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Job Description
Description
The City of Palo Alto is seeking a reliable, motivated, and customer-focused professional to join our Utilities team as a Field Service Representative.
The Department
Palo Alto is the only city in California that offers a full array of utility services to its citizens and businesses. Because of this, the City has a unique opportunity to partner with the Palo Alto community to enjoy the benefits and achievements of reliable, home-grown, and environmentally focused utilities. Palo Alto has a tradition of over 100 years of successful public utility operations. It is a tradition that continues to provide the Palo Alto community with safe and reliable utility service, local decision-making over policies, utility ratemaking, environmental programs, and customized services. Learn more about our Utilities Department.
Career Opportunity
As the city’s first responders for water, natural gas, and electric services, our Field Service Representatives play a critical role in maintaining essential utility services. This position offers a great work-life balance with attractive schedules, allowing our staff to thrive both professionally and personally. Our team culture is positive, motivating, innovative, and adaptive. The Field Service group, consisting of six dedicated employees, embraces camaraderie and teamwork, and takes pride in their contribution to public safety and community outreach. No two days are the same, as our Field Service Representatives provide services that are not only essential but, in many cases, lifesaving for our residents. This is a unique opportunity to make a direct, positive impact while working in a dynamic and supportive environment.
The Position
Under the direction of the Electric Utilities Supervisor, the Utility Field Service Representative, responds to customer requests for emergency and non-emergency services involving water, gas, or electric utilities, and takes appropriate corrective action; provides appliance operating information to customers, handles field service orders for the Utilities Customer Service Center, and reads meters as required.
Ideal Candidate- PG&E GSR Certified (preferred)
- Ability to work in all types of weather
- Ability to drive safely in all weather and road conditions
- Ability to work extended hours, nights, weekends, and holidays
- Reside within 60 minutes of the City of Palo Alto
- Emergency Response experience
- Face to face customer service experience
Benefits: Fantastic benefits package! To learn more, click Here.
Compensation (SEIU): Comprehensive compensation plan. To learn more, click Here.
*This is a continuous recruitment and may remain open until filled*
First review of applications will take place on November 4, 2025. Applicants are encouraged to apply early.
*Please note this date is tentative and may change based on the needs of the hiring department*
This position is represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
Essential Duties
Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:- Utilizes gas detection equipment and leak investigation techniques to investigate and isolate natural gas leaks within residential or commercial buildings. Takes corrective action to mitigate hazards resulting from gas leaks, or improper gas appliance operation.
- Utilizes gas detection equipment and leak investigation techniques to investigate and if necessary isolate leaks from the CPAU gas distribution system.
- Repair leaks at gas meters.
- Responds with PAFD for emergency utility support, as needed under the direction of the PAFD Incident Commander.
- Turns on and off electric, water, and gas service in accordance with issued work orders, and makes adjustments as necessary to insure safe and efficient operation of customer owned gas appliances.
- Investigates complaints and provides emergency service regarding operational problems with utility service and/or equipment and refers problems to the appropriate City division.
- Analyzes customer appliance problems and makes necessary adjustments within the area of established responsibility and/or recommends outside service assistance.
- Lights pilots for customer owned gas appliances and confirms the safe operation of the appliance.
- Performs field investigation of high bill complaints and provides routine field services for the Utilities Customer Service Center.
- Responsible for the completion and input of daily field service orders, data entry, i.e. gas leak investigation reports and creation of referrals to other departments.
- Ability to build diaphragm style gas meter sets up to 1000cfh.
For full job description, click Here.
Minimum Qualifications
Sufficient education, training and/or work experience to demonstrate possession of the following knowledge, skills and abilities, which would typically be acquired through:- High school graduation, GED or equivalent; and,
- One (1) year experience in customer service work, or two (2) years as a meter installer, with a gas utility, or one year experience servicing gas and electric appliances and heating equipment.
Desired Qualifications:- One (1) year experience in customer service work, or two (2) years as a meter installer, with a gas utility, or one year experience servicing gas and electric appliances and heating equipment.
- One (1) year experience in utility field service-related work.
Special Requirements:- Persons hired for this position will be required to attend and successfully complete, within twelve months of employment, a gas service training course administered by PG&E. All expenses associated with this training course will be paid by the City of Palo Alto.
- FSR’s must pass and maintain qualifying status of D.O.T mandated O.Q certifications, related to essential job functions.
Supplemental Information
The Selection Process:- Applicants will receive recruitment status notifications via email (governmentjobs.com account also has notification status updates).
- The screening process for this position typically includes a panel interview and skills assessment preceding final interviews with the hiring manager or their designee.
