Wastewater Supervisor

CleanHarbors•Commerce City, CO

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Wastewater Supervisor oversees day-to-day operations of PFAS-focused wastewater treatment systems at a refinery client site, ensuring safety, regulatory compliance, and treatment performance. This role leads an on-site team, manages pilot testing and capital upgrades, schedules carbon changeouts, maintains accurate logs and invoicing, and serves as the primary customer point of contact. The ideal candidate brings hands-on industrial wastewater expertise, deep knowledge of PFAS treatment technologies (e.g., GAC, ion exchange, high-pressure membranes), and a continuous improvement mindset.

Requirements

5+ years of industrial wastewater operations experience, preferably in oil & gas/refinery environments, including PFAS or other emerging contaminant treatment.
2+ years of supervisory or lead experience directing on-site operators/technicians.
Hands-on knowledge of PFAS treatment technologies such as granular activated carbon (GAC) and ion exchange (IX), including media breakthrough and changeout planning.
Working knowledge of applicable regulations and permits (e.g., NPDES/indirect discharge, refinery site requirements) and best practices for PFAS sampling/handling.
Strong skills in Excel and data analysis for trend tracking and reporting.
Colorado Wastewater Operator certification (Class B or higher) or ability to obtain within 12 months (or equivalent transferable certification).
Excellent communication and customer service skills; ability to present technical information clearly to non-technical stakeholders.
Ability to lift 50 lbs., climb stairs/ladders, stand for extended periods, and work in outdoor/industrial conditions; ability to wear required PPE and pass respirator fit testing; willingness to work occasional off-shifts, weekends, or on-call as needed.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental, Chemical, or Mechanical Engineering; Environmental Science; or related technical field.
Experience managing carbon/IX systems at refineries or chemical plants, including vendor management and waste profiling/disposal coordination.
Demonstrated success leading pilot studies and scaling recommendations to full-scale systems.
Knowledge of continuous improvement (Lean/6S) and reliability-centered maintenance practices.
Project management experience (scheduling, cost control, change management); PMP a plus.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary on-site liaison; provide regular performance updates, KPIs, and treatment reports; align scope, schedule, and expectations; promptly communicate risks, deviations, and corrective actions.
Maintain accurate daily logs of operator hours, system performance, flows, sampling events, and consumables; submit daily force reports and ensure timely, accurate invoicing and supporting documentation.
Plan and execute pilot testing for PFAS treatment optimization (e.g., media selection, contact time, breakthrough curves); coordinate sampling plans; analyze results to recommend full-scale process adjustments.
Lead scope, schedule, and contractor coordination for upgrades (pumps, vessels, instrumentation, controls); manage commissioning, punch lists, and as-built documentation.
Forecast media life using throughput and breakthrough data; schedule GAC/ION exchange changeouts with vendors; oversee safe vessel isolation, changeout, loading/unloading, and waste profiling/disposition.
Champion safe culture; conduct JSAs, tailgate talks, and audits; ensure compliance with OSHA, refinery site policies, lockout/tagout, confined space, hot work, and respiratory protection.
Operate systems to meet permit and client requirements (e.g., NPDES/indirect discharge limits); ensure compliant PFAS sampling/handling; maintain records for audits; support regulatory reporting.
Monitor SCADA/LIMS data; track KPIs (flow, pressure, media differential pressure, effluent quality); troubleshoot upsets; implement root-cause analysis and corrective/preventive actions (CAPA).
Schedule, mentor, and develop operators/technicians; assign tasks; verify competency on SOPs; conduct performance check-ins; foster a diverse, inclusive, high-performing team culture.
Manage media and filter inventory, spare parts, and consumables; create PM schedules; generate and close work orders; coordinate vendor services and deliveries.
Maintain SOPs, batch records, MOCs, P&IDs, and as-builts; ensure calibration and instrument maintenance; uphold data integrity and document control standards.
Lead response to process upsets or spills; coordinate with refinery and internal EHS; maintain contingency plans and readiness (backup pumps, redundancy, bypass protocols).