Water Agency Electrician/Instrumentation Technician I

Salary : $116,753.49 - $141,924.16 Annually
Location : Santa Rosa, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 26/09-5111-OWA
Department: Sonoma County Water Agency (WTR)
Opening Date: 09/30/2026
Closing Date: 10/14/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Bargaining Unit: 85

Position Information
Join Sonoma Water as an entry-level Water Agency Electrician/Instrumentation Technician.

Sonoma Water is currently recruiting to fill a Water Agency Electrician/Instrumentation Technician position at either the I or II levels. If you are interested in being considered at the II level of this opportunity, you must apply to the separate concurrent recruitment being conducted for that level.
As a Water Agency Electrician/Instrumentation Technician I, you will learn to perform corrective, preventative, and routine maintenance associated with electrical, instrumentation and control systems for Sonoma Water facilities as well as provide support for construction activities. Under general supervision by an Electrical Instrumentation Technician II or Senior Electrical Instrumentation Technician, you will install, maintain, calibrate, repair, and replace digital and analog electrical equipment, machinery, switchgears, controllers, and associated equipment. This position will work closely and collaborate with technical and engineering staff on a variety of construction and maintenance projects throughout Sonoma Water's diverse facilities.

The ideal candidate will be dedicated to supporting the community's water and wastewater services; possess excellent communication, organizational, and analytical skills; and thrive in a collaborative team environment. The ideal candidate will also possess many of the following:

• Some experience performing electrical and instrumentation work for public utilities or in related industries
• Some experience working with potable water treatment, wastewater treatment, and/or other process industries
• Completion of one or more California Water certifications (T1, D1, Grade 1, or above) and/or California Water Environmental Association Electrical Instrumentation Grade 2 (or above) certification, which is highly desired
• National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) and National Electrical Safety Code (NFPA 70E) training, and working knowledge as it relates to electrical design, construction, and maintenance
• Familiarity with electrical documentation (schematics, single line diagrams, schedules, and specifications)
• The ability to shift quickly between planned, routine work and unplanned, emergency work
• Availability to work as required to keep critical water and wastewater systems operational on a nearly continuous basis
• Patience, tact, and a sense of humor

What We Offer
Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Staff Development/Wellness Pay - Annual benefit allowances of up to $565 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Additional Benefits - Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for through the U.S. Department of Education

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can found in the International Union of Operating Engineers, Stationary Engineers Local 39 Memorandum of Understanding and our

This Water Agency Electrician/Instrumentation Technician I employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.
Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire be completed.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience and Education: Any combination of education and work experience that would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed herein. Normally, this would include completion of an academic or vocational program leading to an Associate's degree, or equivalent, in electronic technology or electrical industry, and two years of experience installing, maintaining, repairing, calibrating, and replacing electrical equipment and machinery. Related experience with electrical equipment and machinery similar to that used in water distribution and/or wastewater treatment systems is highly desirable.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

Certificates: California Water Treatment Plant Operator T1, California Water Distribution Operator Grade D1, and California Water Environmental Association Electrical Instrumentation Grade 1 certifications are highly desired.

The position advertised on this announcement requires possession of a valid California Driver's License.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Working knowledge of: operations and services of a comprehensive water treatment and distribution, and wastewater treatment agency; operational characteristics of SCADA systems and devices including PLC's as they relate to work performed; the principles, methods, tools and equipment used in installing, troubleshooting, maintaining, calibrating, programming, repairing and replacing electrical equipment, machinery and related equipment; electrical principles of medium voltage, and AC/DC circuits; principles and practices of lockout-tagout and energy isolation; basic electronic and electric theory; operational characteristics of pump and motor control systems; methods and techniques used in the installation and mounting of industrial equipment; methods and techniques of performing electrical load and wire calculations; safety and preventative maintenance requirements for electronic and electrical equipment; the use of electric and electronic testing equipment; occupational safety standards, practices and procedures required by federal, state and related laws related to electronic equipment maintenance; techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and Water Agency staff modern equipment and communication tools used for business functions and program, project, and task coordination, including computers and software programs relevant to work performed.

Ability to: learn to install, troubleshoot maintain, calibrate, repair and replace electronic and electrical equipment in all functional areas; interpret and work from technical sketches, drawings and diagrams for electrical, and electronic equipment and machinery; navigate control and logic diagrams; learn to troubleshoot a diverse range of equipment and devices through the use of diagnostic tools; read and interpret construction drawings and related equipment specifications; perform mathematic calculations as required by the job; effectively use computer systems, software applications relevant to work performed, and modern business equipment to perform a variety of work tasks; establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate's personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant's name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to candidates.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the to determine the requirements for this position.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online at Paper applications may be submitted in person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job announcement must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.