainsaws, etc., that are normally used in the construction and maintenance of electric lines.

Ability to work out of bucket trucks and perform work in elevated and reaching positions.