Operations Engineer (Treatment Facilities)

Halifax Water; Halifax; Hybrid; CAD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Halifax Water in Halifax, Nova Scotia, seeks an Operations Engineer (Treatment Facilities) to lead technical operations in water and wastewater treatment. You will provide engineering support for operating programs, develop standards, and advance resiliency including risk assessment and emergency preparedness.

The role requires Professional Engineering designation, a post-secondary engineering degree, and at least five years of municipal experience with supervisory responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary degree in engineering with PE designation.
• Minimum five years of municipal engineering experience with supervisory responsibilities.
• Membership in professional engineering association or eligibility.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical guidance on water and wastewater treatment operations.
• Develop and maintain facility resiliency plans and emergency response procedures.
• Provide engineering advice and project management for Treatment projects.
• Lead in research initiatives and stay current with industry knowledge.
• Develop standard operating procedures and safe work practices.
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders including asset management and ISO systems.
• Participate in management activities including budgeting and safety.
• Serve as knowledge lead on treatment operations.
• Coordinate and review consultants' work.
• Support capital project prioritization with Engineering Department.

Skills

Leadership

Risk assessment

Project management

Communication

Engineering knowledge

Education

Professional Engineering designation

Post-secondary degree in related engineering field

Job description

Operations Engineer (Treatment Facilities)

Regular, Full Time

Competition #

Department

Water Services

Primary Function

• The Treatment Operations Engineer, reporting to the Senior Manager, Water and Wastewater Treatment, is responsible to play a leadership role in water and wastewater treatment operations. They are responsible for providing engineering support to operating programs and projects in the Operations Department. They will plan, develop, review and monitor operating programs, practices and services standards, consistent with corporate objectives. The Operations Engineer plays a key role in advancing Halifax Water’s operational resiliency for water and wastewater treatment, including risk assessment, mitigation planning, emergency preparedness, and continuity of critical treatment services. The Operations Engineer maintains an expert knowledge in key functional areas such as Water and/or Wastewater Treatment, Reliability and Resiliency Engineering, and Asset Management.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Serve as Halifax Water’s knowledge lead and prime technical resource on water and wastewater treatment operations. Maintain knowledge of the operation of water and wastewater treatment and provide guidance to Managers on strategies for system operation.
• Lead and support facility-level risk and vulnerability assessments and develop and maintain facility resiliency plans including single-point-of-failure identification, redundancy strategies, emergency response planning, and business continuity planning.
• Provide engineering advice and project management services for projects undertaken within the Treatment section.
• Provide leadership to Halifax Water’s research initiatives. Keep up to date with the state of industry knowledge and assume a technical leadership role within Halifax Water.
• Develop standard operating procedures, service standards and safe work practices for water and wastewater treatment operations.
• Use operational data to identify emerging failure and compliance trends, support predictive maintenance strategies, and evaluate treatment performance under stress conditions (wet weather, peak flows, partial outages). Develop, review and monitor reports that support department initiatives and objectives.
• Provide leadership in liaison between water and wastewater treatment and other internal and external stakeholders.
• Act in a lead and coordinating role on behalf of water and wastewater treatment with other Halifax Water programs such as asset management, standards and specifications development, maintenance, managerial systems, and ISO management systems.
• Liaise with Engineering Department staff on the prioritization and delivery of capital projects related to Treatment Facilities.
• Play a leadership role on various Halifax Water committees related to water and wastewater treatment.
• Coordinate and review work of consultants engaged in water and wastewater treatment activities.
• Participate in a variety of management activities including hiring, performance management, discipline, budgeting, safety and labour relations matters.
• Participate in the Incident Command System and emergency response as necessary.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the Senior Manager, Water and Wastewater Treatment.

Reporting Relationships

Reports to: Senior Manager, Water and Wastewater Treatment

Supervises: Others when assigned from time to time

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience

Education:

Post-secondary degree in a related engineering field with a Professional Engineering designation.

Experience:

• Minimum five years of progressive experience in a municipal engineering field including direct supervisory experience, preferably at the municipal level; Management and Supervisory experience considered an asset.

Other Requirements

Certificates / Licenses / Registrations:

• Must possess a valid Nova Scotia Driver’s License and be prepared to use a personal vehicle for Halifax Water business.
• Membership in the Association of Professional Engineers of Nova Scotia, or eligible for membership.
• Must be willing to undertake and maintain the following safety training:
• First Aid
• Globally Harmonized System (GHS) (Formerly WHMIS)
• Additional safety training as identified based on legislative and operational requirements

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of Provincial Acts, Utility Regulations, By-laws and Policies.
• Thorough knowledge of engineering principles and practices, policies and regulations relating to municipal system infrastructure.
• Thorough knowledge of national, provincial and municipal engineering procedures, standards, specifications and guidelines.
• Expertise in developing engineering solutions to municipal infrastructure problems.
• Knowledge of climate change adaptation and resilience frameworks.
• Experience with risk assessment methodologies.
• Excellent leadership, motivational and interpersonal skills.
• High level of initiative and ability to achieve results through staff.
• Demonstrated ability to manage change.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Demonstrated ability to work closely and effectively with a broad rand of public including consultants, developers, regulators, elected officials and government representatives.
• Strong consultative and negotiation skills.
• Strong skills in municipal engineering computer applications are essential.

Conditional Items Required for Employment:

• Satisfactory background check
• Satisfactory pre-employment testing

Halifax Water is an equal opportunity employer.

Halifax Water’s goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative of the community we serve, at all job levels. Halifax Water believes a diverse workforce positively contributes to its success, and the success of our community. We encourage applications from qualified African Nova Scotians, LGBTQ+ community, racially visible persons, women in non-traditional positions, persons with disabilities andIndigenous persons. Halifax Water encourages applicants to self-identify in the cover letter.