JOB OPENING
CITY OF FARMINGTON
JOB POSITION #108: Meter Reader I
NUMBER OF VACANCIES: 1
DEPARTMENT: Electric Utility
PAY GRADE: 675 - Non-Exempt
SALARY RANGE: $20.3461 / Hour
TYPE OF POSITION: Regular, Full-Time
WORK LOCATION: MOC
DAYS WORKED: Monday - Friday
HOURS WORKED: 6:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
APPLICATIONS WILL BE RECEIVED THROUGH:June 24, 2026
Resumes submitted without a City of Farmington application will not be considered in our job selection process.
JOB DUTIES
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
The position requires a person to work alone and independently for approximately seven hours of each eight hour work day, the Meter Reader works under the direction of the Metering Supervisor. Once out on the route, the meter reader works independently except for occasional radio contact; daily supervision by review of hand held computer entries.
May be required to upload/download daily reads for billing if Metering Supervisor is unavailable.
Promotes and follows safe practices, procedures, and safety rules and participates in scheduled Safety Meetings.
Demonstrates honesty, integrity, confidentiality, dependability, and flexibility along with initiative and motivation to organize and complete tasks and meet deadlines.
Performs duties and assignments and conducts self in such a manner as to reflect credit on the Utility.
With 99% accuracy (two errors per 1,000 reads), reads electric and water meters in rural and urban areas. Reads electrical meters (KVAR, demand, cyclometer, pointer, remote and time of use) and water meters (includes touch read remotes). Using a hand-held computer, locates addresses throughout San Juan County, New Mexico and parts of southern Colorado in order to read meters. Records water and electricity usage. Visually reads meters and enters information into hand-held computer for customer billing. Checks meters for tampering.
Notes or contacts office of any unusual changes in consumption, location or malfunctions such as leaks or damaged meters.
Ability to work with angry or difficult customers in an efficient manner; ability to handle and work around dogs and other animals; opens and closes gates when entering customers' property, being careful to leave gates and livestock as found.
Uses metal detector to locate buried meters; uses shovel, ice pick or bailing can, as necessary, to locate or uncover meters.
Occasionally uses binoculars to read distant, inaccessible meters.
Occasional contact with customers. Responds courteously to customers' inquiries and reports problems or discrepancies to supervisor.
Walks several miles in each work day in all types of weather. Operates motor vehicle in all types of weather and on all types of roads; drives and gets in and out of vehicle repeatedly throughout the day.
Communicates frequently with two-way radio.
Maintains any assigned tools and equipment and ensure they are in good working order.
Attendance at work is an essential function of this position.
This position has the responsibility to participate in the City's Environmental, Health, and Safety program. This includes identifying and taking action on environmental, health, and safety issues.
NON ESSENTIAL DUTIES
Assists others in division by hanging warning tags, completing re-reads, rechecks for delinquent customers that have been disconnected for non-payment, and performs occupant change readings.
In case of no access prepares necessary paperwork.
Using department procedures, trains new readers as assigned.
In case of meter tampering, testifies in Court as to condition of meter.
Must perform minor vehicle maintenance when necessary such as changing of tires.
Using maintenance schedule, schedules routine vehicle maintenance at Municipal Vehicle Maintenance.
QUALIFICATIONS
A pre-employment physical and or drug/alcohol test is required for this position.
This position is subject to the City's Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace Program. This includes: pre-employment testing, post-accident testing, reasonable suspicion testing, return-to-duty testing, and follow-up testing.
High school diploma or equivalent required.
Ability to learn county/city roads to locate meter addresses throughout the City, San Juan County, parts of Rio Arriba County, and parts of southern Colorado.
Must have valid New Mexico Driver's License. Ability to drive a 4 wheel drive motor vehicle in all types of weather and terrain and get in and out of the vehicle all day.
Basic mathematical skills required to compute reads which DataCap will not accept.
Ability to learn to perform minor vehicle repairs such as changing a tire.
A calm temperament is required to enable courteous interaction with customers and dogs.
Ability to learn to read electrical meters (KVAR, demand, cyclometer, pointer, remote, time of use) and water meters (includes touch read remotes).
Ability to communicate with two-way radio.
Ability to communicate effectively verbally to ensure proper communication within the City and with customers. Ability to communicate effectively in writing to ensure reports are thorough and interpretable.
Ability to establish and maintain successful, professional working relationships with all co-workers, supervisors, other City departments and the public.
Ability to learn to operate all functions of the hand held computer.
Basic knowledge of meter tampering as defined by the City Code.
Basic knowledge of unsafe service so that it can be reported to supervisor.
Ability to learn billing procedures as established and enforced by Customer Service Division in order to answer customer questions.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. The employee constantly is required to stand; walk; and use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear.
Physical condition to sustain walking up to five miles in one day in all types of weather conditions while bending, stooping and lifting throughout the route.
Ability to lift 56 pounds up to 30 times in an eight hour shift to read industrial water meters, and ability to lift ten pounds overhead while reading and retagging the demand and KVA on electric meters up to 30 times in an eight hour shift.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in outside weather conditions. The employee is frequently exposed to wet and/or humid conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to risk of electrical shock.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER, M/F/D/V.