Utilities Specialist 1

This position plays a key role in supporting the regulation of utility companies and common carriers across Louisiana. Responsibilities include providing technical and analytical support, reviewing applications and tariffs, ensuring regulatory compliance, supporting rate and ownership reviews, investigating consumer complaints, and contributing to hearings when needed.

In this role, you’ll help advance the Commission’s mission to balance fair returns for utilities with safe, reliable, and reasonably priced services for Louisiana customers.

If you’re ready to apply your expertise to impactful regulatory work—from evaluating filings to helping shape decisions that affect utilities statewide—we encourage you to apply today.

The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.

Job Duties:

• Review requests for authority from Telecommunications Service Providers (TSP’s). Evaluates the application and proposed tariff for compliance with all LPSC Orders, Rules, and Regulations. Works closely with the Petitioner to resolve any deficiencies, facilitating the application process to completion, including the issuance of a Certificate of Authority.

• Assists the Legal Division in the review of applications from regulated providers to ensure proper rate application, flow-through procedures, proposed changes of ownership/control, name changes, and assessment of fees in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations, and ensures the utility submits any appropriate required compliance reports timely once a Commission order has been issued.

• Maintains monthly bill comparisons for water and sewer utilities for distribution to Commissioners and Staff.

• Maintains a record of notices sent from other regulatory agencies detailing any type of enforcement action issued to a utility and tracks the company's responses to these enforcement actions and sends out notices of these actions to the Commissioners and their Executive Assistants.

• May testify at LPSC Hearings before an Administrative Law Judge concerning any Water, Wastewater Utility, or TSP docketed proceeding.

• Maintains a working knowledge and can interpret Commission Orders concerning the provision of telecommunications services.

• Evaluates filings from regulated TSPs that make notification of a proposed change of ownership or control, or a proposed change in corporate name, and ensures requests comply with all relevant LPSC Orders, Rules, and Regulations.

• Reviews applications for authority from Water and/or Wastewater Providers. Evaluates the application and proposed tariff for compliance with all LPSC Orders, Rules, and Regulations.

• Receives and investigates complaints regarding rates and services of telecommunications, water, wastewater, electric, or natural gas utilities regulated by the LPSC. Ensures that any complaints received directly are entered into the Consumer Complaint Tracking System and that open complaints are disposed of correctly.

Position-Specific Details:

Appointment Type: Probational and Promotional

Career Progression: This position participates in a Career Progression Group (CPG): Utilities Specialist 1-3. This position provides the opportunity to advance within the job series.

Work Schedule: Work hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday-Friday.

How To Apply:

To apply for this vacancy, click on the “Apply” link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities. Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.

* Information to support your eligibility for the position must be included in the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education). Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.

Contact Information:

For further information about this vacancy, contact:

Sara Simpson

Louisiana Public Service Commission

Sara.simpson@la.gov

Louisiana is a State As a Model Employer (SAME) that supports the recruitment, hiring, and retention of individuals with disabilities.