Skilled Trades Supervisor

Salary: $94,200 - $115,100 annually depending on experience.  MSU Benefits - Free comprehensive health care for you and your family as well as a 10% contribution toward your retirement; Generous sick, vacation, personal and holiday time; This position is not eligible for remote work. Regular, in-person attendance is required to meet business and customer needs.

MSU Power Plant consists of an electricity/steam co-generation (cogen), reciprocating internal combustion engine (RICE), and auxiliary (AUX) boiler facilities with a combined capability of over 120 MW and 1,000 kpph steam. The cogen facility includes 4 high pressure boilers, one combustion turbine with heat recover steam generator, and 5 steam turbines. The RICE facility consists of three (3) 9.3 MW engines. The AUX boiler facility produces 90 psi steam directly for campus use. All are 100% natural gas.

This position leads the power plant operations team in all aspects to support University mission and goals and to continuously improve performance related to the Power & Water Department's primary goals of safety, reliability, and efficiency. The Power Plant Operations Supervisor is responsible for determining and communicating operational philosophy to support department goals over the long-term and on a day-to-day basis. This position is a member of the Power & Water Department management team and is responsible for building a strong operations team who are empowered to effectively carry out their daily work and act in accordance with University Rules Governing Personal Conduct for Staff including, but not limited to, being respectful, collaborative, solutions-based, and proactive. 

The Power Plant Operations Supervisor is directly responsible for all aspects of power plant operation including guiding unionized operators who currently work on a DuPont rotating 12-hour shift schedule and assisting the operations staff in responding to/attending to operational incidents or emergencies on a 24/7/365 basis.  

This position is responsible for all aspects of power plant operations staff recruitment, training, operational procedures, promotions, interpretation of union contract, policies and procedures, budget oversight, and other supervisory duties.

In addition to an initial drug test at hire, the employer conducts random monthly drug testing throughout the year.

Job responsibilities are as follows:
40%:  Responsible for complete operational activities including, but not limited to: developing dispatch and operating instructions balancing the need for reliability and efficiency; monitoring the operations team for compliance with dispatch and operating instructions, operating routines, switching operations, policies and procedures; planning and conducting routine insurance and regulatory inspections and tests; monitoring equipment operating trends, taking initiative to improve reliability, availability, and efficiency and to prevent equipment trips and damage; coordinating operations activities with department supervisors, engineers, and contractors; and investigating and reporting on outage/service interruption incident root cause and recommended remedies.

20%:  Perform all supervisor responsibilities for the operations staff, ensuring that they perform all of the duties necessary to safely, reliably, and efficiently operate the plant equipment, meeting dispatch, demand, reliability, and efficiency requirements.   Communicate effectively to staff members addressing issues in a proactive manner. 

10%:  Ensure compliance with all environmental, health, and safety policies, laws, and regulations; ensure compliance with University, IPF, and Power & Water Department rules, policies, and procedures.  Ensure compliance with safety policies such as, but not limited to, Lock-out Tag-out (LOTO) and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Establish and sustain a culture that promotes a safe and inclusive work environment.  

10%:  Improve the power plant operating, abnormal operating, and emergency response procedures and control room practices to accepted industry standards and practices.

10%:  Execute and improve the operator training qualification program to ensure operation staff is trained and fully qualified to perform their duties. Incorporate leadership, soft skill, and safety training as needed.

10%:  Complete all required operational and human resource/payroll/administrative documentation and reports. Coordinate operation staff recruitment to fill open or vacant positions per University and IPF policies and practices.

This position will engage in high performing, leading edge practices, valuing people, partners and stewardship.

Knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired from specialized training such as that acquired in at least one year of college, technical, vocational, or trade school with coursework in the operation and maintenance of electrical generation, steam generation, and related balance of plant equipment in a power, steam, co-generation trade or engineering; five to eight years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in supervising in the power industry, merchant marines, military, or similar environment systems in industrial process facilities; or an equivalent combination of education and experience; possession of a valid vehicle operator's license; must meet MSU safe driving standards and drive a University vehicle to perform job duties of this classification.  

Possession of a City of Detroit 1st Class Stationary Engineer's License, a National Institute for the Uniform Licensing of Power Engineers (NIULPE) Chief Engineer License, 1st Class Stationary Engineer's License, or equivalent.

Must be able to perform the full range of duties, with or without a reasonable accommodation, in an environment that has high levels of heat and noise; inspect equipment or activities in various locations that may be located 0 - 40 feet above the floor and potentially beneath or around rotating or immovable objects or in confined spaces.

A minimum of ten (10) years of related operational experience in the power industry, merchant marines, military, or similar environment including at least five (5) of those years at the supervisory level. Expert knowledge of the operation and maintenance of electrical generation, steam generation, and related balance of plant equipment in a power, steam, co-generation, or similar plant.  Must understand the stand-alone operating and maintenance characteristics of major power/steam/co-gen plant equipment, how groups of equipment function as systems, and how the systems interrelate. Communication and organizational skills with the ability to supervise and manage effectively. People management skills and experience with engaging people at various levels in the organization. Analytical skills necessary to develop dispatch instructions to meet campus demands while meeting reliability and efficiency goals. Ability to analyze performance and efficiency of equipment, systems, and the plant to optimize energy production and use. Ability to investigate incident root cause and develop recommended actions.  Associates or Bachelors degree in a related engineering or technical discipline.

Experience in writing and implementing operating procedures; experience in labor relations practices; working knowledge of Microsoft Office 365 products (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams); knowledge of industrial process facility computerized work order management and enterprise business/financial management software; excellent collaboration with a diverse population; ability to work independently and as an effective member of a team; excellent organizational skills with the ability to multi-task yet give attention to detail with frequent interruptions; ability to handle confidential information with complete discretion; self-starter with solid decision-making skills and demonstrated ability to follow-through; desire for continuous learning.

A lifelong learner and problem solver with strong technical skills and communication skills, who focuses on innovative solutions aligned with University goals.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Please submit a resume and cover letter.

6:30am - 3:30pm

ipf.msu.edu

Must be able to perform the full range of duties, with or without a reasonable accommodation, in an environment that has high levels of heat and noise; inspect equipment or activities in various locations that may be located 0 - 40 feet above the floor and potentially beneath or around rotating or immovable objects or in confined spaces.

Risks that have been identified by Environmental Health and Safety are exposure to lead, asbestos, respirable crystallized silica, mercury, and PCB.

Advertised: Jul 14, 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: Jul 21, 2026 Eastern Daylight Time

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