Our online application system is provided by NeoGov. If you have problems while applying online, please contact NeoGov's Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday.
The City of Palo Alto is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
See our Benefits at a Glance Bookletfor more details.
Learn more about our Memorandum of Agreements (MOAs) between the City and its bargaining units, by clicking HERE.
Closing Date/Time: Continuous -
ABOUT THE COMPANY
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City of Palo Alto
Show moreThe Community
The birthplace of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto, is a community of approximately 68,000 residents and nearly 100,000 jobs. Located on the mid-Peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose, Palo Alto is recognized worldwide as a leader in cutting-edge technology, medicine, and green innovation. The community's treelined streets and historic buildings reflect its California heritage, and, at the same time, many world-class businesses maintain or started offices here, such as Stanford Health Care and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Amazon, Broadcom, Hewlett-Packard, Houzz, Rivian, SAP and SAP Ariba, Tesla, and Varian Medical Systems. Numerous start-ups are also at home in Palo Alto, arguably making it the start-up capital of the world. Stanford University is foundational to the history and prestige of Palo Alto, reflected in the community's dedication to lifelong learning. Stanford's cultural and educational offerings are integral to the vibrancy and charm of Palo Alto, while the City's exceptional K-12 school district ranks among the top public-school systems in the country. With more than 50% of adult residents holding a graduate degree or higher, Palo Alto is frequently listed as one of the most educated cities in the nation. Palo Alto boasts a genuine sense of community and an active citizenry with strong environmental values. Beautiful neighborhoods are complemented by vibrant commercial corridors and a bustling economy featuring premium shopping and dining options. Excellent healthcare facilities, performing arts, and diverse recreational opportunities are some of the community's incredibly desirable and cherished amenities. To learn more, visit https://www.paloalto.gov/Departments/City-Manager/Latest-NewsCity Government
Palo Alto is a full-service charter city with a council-manager form of government. The seven-member City Council is elected at large, and the City Council annually selects the Mayor and Vice Mayor from among its members. The Mayor and City Council appoint the City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk, and City Auditor. The City Manager is responsible for the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of the City. Palo Alto is organized into 15 departments/offices with 1,093.10 authorized positions in FY 2025. There is also a FY 2025 capital budget of $316.2 million. Palo Alto owns and operates its own utilities, including electricity (carbon-neutral), gas, water, wastewater, and an expanding fiber network. This dynamic municipal environment ensures an ever-engaging platform for unique problem-solving and advances new initiatives, including sustainability, broadband, and effective service delivery. Community assets also include five libraries, 36 parks, five community centers, a museum and zoo, youth centers, a general aviation airport, an 18-hole golf course, a regional water treatment plant, and wildland open space preserves at the San Francisco Bay and in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains offering 41 miles of walking/biking trails in addition to its police, fire, and ambulance services. Palo Alto has long been a leader in sustainability, and the City's ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals are part of what sets it apart. Since the City's first Climate Protection Plan was passed in 2007, Palo Alto has set goals that exceed State and Federal targets. Today, the City's goal to reduce emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2030 (the "80x30" goal) and achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 guides sustainability efforts. An award-winning City, Palo Alto is recognized nationally as innovative and well-managed. City services and performance also receive impressive marks from community members in the Palo Alto Community Survey.
Many of those ratings put City programs and services in the highest percentiles among the hundreds of benchmark cities. Palo Alto makes decisions through comprehensive processes and proactively seeks to involve its extremely informed, educated, and engaged residents. Projects are naturally a cooperative effort among the City Council, Boards, Commissions, Committees, engaged residents, neighborhoods, businesses, property owners, and staff.
Join an Award Winning Team
Palo Alto is an award-winning City recognized nationwide as innovative and well-managed. Palo Alto is one of a small number of California cities with a AAA bond rating. Recently, Palo Alto became one of the most livable cities in the U.S. by Livability.com. It's the only city to receive the Platinum Beacon Award in sustainability best practices by California’s Institute for Local Government. We offer a variety of career paths that relate to building and improving communities. The City has fourteen departments employing 1,000 full-time staff. Police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, and building inspectors keep us safe. Engineers and public works staff build and re-build the physical infrastructure. City planners help envision and shape future community growth. Recreation, arts and library professionals enhance community life. Utilities provides electric, gas, water, sewer and other services. Internal services departments help manage, staff, and protect the City.
Want to learn more about our benefits? Learn more by reviewing our "Benefits at a Glance Booklet."
Contact Us
Phone: 650-329-2376
Email: Recruit@paloalto.gov
Location: City Hall, 1st Floor | 250 Hamilton Ave 94301 | View Map
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