Water Treatment Operator I-II

City of Tulare•Tulare, CA

19h•Onsite

About The Position

Build a stable career keeping our community safe: Join the City of Tulare as a Water Treatment Operator! Are you a mechanically minded professional looking for a secure, hands-on career with excellent growth potential? The City of Tulare is hiring for the Water Treatment Operator I/II series. Whether you are looking to break into the industry at the entry level (Operator I) or bring established journey-level expertise (Operator II), this alternately staffed role allows you to grow your skills, earn advanced certifications, and directly protect the health and safety of our community's water supply. Why This Role Matters Water Treatment Operators are the frontline defenders of our city's public health. In this role, you will do much more than basic maintenance. You will operate high-tech SCADA and PLC software systems, handle water safety calibrations, manage chlorination equipment, and perform skilled mechanical repairs on well pumps, motors, and treatment facilities.

Requirements

Equivalent to completion of the 12th grade, supplemented by training in drinking water quality, treatment, or distribution.
Must possess or be able to obtain a valid Class C California driver’s license.
Water Treatment Operator I (Entry Level) Experience: 1 year of general construction or mechanical maintenance work using hand/power tools and operating light trucks.
Water Treatment Operator II (Journey Level) Experience: 3 years of increasingly responsible experience in public works or water system maintenance, groundwater well sites, chlorination, and water testing.
Knowledge of: Principles, procedures, methods, equipment, materials, and tools used in the electrical and mechanical repair of minor and major equipment systems, including pumps, motors, generators, and pressure regulatory devices.
Knowledge of: Principles, practices, and methods related to the maintenance and repair of various data acquisition and control instrumentation.
Knowledge of: Use, testing, and operation of backflow prevention devices.
Knowledge of: The operation and minor maintenance of a variety of hand and power tools, vehicles and power equipment.
Knowledge of: Basic principles of supervision and training.
Knowledge of: Applicable Federal, State and local laws, ordinances, regulations, and guidelines relevant to assigned duties.
Knowledge of: Basic arithmetic related to mechanical, electrical, and electronic components.
Knowledge of: Safety equipment and practices related to the work.
Knowledge of: Safe driving rules and practices.
Knowledge of: Basic computer software related to work.
Knowledge of: English usage, spelling, vocabulary, grammar and punctuation.
Knowledge of: Techniques for providing a high level of customer service to the public and City staff, in person and over the telephone.
Ability to: Inspect, operate, diagnose problems, and perform preventive maintenance and repair work on electronic meters and recording instruments and SCADA systems; take appropriate action when failures occur.
Ability to: Read and interpret gauges and other recording devices and interpret the information as it relates to repair and maintenance activities.
Ability to: Perform a variety of semi-skilled and skilled tasks in the construction, maintenance, renovation, and repair of water distribution and treatment systems.
Ability to: Inspect, operate, diagnose problems, troubleshoot, and perform preventive maintenance and repair work on electrical and mechanical equipment, systems, and facilities.
Ability to: Perform a variety of minor fabricating and welding duties related to water system construction, maintenance, and repair.
Ability to: Inspect the work of others and maintain established quality control standards.
Ability to: Train others in proper and safe work procedures.
Ability to: Identify and implement effective courses of action to complete assigned work.
Ability to: Read and interpret plans, manuals, diagrams, blueprints, and technical regulations.
Ability to: Safely and effectively use and operate hand tools, mechanical equipment, power tools, and equipment required for the work.
Ability to: Perform routine equipment maintenance.
Ability to: Maintain accurate logs, records and basic written records of work performed.
Ability to: Operate a motor vehicle safely.
Ability to: Follow department policies and procedures related to assigned duties.
Ability to: Understand and follow oral and written instructions.
Ability to: Organize own work, set priorities and meet critical time deadlines.
Ability to: Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
Ability to: Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines.
Ability to: Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.
Water Treatment Operator I: Must obtain a Grade T1 Water Treatment and a Grade D1 Water Distribution certificate from the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) within 12 months of hire.
Water Treatment Operator II: Must already possess a Grade T2 Water Treatment and a Grade D2 Water Distribution certificate issued by the SWRCB.

Nice To Haves

The City supports you through this during the probationary period!

Responsibilities

Monitor, test, and troubleshoot automated data logging, telemetry systems, and SCADA infrastructure.
Collect field water samples, perform chlorine content testing, and safely operate chlorination and chemical-feeding equipment.
Diagnose and perform preventative maintenance on water well pumps, motors, valves, regulators, and pressure gauges.
Provide technical direction, quality control, and safety training to lower-level operations staff (Operator II).
Maintain accurate digital logs and participate in an after-hours emergency standby rotation to keep infrastructure running smoothly.
Inspects, installs, repairs, maintains, calibrates, tests, and troubleshoots a wide variety of pneumatic and electronic recording, indicating, measuring, controlling, and test instruments including pressure regulators and gauges, valves and chemical feeding equipment.
Performs preventative maintenance inspections and tests equipment, including metering and recording instruments, control apparatus, data logging and display equipment, communications and telemetry systems, Supervisor Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), and Programmable Logic Control (PLC) software and hardware, according to an established schedule; maintains documentation of changes; inspects facilities and equipment to determine the need for major maintenance or repair.
Calibrates equipment and instruments on a routine schedule and after repairs; makes unscheduled or emergency repairs as required.
Operates and maintains chlorination equipment including leak detection, changing tanks, and adjusting feed rate in accordance with water test results.
Collects water samples; tests water for chlorine content; transports samples to the City lab.
Maintains records of water pressure and water flow readings; monitors air level of surge tanks; adjusts as necessary.
Operates and maintains a variety of vehicles, hand and power tools, and equipment.
Performs safety and service inspections of assigned trucks and equipment; steam cleans, washes, and fuels equipment; assists in lubrication and maintenance of equipment.
Reads and interprets maps, blueprints, sketches, and diagrams in the performance of the work.
May perform general maintenance activities, including weed abatement, cleaning of well yards, fabricating buildings, and minor welding.
Provides needed information and demonstrations concerning how to perform certain work tasks to new employees in the same or similar class of positions.
Provides technical and functional direction to assigned water utility operations staff; reviews and controls quality of work of staff and consultants.
Trains employees in work methods, use of tools and equipment, and relevant safety precautions.
Responds to complaints and answers questions from public or escalates to supervisor, as necessary.
Responds to operations, maintenance, and repair emergency situations as required.
Participates in after-hours standby rotation.
Maintains computerized records and logs of daily activities; prepares reports as necessary.
Observes safe work methods and makes appropriate use of related safety equipment as required.
Performs related duties as assigned.