Hydroelectric Production Managers

Career Overview

Manage operations at hydroelectric power generation facilities. Maintain and monitor hydroelectric plant equipment for efficient and safe plant operations.

Also Known As

• Plant Manager
• Power Plant Superintendent
• Power Plant Supervisor
• Power Project Manager

Alternate Job Titles

• Demand Generation Manager
• Generation Manager
• Hydroelectric Generation Manager (Hydro Generation Manager)
• Hydroelectric Generation Supervisor (Hydro Generation Supervisor)
• Hydroelectric Plant Site Manager (Hydro Plant Site Manager)
• Hydroelectric Production Manager
• Hydroelectric Station Chief
• Hydroelectric Station Supervisor (Hydro Station Supervisor)
• Plant Manager
• Plant Site Leader
• Power Plant Superintendent
• Power Plant Supervisor
• Power Project Manager
• Production Manager
• Renewables Project Manager

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

• Direct operations, maintenance, or repair of hydroelectric power facilities.
• Identify and communicate power system emergencies.
• Maintain records of hydroelectric facility operations, maintenance, or repairs.
• Perform or direct preventive or corrective containment or cleanup to protect the environment.
• Monitor or inspect hydroelectric equipment, such as hydro-turbines, generators, or control systems.
• Inspect hydroelectric facilities, including switchyards, control houses, or relay houses, for normal operation or adherence to safety standards.
• Supervise or monitor hydroelectric facility operations to ensure that generation or mechanical equipment conform to applicable regulations or standards.

Emerging Responsibilities

As this field evolves, you may also:

• Train employees in power plant operations.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• Mechanical
• Public Safety and Security
• Administration and Management
• English Language
• Engineering and Technology
• Computers and Electronics
• Personnel and Human Resources
• Education and Training

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

1. Active Listening
2. Speaking
3. Reading Comprehension
4. Monitoring
5. Judgment and Decision Making
6. Critical Thinking
7. Time Management
8. Management of Personnel Resources
9. Active Learning
10. Learning Strategies

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Oral Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Written Comprehension
• Problem Sensitivity
• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning
• Speech Recognition
• Perceptual Speed
• Speech Clarity
• Written Expression

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Achievement
• Working Conditions
• Recognition
• Independence
• Relationships

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)

Related Work Experience Needed: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years

On-the-Job Training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months

Education Details: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Experience Required: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

• Apache Kafka
• Microsoft Access
• Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Project
• Microsoft SQL Server
• Microsoft Word
• Oracle Database

Tools & Equipment

• Dam water flow controls
• Desktop computers
• Electrical circuit breakers
• Electrical switch gear
• Hydraulic power generation equipment
• Hydroelectric power generator controls
• Impulse turbines
• Laptop computers
• Mobile radios
• Personal computers
• Power transformers
• Protective ear muffs
• Protective respirators
• Reaction turbines
• Safety glasses

Work Environment

• E-Mail
• Telephone Conversations
• Health and Safety of Other Workers
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
• Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets

Salary & Job Market

Wages reported for the broader Industrial Production Managers occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Hydroelectric Production Managers.

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$74,900
Median	$121,440
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$197,310

Workers Employed Nationally: 234,380

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.