Jobs › Dairyland Power Cooperative

Operations Technician I, II or III - RockGen (Cambridge, WI)

Dairyland Power Cooperative · Cambridge, WI · $33.08–$49.62 an hour · Full time

Posted Aug 26, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time you noticed something small that turned out to be a big problem.

What they are checking: Whether they pay close attention during routine work, which prevents failures.

How do you stay alert and focused on long or overnight shifts?

What they are checking: Whether they take shift work and fatigue seriously in a safety-critical job.

How do you hand off to the next shift so nothing gets missed?

What they are checking: Whether they communicate clearly about plant status and ongoing work.

What interests you about working at a power plant like RockGen?

What they are checking: Whether they understand the job and are motivated to grow through the technician levels.

What would you do

An alarm comes in on a plant system during your rounds. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they respond calmly, check conditions and work with the Control Room Operator as directed.

The Control Room Operator gives you an instruction you think is unsafe. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they speak up respectfully and stop work when safety is in question.

About the work

What are you looking for when you do rounds at a gas-fired generating plant?

What they are checking: Whether they know how to spot leaks, abnormal noises, temperatures and pressures before they become problems.

Tell me about your experience with turbines, pumps, compressors or other rotating equipment.

What they are checking: Whether they have hands-on equipment experience that fits a combined cycle or peaking plant.

Walk me through how you'd hang a clearance or lockout on a pump for maintenance.

What they are checking: Whether they understand isolation procedures that keep maintenance workers safe.

What basic maintenance have you done, and how do you know when to call in a specialist?

What they are checking: Whether they can handle routine work and know their limits.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Dairyland Power Cooperative from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

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The full job description

As published by Dairyland Power Cooperative.

Are you ready to join an organization where we focus on People First, have fun at work and make a difference in what we do? Dairyland is proud of our People First culture centered around appreciation, celebrating wins and collaboration. We’ve worked hard to ensure alignment between our culture and our processes and systems, learning and development and rewards and recognition programs. As a team, we work together to leverage the team’s diverse perspectives, ideas and experiences to deliver nothing less than the best. We are collaborative, transparent and committed to our People and their work experience, growth and professional development. Hiring Salary Range: Level I - $33.08 - $49.62 / hour Level II - $37.21 - $55.82 / hour Level III - $42.79 - $64.18 / hour Compensation is determined by a combination of factors, including but not limited to education, work experience, and certifications. The actual offer may vary, reflecting the candidate's unique blend of experience, educational background, and skill level The Impact You’ll Make in This Role: This position is responsible for monitoring the status of all plant systems, controlling routing operations, responding to alarms and abnormal conditions by taking appropriate corrective actions as directed by the Control Room Operator, and performs basic routing maintenance activities. The role will assist in plant shutdown and startup procedures as required and assure the plant will meet its generating requirements while operating in a safe and efficient manner. Essential Job Functions: 1. Perform “Auxiliary Operator” duties; assist in starting, operating, and stopping the plant and responding to abnormal and emergency conditions effectively complying with all safety and environmental requirements. 2. Continuously monitor system and component conditions to determine plant and equipment performance. 3. Operate all plant equipment to meet plant dispatch requirements and report issues identified with plant equipment to the Control Room Operator, Lead, and/or Plant Manager. 4. Assist in conducting performance testing and acceptance testing for existing and newly commissioned plant equipment. 5. Adjust control systems to regulate load on Gas Turbines to maintain proper conditions. 6. Perform emergency activities to maintain electric service and safeguard station personnel and equipment. 7. Control all plant evolutions to ensure safe conduct and compliance with policies and procedures. 8. Perform basic mechanical maintenance activities duties such as predictive and preventive maintenance, replacing basic parts including filters, baskets, tubing, component replacement, repacking bearings, etc. 9. Perform the tasks of opening, closing, racking, resetting, and routine maintenance on breakers and switchgear up to 220kV. 10. Conduct basic troubleshooting and analysis on indication and control equipment. 11. Collect and analyze trend information to evaluate equipment performance and to forecast possible equipment failures. 12. Assist in and support major maintenance on plant equipment that is conducted by outside contractors. 13. Authorize parts and material withdrawal from stock for daily and long-term work assignments. 14. Coordinate site activities with purchasing and stores ensuring proper stocking and ordering of necessary parts and equipment. Purchase parts and materials locally with credit card and reconcile charges at the end of the month. 15. Ensure all department maintenance manuals, operating manuals, equipment files, and drawings are maintained and updated. 16. Support and enhance where possible the plant preventative/predictive maintenance effort, with ideas and suggestions for improved maintenance practice or operating procedure. 17. Provide feedback to the department manager on department activities, training requirements, and other issues of concern. 18. Facilitate and support other DPC department activities. Ensure all involved are kept informed on issues of their concerns. 19. Perform all other duties as assigned. Minimum Qualifications: Education & Experience : Level I: Associated degree in electrical, instrument, mechanical, or power plant related field with minimum of one (1) power plant experience in operations or maintenance highly preferred. Additional experience with mechanical repair, electrical and control systems preferred. Prefer previous experience with combustion turbines and process control. Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered. Skills: Basic math skills, good verbal, and written communication skills. Proficient with the use of hand, precision, and power tools. Ability to work independently without direct supervision. Knowledge of hazards involved and safety precautions to be practiced in the operation and maintenance of power plant equipment and machinery. Ability to work within and ensure strict adherence to all safety practices and procedures. Basic data entry and computer skills. Ability to interpret and use equipment drawings, design specifications, system descriptions, control instrumentation, safety procedures, and emergency response procedures. Ability to troubleshoot and problem solve independently and with others. Physical Demands : Position requires variable work hours and schedules established by operational needs. Sitting, standing, kneeling, crouching, crawling, twisting upper body, walking, bending, reaching, stretching, writing, hearing, speaking, seeing, fingering, gasping, climbing (including stairs, ladders, and use of mechanical lifting devices). Entry into confined spaces required. Occasionally working in areas of extreme noise with hearing protection. Pushing, pulling, lifting to 50 pounds) and ability to wear protective equipment such as safety glasses, respirators, SCBA, etc. Requires use of tools, electronic control equipment, and general office equipment. Must be able to be certified for operation of telescopic forklift, aerial boom lift, and other on-site equipment. Ability to recognize colors associated with operator displays and audio alarms including variations in sound. Environmental Demands : Works independently (often alone) and with others in a team environment. Requires periodic offsite maintenance/operations training. Position currently anticipated to require ability to adapt to schedule changes with starting times established by operational needs. Requires overtime response to unscheduled unit runs and problems. Must reside within a reasonable distance from the plant to be able to respond within one hour to operational needs or emergencies. Dairyland Benefits: We are committed to providing our greatest asset, our People, with as many perks and benefits as possible. Some benefits of working with us include: - Health & disability benefits (medical, dental, vision, short & long-term disability) - Life insurance - Generous 401(k) and Pension Plans - Paid Time Off - Robust Wellness Program - New Flexible Work Program - Tuition Reimbursement - So much more! Dairyland Power Cooperative is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. If you are an individual with disabilities who needs accommodation or you are having difficulty using our website to apply for employment, contact our HR Department at 608-788-4000.

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