State of Maryland

A Public Utility Inspector I is the entry level of work in the area of field inspection and investigation for the Public Service Commission. Employees in this classification are trained to make inspections of metering and other equipment used by public utilities and learn to investigate complaints of utility customers regarding electric, gas, telephone, water and sewerage utility service.  Employees in this classification, as knowledge and experience are gained, perform more inspections independently and the work includes inspections of increased technical complexity under a wider variety of standards.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive close supervision and training from an Engineer or higher-level Public Utility Inspector.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Public Utility Inspector I is differentiated from the Public Utility Inspector II in that the Public Utility Inspector I learns to perform the work under close supervision while the Public Utility Inspector II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Learns to conduct inspections of equipment of electric, gas, telephone, water and sewerage utilities;

Learns to test and adjust calorimeters, gas flows provers and other special equipment in the Commission’s laboratory or in meter shops of the utility;

Learns to conduct tests of utility customers’ gas, electric and water meters;

Learns to investigate utility customers’ complaints concerning utility service;

Learns to respond to utility customers by phone, in person, or by letter concerning those complaints;

Travels throughout the State to conduct inspections and investigations;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of introductory level algebra, trigonometry, physics, electricity, and electronics;

Ability to learn the basic theory and principles of the operation of electric, gas, telephone, water and sewerage utility systems;

Ability to learn the methods, procedures and instruments used in the testing of meters, or in the inspection of equipment or in the investigation of safety procedures used by public service companies;

Ability to exercise independent judgment in conducting those inspections;

Ability to communicate with the public and with representatives of public service companies;

Ability to prepare reports of observations, inspections and tests;

Ability to prepare replies to complaints of consumers.

Education:   Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate, including or supplemented by courses in algebra, trigonometry, physics, and electricity or electronics.

Experience: Two years of experience in the assembly, repair or inspection of electrical or mechanical equipment.

Note: Candidates may substitute education in the engineering curriculum at an accredited college or university at the rate of 30 credit hours for each year of the required experience.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.  An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime as provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance level in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class, as defined by the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.