Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Underground Electrician

🎯 Role Definition

The Underground Electrician is a skilled trades professional responsible for installing, maintaining, troubleshooting, and repairing underground electrical distribution infrastructure — including direct-buried cable, ductbanks, manholes, vaults, transformers, and associated conduit systems. This role requires hands-on expertise in cable splicing and jointing, fault locating, excavation and backfill best practices, and strict adherence to safety standards (OSHA, NFPA 70E). The Underground Electrician works on utility, municipal, commercial, and industrial projects, coordinating with field crews, inspectors, contractors, and customers to ensure timely, code-compliant power delivery and restoration.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Electrical Apprentice (Underground focus)
Overhead Lineman or Cable Technician transitioning to underground distribution
Electrical Construction Laborer with trenching/utility experience

Advancement To:

Senior Underground Electrician / Lead Technician
Crew Foreman or Field Supervisor (Utility Construction)
Project Superintendent or Construction Manager
Substation/Distribution Systems Technician or Specialist

Lateral Moves:

Overhead Lineman / Distribution Lineman
Substation or Relay Technician
Cable Splicing Specialist / Jointing Technician

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Install, terminate, and splice low, medium, and high-voltage underground power cables (direct-buried, in conduit, and in ductbanks) following manufacturer instructions and utility construction standards.
Perform complex cable splicing and jointing (paper insulated, EPR, XLPE, fluid-filled) in manholes and vaults with precision, ensuring low-loss, code-compliant connections and documented splice records.
Read, interpret, and work from electrical drawings, single-line diagrams, plan sets, utility maps, and construction specifications to execute underground distribution and service installations.
Excavate and prepare trenches, install conduit, ductbanks, vaults, and handholes, and perform safe backfill and compaction to meet civil and electrical specifications while protecting installed infrastructure.
Operate cable pulling equipment, tensioners, winches, and capstans to install conductors to manufacturer tension limits while preventing conductor damage and ensuring proper bend radii.
Perform system commissioning and testing — insulation resistance tests, hipot testing, continuity, phase rotation, and time/current/fault tests — and document test results in accordance with project and regulatory requirements.
Troubleshoot and locate faults in underground cable systems using TDRs, fault locators, surge generators, and continuity equipment; isolate and repair faults to restore service with minimal outage durations.
Install and ground pad-mounted and pole-mounted transformers, switchgear, feed-throughs, and secondary metering equipment; make primary and secondary interconnections and ensure proper phasing.
Follow confined-space entry, manhole entry, and trench-shoring procedures, including air-monitoring and lockout/tagout (LOTO) protocols, to mitigate hazards and protect crews during underground operations.
Implement and maintain traffic control plans, barricades, signage, and pedestrian protection when working in public rights-of-way, coordinating permits and utility notifications as required.
Coordinate closely with utility operators, inspectors, civil contractors, and project managers to schedule shutdowns, cutovers, and energization with clear communication and minimal customer impact.
Perform emergency restoration work for underground system outages — assess damage, expedite repairs, reroute service, and communicate status updates to stakeholders under high-pressure conditions.
Prepare accurate as-built drawings, splice records, test reports, and daily field reports; update GIS or asset management systems to reflect completed work and changed conditions.
Install and test grounding and bonding systems for underground equipment, ensuring compliance with NEC, IEEE, and local utility grounding standards for personnel and system protection.
Maintain, calibrate, and safely use specialized tools and test equipment (megohmmeters, TDRs, phasing sticks, fault locators, fusion splicers, hydraulic cable cutters) and report any tool or equipment defects.
Supervise and train apprentices or junior electricians in safe cable handling, splicing techniques, conduit placement, and site best practices to develop crew capability and compliance.
Perform preventive maintenance on underground distribution equipment — exercise switches, test transformers, inspect manholes and vaults for moisture, and replace aging components as scheduled.
Manage material requisitions, verify incoming parts against purchase orders and drawings, and ensure proper storage of splicing kits, cable reels, lubricant, and sealing materials on site.
Enforce rigorous personal protective equipment (PPE), arc flash, and electrical safety rules; conduct pre-job briefings (toolbox talks) and job hazard analyses (JHA) for every assignment.
Coordinate excavation, shoring, and utility locates with third-party vendors, ensuring safe dig practices and adherence to One-Call/811 requirements before trenching.
Install fiber optic or control wiring as required for SCADA, protection systems, or communication-linked equipment, performing terminations and continuity testing.
Execute restoration grading and surface repair after electrical work is complete, coordinating with civil/landscape crews to return the site to pre-work condition or better.
Participate in quality control checks, punch-list resolution, and closeout documentation to support final inspection and customer acceptance.

