Supervisor - Production Engineering

Louisville Water Company•Louisville, KY

About The Position

Performs production and process engineering work across field and office settings. The position manages, develops, and implements operator training programs; troubleshoots process control problems; responds to water production emergencies; reviews water quality data and recommends process adjustments; and schedules employees to maintain staffing levels for regulatory compliance and efficient operations. It also manages water treatment chemical contracts, inventories, orders, and deliveries for the Company’s water treatment facilities. The role provides engineering support for treatment plants, distribution pumping stations, and other facilities; proposes and manages capital projects; oversees contractors; develops operating procedures and training; coordinates with engineering, hydraulics, water quality, maintenance, and other teams; and helps ensure compliance with water quality, safety, and regulatory requirements. The position administers a $3.3 million chemical inventory budget and oversees participation in the AWWA Partnership for Safe Drinking Water. The supervisor directly manages assigned employees, including work planning and assignment, training, coaching, and performance management. Work is generally a 40-hour week in office, laboratory, plant, and field environments, and may require travel between work locations, on-call availability, work outside normal business hours, and response during emergencies or disruptions.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, Industrial, or Civil Engineering.
Five years of experience in Process/Production Engineering or Plant Operation.
Ability to obtain a Kentucky Class IV-A plant operator’s license within 18 months of placement.
40-hour Hazardous Material Certificate, or ability to obtain it within 24 months of placement.
Valid driver’s license.
Familiarity with water treatment plant and distribution pumping operations.
Working knowledge of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Oracle Purchasing System, PeopleSoft, ElCom Publisher, and software used in water production, system distribution mapping, and GPS.
Ability to understand, follow, and require employees to adhere to the applicable collective bargaining agreement.
Familiarity with basic contracting, accounting, and coordination.
Demonstrated knowledge of water treatment, water quality, and distribution system hydraulics.
Critical thinking skills for troubleshooting and investigation.
Ability to read pipeline, construction, Piping and Instrumentation, and one-line electrical drawings.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
Familiarity with labor management and collective bargaining agreements.
Familiarity with existing and upcoming USEPA drinking water regulations.
Basic mechanical and electrical knowledge associated with water production.
Ability to explain and train employees with limited technical backgrounds on technical principles and regulations.
Availability on short notice to respond to plant or personnel issues and emergencies.
Thorough knowledge of safety rules and regulations.

Nice To Haves

Professional Engineer licensed in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, or registered in another state with the ability to obtain Kentucky registration.
Supervisory, team lead, or experience coordinating the work of others.
Kentucky Class IV-D water distribution license.

Responsibilities

Provide engineering-level support for process and production projects at treatment plants, distribution pumping stations, and other Louisville Water facilities.
Propose and manage capital projects intended to improve production efficiency.
Manage contractors performing engineering and processing activities on site.
Develop and implement procedures and tasks for water production personnel to support reliable operations and meet current and future U.S. EPA water regulatory requirements.
Develop and implement training programs covering daily production activities, regulatory compliance, OSHA chemical safety, and equipment operation.
Coordinate with hydraulics, engineering, and water quality personnel on treatment, hydraulic, and equipment issues and on changes to treatment operations and distribution infrastructure.
Participate in cross-functional teams to develop or implement policies, procedures, and practices.
Investigate and resolve production problems, including equipment malfunctions, water quality data discrepancies, and safety incidents.
Respond to water production emergencies and develop procedures to reduce future occurrences where applicable.
Manage treatment chemical inventory, purchasing specifications, vendor compliance, supplier issues, usage monitoring, feed rate discrepancies, orders, deliveries, and regulatory compliance.
Coordinate with maintenance personnel on equipment issues, maintenance scheduling, and interim strategies for major repairs; serve as a backup for Maintenance Supervisors.
Audit and approve reports prepared by Plant Operations employees and additional production reports.
Assist the Manager - Plant Operations with development of performance measures for operations personnel and process measures for water quality, service, efficiency, and cost effectiveness.
Ensure operations personnel meet U.S. EPA water regulatory requirements and work with Water Quality and Research to maintain company water quality, compliance, and treatment optimization standards.
Ensure OSHA-required Process Safety Management is implemented in accordance with production procedures and the PSM plan.
Develop, implement, and manage a $3.3 million chemical inventory budget.
Implement and submit applications for the AWWA Partnership for Safe Drinking Water, including developing strategies, coordinating treatment changes, reviewing weekly analyses, resolving process issues, and submitting annual reports.
Maintain knowledge of current and future water quality regulatory requirements and developments in drinking water treatment through training and independent study.
Develop, facilitate, or conduct training on safe equipment operation, chemical hazards, and required daily safety tasks.
Develop, review, publish, maintain, and upgrade departmental work instructions and forms.
Audit GPS system data to monitor employee vehicle usage.
Assist with department intranet administration, including editing and uploading documents and webpages and creating links.
Directly supervise assigned employees through work planning and assignment, training, coaching, and performance management, ensuring work is completed safely and in accordance with company policies and procedures.
Perform other related duties as assigned.