Industrial Wastewater Plant Manager

Villari Foods•Warsaw, NC

7d•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking an experienced Industrial Wastewater Plant Manager to oversee the daily operations, optimization, and compliance of an on-site biological wastewater treatment facility. Food processing generates high-strength wastewater with variable organic loads, nitrogen, phosphorus, and fats, oils, and greases (FOG). The role maintains a resilient biological system to pretreat process water and ensure compliance with the Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) industrial user permit. The position focuses on minimizing city surcharge fees, preventing permit exceedances, and coordinating with municipal authorities.

Requirements

Minimum Grade 2 certificate in good standing with NC WPCSOCC.
At least 5 years of experience in industrial wastewater treatment.
At least 2–3 years in a direct supervisory or management capacity.
State Industrial Wastewater Operator License, or a municipal equivalent recognized by local regulations for pretreatment management.
Expert knowledge of industrial pretreatment standards, local POTW compliance limits, and sewer surcharge frameworks.
Deep understanding of biological nutrient removal (BNR), nitrification, anaerobic treatment, and FOG encapsulation.
High proficiency operating SCADA systems, automated composite samplers, and inline continuous flow-monitoring equipment.
Education and relevant work experience equivalent to the stated preferred degree are accepted.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, or a related science field.
Experience in the Food & Beverage industry, such as dairy, meat processing, bakery, beverage, or brewery.

Responsibilities

Manage and stabilize biological systems, such as anaerobic digesters, activated sludge, SBRs, or MBRs, to reduce BOD and COD before municipal discharge.
Optimize industrial pretreatment systems, including DAF units and screening, to remove FOG and TSS and minimize sewer surcharge penalties.
Manage process chemistry, including pH neutralization, coagulants, and polymers, to protect downstream municipal systems from corrosive or disruptive chemical shocks.
Mitigate the effects of production sanitation cycles by controlling CIP chemical releases and hydraulic surges to maintain biological balance.
Ensure compliance with local POTW industrial pretreatment permit limits, including limits for pH, temperature, heavy metals, and organic loading.
Serve as the primary liaison with city sewer inspectors, municipal engineers, and regulatory auditors during inspections and sampling events.
Oversee POTW-required self-monitoring, sampling, and reporting programs, verifying flow-meter calibration and chain-of-custody protocols.
Collaborate with production leadership to schedule high-strength waste discharges during off-peak sewer hours when necessary.
Supervise, train, and schedule wastewater operators, maintenance technicians, and sampling personnel.
Enforce safety practices, including OSHA compliance, lockout/tagout, confined-space entry, and proper PPE for chemical and biological hazards.
Manage the wastewater facility's operational budget, track municipal sewer fees, and identify cost savings through improved pretreatment efficiency.
Oversee preventive and corrective maintenance of pumps, blowers, clarifiers, dewatering presses, automated flow-monitoring meters, and other specialized equipment.
Use a CMMS to track equipment life cycles, minimize downtime, and maintain spare-parts inventory.