Secondary Functions

Maintain accurate inventory records for splicing kits, cable accessories, tools, and PPE; request replenishment to avoid project delays.
Assist project management with daily labor, equipment, and material reporting to support budgeting and schedule forecasts.
Participate in continuous improvement initiatives — suggest safer, faster, and more cost-effective installation and testing methods based on field experience.
Provide on-the-job mentorship and structured training for apprentices to increase crew versatility and retention.
Support procurement teams by reviewing product data sheets and vendor recommendations for cable accessories, conduit systems, and testing equipment.
Help coordinate environmental compliance and erosion control measures during trenching and site restoration to meet municipal requirements.
Conduct periodic site inspections to ensure subcontractor compliance with electrical standards and contractual safety obligations.
Contribute to incident investigations and corrective action planning if safety events or near misses occur.
Attend project meetings to provide field input on schedule risk, site access, material lead times, and technical clarifications.
Assist in developing and updating standard operating procedures (SOPs) for cable jointing, manhole entry, and energization sequences.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficient cable splicing and jointing for LV/MV/HV systems (paper insulated, EPR, XLPE) with documented acceptance records and quality checks.
Expertise in trenching, conduit/ductbank installation, backfill compaction, and manhole/vault construction to utility standards.
Skilled at using fault locators, TDRs, hipot testers, megohmmeters, phasing meters, and high-voltage test equipment for diagnostics and commissioning.
Ability to install, terminate, and test pad-mounted and switchgear equipment, including transformer primary/secondary connections and protective device coordination.
Strong blueprint, single-line diagram, and plan-reading capability to interpret specs, riser diagrams, and utility construction drawings.
Familiarity with NEC, IEEE, and local utility construction standards and ability to apply them on the job.
Confined space and manhole entry experience with required safety monitoring, harnessing, and rescue procedures.
Competence in cable pulling calculations, tension monitoring, capstan/winch operation, and using pull-blocks and rollers to prevent cable damage.
Experience with grounding/earthing systems, bonding practices, and protective device testing (relays, fuses, breakers) for distribution systems.
Proficient in completing and delivering as-built drawings, splice logs, test reports, and GIS/asset management updates.
Equipment operation skills (backhoe, excavator, trencher) or ability to coordinate equipment operators safely on site.
Basic fiber optic termination and testing skills (where applicable) for communication and control circuits.

Soft Skills

Situational safety awareness with the ability to lead toolbox talks, identify hazards, and enforce safety protocols.
Strong verbal and written communication skills for coordinating with crews, supervisors, inspectors, and customers.
Problem-solving mindset to rapidly diagnose underground faults and develop practical repair strategies under time pressure.
Team leadership and mentoring ability to develop junior staff while maintaining productivity and safety standards.
Time management and organization skills to prioritize repairs, coordinate outages, and meet project milestones.
Attention to detail for high-quality splices, torqueing, and documentation required for regulatory acceptance.
Adaptability to work in varied environments and weather conditions, including nights and emergency call-outs.
Customer-oriented approach to minimize outage impact and communicate restoration timelines clearly.
Collaboration and conflict-resolution skills to work across multiple contractors, utilities, and municipal stakeholders.
Reliability and resilience to handle physically demanding work and sustain performance during extended restoration efforts.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED; strong emphasis on electrical fundamentals and hands-on trade experience.

Preferred Education:

Completion of an accredited Electrical Apprenticeship program or technical diploma in Electrical Technology, Power Systems, or Utility Linework.
Journeyman or equivalent licensure where applicable; additional certifications for cable splicing or utility standards preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Electrical Technology / Electrical Construction
Power Systems / Distribution Engineering technology
Construction Management or Utility Linework training

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–7 years of focused underground electrical distribution experience (cable splicing/jointing and distribution system troubleshooting strongly preferred).

Preferred: 5+ years of underground distribution experience including MV/HV splicing, experience with pad-mounted equipment, commissioning and testing, and at least some supervisory or lead responsibilities. Certifications such as Journeyman Electrician license, OSHA 10/30, Confined Space Entry, NFPA 70E/Arc Flash training, CPR/First Aid, and a valid CDL (where required) are advantageous.