Plant Operator - NorthStar Clean Energy

NorthStar Clean Energy decarbonizes the economy by providing clean energy and carbon management solutions to utility, municipal, commercial, and industrial customers enabling them to meet their sustainability and business goals. Additionally, we own and operate natural gas assets throughout the United States. To learn more about NorthStar Clean Energy, please visit www.northstarcleanenergy.com.

This position is with NorthStar Clean Energy, a CMS Energy company, and is not a position of employment with Consumers Energy.   

The Kalamazoo River Generating Station is a single-unit, 75 MW simple cycle, GE Frame 7E gas turbine electrical power plant fueled by natural gas controlled by a GE Mark6e Control System. It is dispatched primarily to satisfy daily electrical peaking load demand but is available on a 24/7 basis. Commercial operation began in 1999. The Plant Operator is responsible for ensuring the plant is operating in a safe, efficient manner while ensuring all station procedures and regulations are followed.

Position Description:

• This role serves as a Plant Operator
• This is a non-union, hourly position with NorthStar Clean Energy, the unregulated side of CMS Energy and is not a position of employment with Consumers Energy
• This hands-on position reports to the Manager of Operations and will collaborate with other plant and control room operators to ensure safe, complaint and reliable plant operations
• This position has no direct reports
• Ability to work overtime, holidays, weekends, and rotating shifts is required. Weekly work schedules may be modified on short notice to support business needs
• After an initial training period, the Plant Operator will be expected to perform duties without direct supervision or immediate in-person support
• The position at this facility is expected to tend to duties both inside and outside of the main control room, as well as assist in many other aspects around the entire facility

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Serve as an on-shift focal point for plant operations
• Assist in directing shift activities, as well as self-direct when the only person present on site
• Complete shift rounds, identify abnormalities, hazards, mis-operations and threats to generation. Perform corrections
• Log equipment operating data in an accurate and timely manner. Identify and report problems to plant personnel and/or leadership
• Proactively participate in shift turnovers
• Respond to alarms in a timely manner. Operate necessary equipment to effectively respond to critical situations. Maintain assigned control systems to ensure proper operations.
• Perform routine equipment maintenance, safety checks, inspections and adjustments, as required. Assist in directing and enforce safety procedures such as confined space permits, hot work permits, LOTO (equipment lockout) execution, etc
• Operate assigned control systems as directed including distributed control, water, steam, combustion, turbine generator and related components in a safe and efficient manner.
• Assist in inspecting, monitoring, and recording regulatory and environmental equipment
• Support plant personnel with equipment cleaning, filter changes, and calibration gas adjustments
• Actively participate in the planning and execution of outages and shut-downs. Perform maintenance activities during plant outages and minor maintenance on shift as required as directed by plant personnel and/or leadership
• Operate equipment such as forklifts, plows, tractors, etc. to assist in maintaining the facility
• Assist in directing plant maintenance activities and subcontractors as assigned
• Maintain a safe work environment through job planning, housekeeping, and adherence to plant safety rules and procedures, and identification and correction of hazards
• Other non-essential duties as assigned or may be necessary

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Meets qualifications of a plant operator
• Have a working knowledge of LOTO, confined space, P & ID's, hot work
• Ability to use past experience, analytical judgement, to plan and perform diversified work
• Good decision-making skills to keep all crew members and site equipment safe
• Excellent communication skills to provide clear direction and feedback to all team members on the site
• Agility to be able to work overtime, as well as rotating shift schedules that include weekends and holidays

Position Requirements:

• High School diploma or GED.
• 2+ years of applicable experience is required
• 1+ year experience in power plant operations, controls, and/or equivalent experience is required
• Experience using P&ID’s, LOTO Programs (energy isolation), hot work, confined spaces and other safety procedures when working with high energy devices is desired
• Trades or technical backgrounds are desired
• Valid driver's license required

Working Conditions:

• Subjected to inside and outside environmental conditions, extreme hot and cold temperatures, noise levels, mechanical, electrical, high and low pressure steam, thermal, and chemical hazards exist. 

Relocation:

• Relocation assistance is not offered for this position. 

Why should you join our team?

At NorthStar Clean Energy, we offer more than just a place to work. We foster a culture that supports career development, growth, and stability, and we take pride in offering our co-workers excellent benefits and compensation packages. We are deliberately creating an inclusive culture that makes our diverse team of co-workers feel valued, supported, and empowered every day. We're a company made up of thousands of people, all with different stories to share and work to do, but we stand united in our company purpose: world class performance delivering hometown service.

What we offer:

• Competitive compensation packages
• Medical, Dental and Vision
• 401k with company match
• Paid parental leave
• Up to 13 paid Holidays
• Paid time off
• Educational Assistance Program

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: 

We, at NorthStar Clean Energy, value Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. It is part of our DNA. We treat our employees with respect, we treat each other fairly and we value the opinions of others. We are passionate about building and nurturing an environment where everyone feels included. We don’t discriminate. We seek to learn about each other and better understand our unique differences. Our uniqueness makes us authentic. We create safe spaces where everyone can be who they truly are. We invite difficult conversations and uncomfortable topics. We value diverse perspectives; this is what makes us great together. We harbor an inclusive environment where employees feel empowered to share their backgrounds, experiences, and ideas. Our Employee Resource Groups, Women’s Advisory Panel (WAP), Women’s in Energy (WE), Minority Advisory Panel (MAP), Pride Alliance of Consumers Energy (PACE), GENERGY, capable, Interfaith and Veterans Advisory Panel (VAP) are key enablers to living the values of our company culture: Caring, Empowered, Deliberate, Agility, and Ownership.

All qualified applicants will not be discriminated against and will receive consideration for employment without regard to protected veteran status, disability, race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.