Job Description

About Harris County Flood Control District:

The Flood Control District has the mission to reduce the risk of flooding in Harris County, the third most populated county in the United States, with a population in excess of 4.7 million, including the City of Houston, the nation’s fourth largest city. The Flood Control District has jurisdiction over the primary stormwater facilities in the county, which consist of approximately 1,500 channels totaling nearly 2,500 miles in length, as well as more than 60 regional stormwater detention basins, totaling more than 10,000 acres and several wetlands mitigation banks including Greens bayou.  

Hydrologic Operations Technician Job Summary:

The Harris County Flood Control District is seeking qualified candidates for the role of Hydrologic Operations Technician.

Responsible for performing highly specialized technical tasks necessary to operate and maintain the regional flood warning gage network.  

Essential Functions and Duties:

• Maintain, troubleshoot, service, and repair a variety of sensing, recording, communication, and instrumentation devices for the District and regional flood warning network.
• Enter, retrieve, edit, and analyze hydrologic data using several specialized databases including CSV and excel formatted worksheets and vendor-specific application programs.
• Understand ALERT2 protocol and perform updates on Intelligent Network Devices and Control Datalogger with the latest operating system.
• Program latest CrBasic code and Alert2 configuration files on data loggers to communicate with remote sensing equipment.
• Troubleshoot DC power and radio equipment including sealed lead acid batteries, solar panels ranging from 5- 50 watts, and radio telemetry efficiency.
• Build, install, and repair antenna cables using LMR 240 cable with BNC/UHF connections.
• Troubleshoot radio/antenna/GPS systems using a field decoder, bird-watt meter, and a voltage standing wave ratio meter.
• Program repeater stations with correct pass listing ensuring messages are transmitted appropriately on all radio frequencies. Understand and decipher repeater payload messages.
• Verify correct multi-senor and general sensor reporting data arriving from repeater to hydrologic database utilizing application log on field decoder.
• Maintain accurate field service maintenance records, logs, and overall system documentation.
• Review hydrologic sensor data records daily to assure accuracy, uniformity, and compliance with accepted standards.
  Collect and document high water marks, review data for accuracy, and respond to 
• any sensors or gages that fail.
• Conduct low flow discharge measurements by wading in the channel with tagline and FlowTracker2 equipment adopting USGS methods.
• Conduct high flow discharge measurements using Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) along the bridge deck adopting USGS methods.
• Review and post process discharge data using specialized applications including QREV, WinRiverII, and FlowTrackerII software.
• Load measurements and assist with rating curve adjustments using data management tool and rating editor, WiSKI by Kisters North America.
• Update and identify channel controls and point of zero flow evaluations.
• Perform biannual gage site and repeater/base station inspections.
• Execute diagnostic checks to the power and radio system, increase the accuracy of the water level sensor, and verify accurate rain measurements.
• Upgrade software for transmitters and water level devices where appropriate.
• Maintain vegetation near measurement section for accurate data collection.
• Construct and install gaging stations to include, but not limited to, a NEMA box, data acquisition panel, rain gage sensor, water level sensor, solar panel, GPS antenna, wave antenna, high water indicator pipe, wire weight, and conduit mounted with Unistrut.
• Perform other duties that may be added as the course and scope of the job directs.  

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer


If you need special services or accommodations, please call (713) 274-5445 or email ADACoordinator@bmd.hctx.net .

 

  This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.

Education:

• High school diploma or G.E.D. equivalent
  

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Basic understanding of differential leveling with automatic level and rod.
• Practical knowledge of hydrologic principles, practices, procedures and techniques in accordance with USGS standards.
• Proficient in using/reading a key map in finding locations county-wide.
  
• Excellent diagnostic, troubleshooting, and analytical skills.
• Basic understanding of DC circuits, power consumption, solar, and battery operation.
• Ability to prioritize, identify, and solve problems in a timely manner.
• Excellent knowledge and efficient use of hand tools, power tools, watt meter, radio analyzer, multimeter, and pressure calibrator.
• Ability to program and calibrate a variety of meteorologic and hydrologic sensors.
• Can work well independently and in a team with moderate supervision.
• Work well under pressure adhering to tight deadlines and accuracy/quality standards.
• Can effectively communicate with coworkers, the public, industry, and/or governmental representatives.
• Strong skills using specialized programs specifically tailored for processing discharge measurements and programming sensors.  

Licensure:

• Valid Class "C" Texas Driver’s License

NOTE : Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume"will not be accepted for qualifications.

Position Type, Salary:

• Regular | Full-Time

• Salary: To be discussed at interview

Location:

• Hydrologic Operations 9900 Northwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77092

Physical Demands and Environmental Exposure:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:

• Frequent stooping, bending, reaching, lifting, and carrying of items up to 11 pounds and occasional lifting of up to 50
  pounds.
• Frequent driving of a vehicle with automatic controls.
• Frequent walking up and down steep slopes of ditches or on rough and uneven surfaces or ground such as sloping
  terrains, plowed or furrowed areas, or construction sites.
• Approximately 90% of duties will be performed outdoors where there will be routine exposure to significant levels of heat, cold, moisture, air pollution, wind, and dust.
• When at field locations, may be exposed to significant levels of heat, cold, moisture, air pollution, wind and dust, wildlife, and flying/walking insects.
• When at field locations, may be exposed to vibration and/or noise in excess of 85 decibels.
• Approximately 10% of duties will be performed indoors in a normal office environment with acceptable lighting, temperature, air conditions, and noise levels.
• May be exposed to fluids, compounds, or chemicals used in cleaning offices and/or work areas.  

Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.

 

  Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.

Job Tags

Full time, Remote job, Outdoor,

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