Wastewater Treatment Plant Lead Operator

Position Description

RECRUITMENT OVERVIEW

The City of Tulare is currently recruiting to fill the position of Wastewater Treatment Plant Lead Operator.

The City of Tulare is a vibrant and steadily growing community with a population of 70,693 located in the heart of California's Central Valley. The city provides a full range of services to our citizens. The organization, staffed with 400 full-time employees, enjoys a culture of fiscal conservatism, collaboration, teamwork and dedication to public service and our community.

We are currently recruiting to fill one immediate vacancy, and an eligible list will also be established to fill future vacancies in this classification for a period of up to six months. This position is scheduled for a salary increase of 3.5% effective July 1, 2025. The new monthly salary rate at that time will be as follows: $6,231.09 - $7,573.95

To be considered for this position applicants must submit an application with detailed information in each section of the application: Education, Work Experience, Certificates and Licenses, and Skills.

In addition to submitting a detailed application, applicants are required to respond to the supplemental questions associated with the application and attached the required certificate. Responses to the supplemental questions will be used to help us evaluate applicants’ qualifying knowledge, skills, and abilities. Resumes may be attached but will not be accepted in lieu of a complete, detailed application or in lieu of detailed responses to the supplemental questions.

PLANT OVERVIEW

Our wastewater treatment facility consists of a domestic plant (6.0 million gallons per day (MGD) capacity) and an industrial plant (12.0 MGD capacity) treating about 4.15 MGD in the domestic plant and about 8.5 MGD in the industrial plant. This includes operation, maintenance and repair of treatment structures, such as lift stations, sedimentation tanks, digesters, filters, pumps and control buildings. Additional operations include 320 acres of storage ponds, 2,200 acres of farmland under permit for beneficial reuse of treated wastewater, and self-generation of renewable energy including the anaerobic bulk volume fermenter, two 2.8 MW of fuel cells, and 3.0 MW of solar photovoltaic panels.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Under general supervision, operates equipment, facilities, pump stations, and related appurtenances as found in a wastewater treatment plant and collection systems; takes periodic samples and performs standardized tests to ensure proper operation within established guidelines; may act as the Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent in his/her absence.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Receives general supervision from the Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent and/or Wastewater Treatment Plant Manager. Provides technical and functional direction to lower-level staff.

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS

This is the advanced journey-level in the treatment plant operator series that performs complex duties required to ensure that the wastewater treatment facilities and systems operate effectively and are maintained in a safe and effective working condition. Responsibilities include performing standardized tests on water and wastewater operations equipment, inspecting, and attending to issues in a timely manner, and performing a wide variety of tasks in the maintenance and repair of assigned facilities and systems. This class may also perform pretreatment program duties including the permitting and inspections of industrial and commercial customers. This class is distinguished from the Environmental Compliance Inspector in that the latter only performs pretreatment program duties. This class is further distinguished from the Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent in that the latter is the full supervisory-level class in the series responsible for organizing, assigning, supervising, and reviewing the work of assigned staff involved in treatment plant operations.

Examples of Essential Functions

(Illustrative Only) Management reserves the rights to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

When performing the treatment plant lead operator assignments:

• Report to operations superintendent regarding all plant activities and state reporting.
• Provides technical and functional direction to assigned Wastewater staff; reviews and controls quality of work; assists in completing employee evaluations; participates in performing wastewater operational work.
• Works in close liaison with both laboratory and maintenance staff.
• Prepare WDR and state compliance reports.
• Schedule and prioritize daily operator work load and assignments.
• Check daily entries for discrepancies and accuracy.
• Train operators on plant operations including process control.
• Monitors plant operations equipment and processes to ensure compliance with environmental and public health standards, including monitoring and making adjustments as needed to optimize efficiency, making chemical dosage changes, changing pumping rates, and monitoring all equipment daily.
• Reviews and analyzes automated information and control system data and revises equipment settings as appropriate; notifies superintendent of unusual situations and makes inspections or corrects system problems as necessary.
• Reads, records, and calculates readings of meters and gauges; interprets information into operational characteristics; changes flow meter charts; makes process adjustments according to information gathered, samples collected, readings, and records.
• Collects wastewater, sludge, and other samples from various phases of the treatment process; performs standard chemical and physical tests on these samples to ensure that plants are operating effectively and that regulatory requirements are being met.
• Interprets and performs laboratory and process tests to optimize plant performance, checks the results, and makes appropriate changes while on weekend shift.
• Performs proper usage and handling of chemicals according to industry standards.
• Operates and assists in preventive maintenance on a variety of treatment plant equipment, such as electric motors, engines, gas and electric powered pumps, drive units, emergency systems, power generation systems, pressure and flow regulators, and other treatment plant fixtures and appliances.
• Operates valves, pumps, and automated controls to regulate the flow of wastewater through the system; operates valves to dispose of wastewater effluent.
• Removes blockages; replaces worn parts; removes parts to be machined by outside vendors; reassembles equipment.
• Confers with maintenance staff to determine equipment problems; suggests methods of minimizing such problems in an operational setting.
• Lubricates pumps, motors, chains, conveyors, and other machinery and equipment.
• May assist in preventative maintenance and services equipment according to an established schedule; inspects facilities and equipment to determine the need for maintenance or repair.
• Writes work orders for repairs.
• Operates a variety of hand and power tools and equipment related to work assignment as instructed.
• Performs a variety of general and ground maintenance activities, including mowing, edging, and trimming landscaped areas as scheduled, weed abatement, and painting facilities and equipment when needed.

