Lead Operator Sewerage Transfer

Melbourne Water; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Melbourne Water is seeking two experienced Lead Operators (Sewerage Transfer) based at our Brooklyn Pumping Station to lead the safe, reliable operation of our sewerage transfer assets. This pivotal role supports essential services for millions of Victorians.

You will bring strong High Voltage capability, coordinate field activities, and guide frontline teams to maximise reliability, safety and asset performance while meeting environmental and regulatory standards.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience operating transfer/distribution networks or large-scale mechanical and electrical plant.
• Knowledge of hydraulic relationships, pumping, odour treatment and mechanical processes.
• High level system knowledge to identify risks and manage asset isolations, alarms or malfunctions.
• Competence with IT and SCADA for monitoring, control, data analysis and reporting.
• Experience with high voltage operations and equipment; ability to be trained in HV switching.
• Strong knowledge of sewerage transfer systems and pumping station operations.
• Understanding of operational risk management and contingency planning.
• Knowledge of maintenance and asset management principles.
• Understanding of environmental and regulatory obligations relating to sewerage systems.
• Experience in outage planning and operational commissioning activities.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing operational teams.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to make sound decisions in complex operational environments.
• Strong organisational and planning skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and respond effectively during incidents.

Responsibilities

• Lead the safe and effective operation of sewerage transfer assets and associated infrastructure.
• Have the opportunity to apply your HV expertise in a role that directly impacts operational reliability, safety and service delivery across our sewerage transfer network
• Provide technical leadership and operational guidance to field-based teams.
• Monitor asset performance and identifying opportunities to improve reliability and efficiency.
• Manage planned and unplanned operational activities, including incident response.
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental and operational standards.
• Support maintenance, outage planning and asset optimisation programs.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives that enhance system performance and resilience.

Skills

High Voltage expertise

SCADA & control systems

Operational leadership

Safety leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Engineering qualification or technical trade

Tools

SCADA systems

Electrical switching techniques

Job description

In Melbourne, water is essential to our way of life. As caretakers of Melbourne’s water cycle and catchments, we care for water, life, and land across the city. From protecting storages and preparing for floods, to restoring waterways and supporting thriving communities, our work shapes how Melbourne lives.

At the same time, we plan for the future, preparing for climate challenges in a growing city and ensuring it remains resilient for generations to come.

If you want your work to make a real difference, are willing to dive into complex challenges, and believe in doing what is right, you will find your place here.

Who we are

In Melbourne, water is essential to our way of life. As caretakers of Melbourne’s water cycle and catchments, we care for water, life, and land across the city. From protecting storages and preparing for floods, to restoring waterways and supporting thriving communities, our work shapes how Melbourne lives.

At the same time, we plan for the future, preparing for climate challenges in a growing city and ensuring it remains resilient for generations to come.

If you want your work to make a real difference, are willing to dive into complex challenges, and believe in doing what is right, you will find your place here.

About the Role

Melbourne Water is seeking two experienced Lead Operators (Sewerage Transfer based out our Brooklyn Pumping Station to play a pivotal role in the safe, reliable and efficient operation of our sewerage transfer assets. This is an opportunity to lead frontline operations across a complex network of critical infrastructure that supports essential services for millions of Victorians.

As a technical leader within our operations team, you will provide specialist operational expertise, coordinate field activities, support response and maintenance programs and ensure the highest standards of safety, compliance and asset performance are achieved.

A key focus of this role is the operation and management of assets that rely on High Voltage (HV) systems. Candidates with a proven High Voltage background who can demonstrate strong technical capability and experience working within HV environments will be strongly considered. In the role you will:

• Lead the safe and effective operation of sewerage transfer assets and associated infrastructure.
• Have the opportunity to apply your HV expertise in a role that directly impacts operational reliability, safety and service delivery across our sewerage transfer network
• Provide technical leadership and operational guidance to field-based teams.
• Monitor asset performance and identifying opportunities to improve reliability and efficiency.
• Manage planned and unplanned operational activities, including incident response.
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental and operational standards.
• Support maintenance, outage planning and asset optimisation programs.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives that enhance system performance and resilience.

For more information, please refer to the attached Position Description

About you:

You are a safety-focused operational leader who thrives in complex infrastructure environments. You combine a strong High Voltage technical capability with excellent decision-making skills and can confidently lead operational responses while maintaining a focus on reliability and customer outcomes.

• Demonstrated experience in the operation of transfer/distribution networks or level of understanding of large-scale mechanical and electrical plant sufficient to identify and act on variations from normal operation.
• Knowledge and experience with hydraulic relationships, pumping, odour treatment and mechanical processes.
• High level of system knowledge to understand and manage the risks associated with changing operational conditions and / or asset isolations, alarms or malfunctions
• Competence in the use of IT and SCADA systems for monitoring, control, data analysis and reporting.
• Experience with high voltage operations and equipment including an ability to be trained in High Voltage switching
• Strong knowledge of sewerage transfer systems and pumping station operations.
• Understanding of operational risk management and contingency planning.
• Knowledge of maintenance and asset management principles.
• Understanding of environmental and regulatory obligations relating to sewerage systems.
• Experience in outage planning and operational commissioning activities.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing operational teams.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to make sound decisions in complex operational environments.
• Strong organisational and planning skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and respond effectively during incidents.

The home location for this role is the Brooklyn Pumping Station with other site visits and travel expected as part of the role. There will also be a requirement for participation in an after-hours availability and emergency response roster.

Why join us:

At Melbourne Water, we care deeply about water and the life it sustains.

Our team is inspired by passion and purpose, with an unwavering commitment to safety. We are on a mission to protect every Melburnian’s way of life, one drop at a time.

We do not just talk about flexible working - we live it. Our culture of purpose, safety, results, and learning flows through everything we do. We're dedicated to doing what's right, and this commitment extends to the meaningful work we do in a supportive and inclusive culture that encourages you to make the most of your talents.

Our long-standing commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging means that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, LGBTIQ+ individuals, Neurodivergent Individuals, people living with disability, mature age and young jobseekers from all cultures can apply with confidence knowing they are safe, affirmed, and celebrated.

If you’re curious, action-orientated, outcomes-focused, and enthusiastic about public resources, community, and the environment, we'd love to receive your application and learn if you could be a great fit.