Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator IV Senior

Department: Charlotte Water Department

Salary: $31.20 - $48.75 Commensurate with Experience

Welcome to the City of Charlotte

Charlotte is America’s Queen City, opening her arms to a diverse and inclusive community of residents, businesses and visitors alike. Here you will find a safe, family-oriented city where people work together to help everyone thrive. The mission of the City of Charlotte is to deliver quality public services and promote the safety, health, and quality of life for all residents.

Our guiding principles include:

• Attracting and retaining a skilled and diverse workforce

• Valuing teamwork, openness, accountability, productivity, and employee development

• Providing all customers with courteous, responsive, accessible, and seamless quality services

• Taking initiative to identify, analyze, and solve problems

• Collaborating with stakeholders to make informed decisions

SUMMARY

Charlotte’s local government, with more than 9,000 employees and a total budget of $4.49 billion budget, works hard to ensure that the community will be a winning city for everyone – a truly remarkable place to live, work, learn and play

Charlotte Water is an enterprise department of the City of Charlotte and one of the largest public water and sewer service providers in the southeast with over 330,000 customer accounts and over 1300 employees. Our service area includes the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and the towns of Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Mint Hill, Matthews, and Pineville. Charlotte Water’s FY 27 operating budget is $685.6 million and a five-year capital program of $2.5 billion.

Salary:

The salary for this offer is: $35.10-$38.99, Commensurate with Experience

Work Schedule:

1st Shift:    Friday – Monday  6:00AM– 4:00PM

2nd Shift:   Friday – Monday   2:00-PM -12:00AM

3rd Shift:   Friday – Monday   10:00PM – 8:00AM  

Job Summary:

This position is to function as the lead operator at an assigned wastewater treatment plant and ensure compliance with the plant's NPDES. This is accomplished by being the lead operator on an assigned shift at the plant; providing technical direction to other operators as needed; troubleshooting and resolving issues with plant equipment and/or processes; monitoring equipment and processes for proper operations; and communicating any potential issues with the appropriate person. Other duties include performing special projects as assigned by the Chief or Supervisor; following all safety rules and protocols; maintaining records; and making rounds of the specific process or processes assigned. Normal work shifts are 4-10hr days per week, with 3 days off.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Functions as lead operator on a shift and ensures proper process control activities are completed; reviewing/evaluating any abnormal results; determining appropriate actions; personally conducting some of the testing by collecting, testing, and analyzing process control samples; inputting operational data into computer software; analyzing biological bacteria; conducting settleability test; collecting composite samples; monitoring sludge blanket levels; calibrating and monitoring automatic samplers for permit compliance; and running additional tests as needed to ensure proper process control.
• Functions as lead operator on a shift and works with plant staff to ensure that flows and loadings are maintained by monitoring various tests; evaluating plant data; observing plant equipment and processes; and taking appropriate action to correct any abnormal conditions.  
• Functions as lead operator and ensures proper plant operation by working with operators to perform normal daily functions; evaluating abnormal operating characteristics of equipment or processes; making adjustments as needed; and coordinating actions with the Chief or Supervisor.  
• Maintains plant records and documents; serves as Backup to the ORC; and serving as supervisor in the absence of the Chief Operator and Plant Supervisor.
• Performs administrative work by assisting Chief Operator and/or Supervisor with special assignments; ensuring assigned shift is in compliance with normal operational requirements as well as with special requirements due to plant upgrades, system interruptions, and other special circumstances; ordering chemicals; ensuring consistency between shifts; and serving on various committees.   
• Participate in Active Safety Assessments throughout the plant, which includes weekly and monthly safety checks to ensure compliance with OSHA standards. This task may include training of operators and minor adjustments to equipment to meet these standards.
• Assist in training operations of essential functions around the plant to keep operators up to date on process changes, emergency process protocols, and environmental awareness strategies.
• Participate on project teams, including ISO 14001 ongoing compliance and review. 
• Handle special projects as assigned by the plant supervisor.
• Ability to calibrate and maintain process equipment, including but not limited to: DO meter and probes, Chemscan testing units, pH meters, weight scales, and other lab equipment
• Perform building cleaning regularly, which may include washing of floors, pulling down webs, wiping down surfaces, emptying trash, etc.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

• Requires some team lead experience with the ability to oversee work and provide guidance. 
• Must have an advanced knowledge and understanding of wastewater treatment principles and practices.  
• Must have excellent oral/written communication skills and organizational skills
• Requires the ability to work cooperatively with other city employees and the public.
• Ability to solve diverse operations and/or mechanical problems.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Preferred Bachelor's or Associate's degree in Environmental Science, Biology, Chemistry, or related field. 

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent. 
• Three (3) years of related work experience in Wastewater Treatment Plant Operations. 

Licenses, Certifications or Registrations:

• Must have a valid Driver's License
• Must obtain and maintain a City Driver's Permit
• Requires a Biological Wastewater IV License

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The work is medium work and requires applying 30 pounds of force frequently and exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally to move objects. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required: manual dexterity, grasping, handling, perceiving sounds at normal speaking levels, distinguishing among sounds, lifting, mental acuity, reaching, speaking, standing, talking, and visual acuity in data/color/observations/equipment/inspections.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:     

Work is performed regularly where decisions are made that could lead to major community or organizational consequences if there is a failure to make the appropriate decision at the time. Requires working an assigned shift and working weekends and/or holidays.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

This job description is not intended to be and should not be construed as an inclusive list of all the responsibilities, skills, or working conditions associated with the position. While it is intended to accurately reflect the position activities and requirements, management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties and assign other duties at any time.  This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were written out in this job description.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

The City’s Background Check Policy requires background checks to be conducted on final internal or external candidate(s) applying for any position with the City of Charlotte. The type of information that will be collected as part of a background check includes, but is not limited to: reference checks, social security verification, education verification, criminal conviction record check, and, if applicable, a credit history check, sex offender registry and motor vehicle records check.

Background checks must be in compliance with all federal and state statutes, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The checks must be consistent with the guidelines set forth by these laws requiring organizations to obtain a candidate’s written authorization before obtaining a criminal background report, motor vehicle records check or credit report; and to properly store and dispose of information derived from such reports.

Final candidates must pass a pre-employment drug-screening test and physical examination. During the selection process, candidates may be asked to take a skills test, and/or participate in other assessments.

The City of Charlotte is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or on the basis of actual or perceived gender as expressed through dress, appearance, or behavior.

Our culture is to serve the community honorably.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply online.

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job.

You are welcome to visit the City of Charlotte Human Resources Department lobby, where self-service application kiosks are available. They are located in our office at 700 East 4th Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28202. We are open Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (EST), excluding official City holidays.

For questions about your application or the hiring process, please email Careers@ci.charlotte.nc.us

The City of Charlotte is committed to making our services and programs accessible to all. Upon request, auxiliary aids, written materials in alternate formats, language access, and other reasonable accommodations or modifications will be provided. To make a request, please fill out the Innovation & Technology ADA request form or call 704.336.4120.

BENEEFITS

The City of Charlotte provides a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees.

Click here to learn more about the City of Charlotte’s benefits.

The City of Charlotte is a drug and alcohol-free workplace.