When performing the pretreatment/industrial assignment:

• Inspects, monitors, and conducts sampling at various commercial and industrial sites, setting, programming, and retrieving automatic samplers.
• Collects wastewater samples from industrial and commercial users and performs well-defined chemical and biological tests to determine if governmental and process control requirements are met.
• Prepares accurate records and reports for management and regulatory agencies; maintains files and records.
• Organizes, maintains, and documents all required information for enforcement of City code as directed by the federal requirements; analyzes data by comparing test results to requirements.
• Reads meters at commercial and industrial sites to determine flow for sewer billings; prepares monthly information for billing industries that use City facilities.
• Maintains and repairs sampling and monitoring equipment.

When performing all the assignments:

• Maintains work areas in a clean and orderly condition, including securing equipment at the close of the workday.
• Provides needed information and demonstrations concerning how to perform certain work tasks to new employees in the same or similar class of positions.
• Responds to complaints and answers questions from public or escalates to supervisor, as necessary.
• Responds to operations, maintenance, and repair emergency situations as required.
• Maintains 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.

Qualifications / Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS:

Knowledge of:

• Principles, practices, equipment, materials, and tools used in the operation, cleaning, and preventive maintenance of wastewater treatment and disposal facilities and equipment.
• The operation and preventive maintenance of piping systems, including pipes, valves, and related appurtenances.
• Standard chemical and physical tests of wastewater, sludge, and related materials.
• Principles, practices, and programs for the City’s industrial wastewater pretreatment program, the industrial waste inspection function, and related programs and projects.
• Practices and techniques related to wastewater and/or hazardous materials sampling, sample handling, and standard analysis methods.
• Practices and techniques of performing industrial facility and process inspections related to areas of assignment.
• Principles, practices, and terminology of industrial and commercial wastewater source control.
• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, ordinances, regulations, and guidelines relevant to assigned duties.
• Basic equipment troubleshooting principles and practices.
• Basic record keeping practices.
• Basic mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic principles.
• Basic and advanced arithmetic and statistical techniques.
• Safe work methods and safety practices pertaining to the work, including the handling and storage of hazardous chemicals.
• Safe driving rules and practices.
• Basic computer software related to work.
• English usage, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service to the public and City staff, in person and over the telephone.

Ability to:

• Operate, maintain, and repair a variety of wastewater treatment and disposal facilities and equipment.
• Ability to work extended hours and be on-call in an emergency.
• Ability to train operators in key job functions.
• Recognize and correct or report unusual, inefficient, or dangerous operating conditions.
• Read a variety of gauges, charts, and meters, record data accurately and make appropriate process adjustments.
• Conduct standard chemical and physical tests of wastewater, sludge, and related materials.
• Perform in-depth inspections of industrial and commercial users.
• Interpret, apply, and explain basic laws, codes, regulations, and ordinances.
• Handle hazardous chemicals in a safe manner.
• Make accurate arithmetic calculations.
• Safely and effectively use and operate hand tools, mechanical equipment, power tools, and equipment required for the work.
• Perform routine equipment maintenance.
• Operate a motor vehicle safely.
• Research, analyze, and summarize data, and prepare and present accurate and reliable reports containing findings and recommendations.
• Maintain both manual and automated logs, records, reports, and charts.
• Follow department policies and procedures related to assigned duties.
• Understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
• Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.

Education and Experience:

Any combination of training and experience which would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth (12th) grade and three (3) years of responsible experience in wastewater treatment, operations, inspections and sampling.

Licenses and Certifications:

• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid Class C California driver’s license.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain within twelve (12) months of hire, a Confined Space Entry Certificate.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain within twelve (12) months of hire, a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certificate.
• Possession of, and continued maintenance of, a Grade III Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certificate issued by the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB).
• If assigned to pre-treatment program, within twenty-four (24) months of the date of entry into the position, must obtain a Grade I Industrial Inspector Certificate issued by the California Water Environment Association.

Additional Information

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Must possess mobility to work in standard wastewater treatment plant and related facilities and industrial and commercial sites; strength, stamina, and mobility to perform light to medium physical work, to work in confined spaces, around machines and to climb and descend ladders, and to operate varied hand and power tools and equipment; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; color vision to read gauges and identify appurtenances; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone or radio. The job involves frequent walking in operational areas to identify problems or hazards. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate above-mentioned tools and equipment. Positions in this classification bend, stoop, kneel, reach, and climb to perform work and inspect work sites. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects up to 75 pounds and heavier weights with the use of proper equipment.

Environmental Elements

Employees work partially indoors and partially outdoors and are exposed to loud noise levels, cold and hot temperatures, inclement weather conditions, vibration, confining workspace, chemicals, mechanical and/or electrical hazards, and hazardous physical substances, odors, and fumes. Employees may interact with upset staff and/or public and private representatives, and contractors in interpreting and enforcing departmental policies and procedures.

• Members of the California Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). In accordance with the California Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA), the City of Tulare will offer the following retirement benefit (2.0% at 62)to new PERSmembers beginning January 1, 2013 with three (3) years final compensation. Existing PERSmembers with no break in service will receive the 2.5% at 55formula with single highest year.
  
• City pays a portion of the employee and dependent coverage costs of group medical, dental and vision insurance. An opt-out plan is also available.
  
• Life insurance -$20,000 coverage.
  
• 10 working days vacation per year. Additional days based on years of service.
  
• 12 days sick leave per year.
  
• 15 holidays annually: 12 city observed holidays, plus birthday credit and 2 in-lieu holidays.
  
• Flexible benefit program - IRSSection 125 Plan.
  
• Deferred compensation plan - 457 Plans available.
  
  

Closing Date/Time: 2/23/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

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• City of Tulare

• 559-684-4204

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