Wastewater Facilities Operator I/II/III/IV

City of Redlands•Redlands, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Under general supervision, performs a variety of skilled technical duties in operating the City's wastewater treatment plant, lift station, and percolation ponds. Operator I is the entry level in the class series, generally working under supervision within established procedures and potentially serving as a training level. Operators II, III, and IV are journey levels that perform the full range of assigned duties independently, using judgment and initiative, and generally receive only occasional guidance in new or unusual situations. The series is flexibly staffed and may be filled through advancement from lower levels or by hiring an external candidate with experience sufficient to meet the qualifications for the level. The position requires a high school diploma or equivalent and a valid California driver's license, or the ability to obtain one by appointment. College coursework in chemistry, biology, environmental sciences, and/or wastewater technology is preferred. Experience and certification requirements vary by level: Operator I requires six months of related experience and specified California Water Resources Control Board certifications within set periods after appointment; Operator II, III, and IV require two, three, and four years of related experience, respectively, and the corresponding Grade II, III, or IV Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certificate. The work may involve office and outdoor settings, travel between sites, physical activity including lifting up to 50 pounds, exposure to environmental and operational hazards, and after-hours emergency call-outs and standby duty.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid California driver's license at the time of appointment.
Operator I: Six months of experience operating wastewater treatment facilities and equipment.
Operator I: Obtain an Operator-in-Training (OIT) Certificate issued by the State of California Water Resources Control Board within six months of appointment.
Operator I: Obtain a Grade I Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certificate issued by the State of California Water Resources Control Board within 18 months of appointment.
Operator II: Two years of experience operating wastewater treatment facilities and equipment and possession of a Grade II Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certificate issued by the State of California Water Resources Control Board.
Operator III: Three years of experience operating wastewater treatment facilities and equipment and possession of a Grade III Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certificate issued by the State of California Water Resources Control Board.
Operator IV: Four years of experience operating wastewater treatment facilities and equipment and possession of a Grade IV Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certificate issued by the State of California Water Resources Control Board.
Ability to work in a standard office environment and outdoors, and travel to different sites and locations.
Ability to sit, stand, walk, kneel, crouch, stoop, squat, climb, and lift up to 50 pounds.
Ability to respond to emergency call-out situations and perform after-hours standby duty for emergency response.

Nice To Haves

College-level coursework in chemistry, biology, environmental sciences, and/or wastewater technology.

Responsibilities

Monitor plant functions using SCADA, gauges, graphs, meters, control panels, and chemical analyses.
Operate wastewater treatment processes.
Make daily rounds of the plant and perform wastewater treatment and plant maintenance duties.
Interpret meter, gauge, computer, graph, and test-result readings to identify changes in operating conditions and determine processing requirements.
Coordinate plant operations activities across a variety of areas.
Assist wastewater personnel with complex problems and emergencies.
Inform supervisors and coworkers of current and potential problems and hazards.
Clean tanks, screens, filters, drying beds, pipes, clarifiers, pumps, and ponds.
Calculate flow rates and calibrate meters and instruments.
Maintain daily log books and round sheets.
Enter equipment readings and test results into hourly, daily, and monthly reports.
Perform custodial and grounds maintenance, including sweeping, painting, carpentry, plumbing, and general housekeeping.
Monitor lift station operation and flare systems, including landfill gas and digester gas.
Collect, document, and deliver process-control and compliance samples, recycled-water bacteriological samples, and biosolids to a laboratory for analysis.
Perform other related duties as assigned.