Assistant Process Engineer

NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; All (MO); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking organization dedicated to environmental protection and public health. As an Assistant Environmental Engineer, you will play a crucial role in optimizing wastewater treatment processes, utilizing advanced modeling tools, and ensuring compliance with environmental regulations. This position offers a unique opportunity to develop your expertise in process engineering while contributing to the sustainability of vital water resources. Collaborate with a diverse team of professionals and engage in innovative projects that directly impact the community. If you're passionate about engineering and environmental stewardship, this role is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering and one year of experience required.
• Master's degree can substitute for one year of experience.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and optimize wastewater treatment processes and data collection.
• Run process models and identify risks for mitigation.

Skills

Process Engineering

Data Analysis

Environmental Stewardship

Leadership

Education

Bachelor in Environmental Engineering

Master in Environmental Engineering

Tools

HACH WIMS

BioWin

SCADA

Excel

Job description

IMPORTANT NOTE: Only those currently serving as a permanent Assistant Environmental Engineer will be considered.

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) enriches the environment and protects public health for all New Yorkers by providing 1.1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water, managing wastewater and stormwater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution. DEP is the largest combined municipal water and wastewater utility in the country, with nearly 6,000 employees. DEP's water supply system is comprised of 19 reservoirs and 3 controlled lakes throughout the system’s 2,000 square mile watershed that extends 125 miles north and west of the City.

The Bureau of Wastewater Treatment (BWT) is responsible for the operation and maintenance of all facilities related to the treatment of sewage within the five boroughs of the City. This includes 14 wastewater treatment plants, sludge dewatering facilities, collections facilities (pumping stations, combined sewer overflow retention facilities, regulators, tide gates, etc.), wastewater laboratories and harbor vessels.

Responsibilities:

1. Process Oversight and Optimization:
   - Reviews facility operating data and is responsible for all facets of process data collection, assessment and safekeeping; prepares routine regulatory and internal reports for assigned facility including daily situation report; tracks process metrics, generates associated scorecards and other reports; conducts minimal routine data entry and review; executes field work in support of process engineering activities; provides guidance to plant operating staff and facility management on process modifications necessary to meet regulatory and stewardship goals.
   
   - Identifies process areas with optimization potential; prepares draft protocols under direct supervision and implements final protocols; tracks benchmarks and implements resource recovery programs.
2. Process Modeling:
   - Runs previously developed BioWin and Excel based process models steady state and dynamic models, defines alternative operating scenarios and implements/simulates scenarios; extracts and uses information to identify process risks and create/test mitigation scenarios.
3. Information Systems including WIMS/CLAROS/SCADA:
   - Is an Advanced HACH WIMS User, capable of fully utilizing all user functions available within WIMS; assists others with implementation of tasks within WIMS/CLAROS. Is knowledgeable in SCADA & PLC system architecture including network components, can use SCADA interface to generate trends, access the data historian, export and analyze data; recognizes alarms; prepares draft functional descriptions for supervisory review; can execute basic SCADA interface programming; routinely reviews SCADA system status and prepares draft work orders for facility review; recognizes and prioritizes alarms.
4. Facility Maintenance Support:
   - Able to calibrate and troubleshoot basic WRRF and Collections instrumentation; has a general awareness of CMMS, Work Request preparation & Reliability Centered Maintenance practices, generates draft work orders and reviews work orders under preparation; participates in daily plant maintenance meetings; ensures facility process instrumentation is in good working order and specifies replacements when necessary.
5. Environmental Stewardship:
   - Develops knowledge/awareness of air and odor emissions and general understanding of associated modeling, technologies and performance standards (regulatory and internal); participates in data collection and analysis for odor surveys; oversees efficiency of odor control process units; proactively prevents the generation of odors through process control.
   - Develops knowledge of GHGeq accounting methods and tracks GHGeq metrics for each process area of assigned WRRF.
6. Leadership:
   - Participates in meetings; compiles, analyzes and presents data; assesses systemwide data and contributes ideas for optimization opportunities in facilities beyond the one assigned.
   - Becomes familiar with BWT R&D Plan & DEP Strategic Plan; identifies issues that may require new technology implementation; enables the implementation of new technologies within assigned facility.
   - Supports assigned facility by working with WRRF leadership team to ensure mission and vision are met.
   - Is a member of State NYWEA/WEF; serves on one state committee; supports the preparation of seminar and conference abstracts and presentations.
   - Supports the development and upkeep of the plant specific process training manual; routinely reviews and updates the WRRF's Operations Manual; defines process and key process equipment training needs and develops and delivers associated materials.
   - Provides mentorship and support to colleagues and more junior staff.

Minimum Qualifications:

1. A baccalaureate degree in environmental, chemical, mechanical, petroleum, aeronautical, or materials engineering from an accredited college or university and one year of full-time satisfactory experience in environmental engineering work; or
2. A baccalaureate degree in environmental, chemical, mechanical, petroleum, aeronautical, or materials engineering from an accredited college and master’s degree in environmental engineering from an accredited college.

A master's degree in environmental engineering from an accredited college can only be used to substitute for one year of full-time satisfactory work experience in environmental engineering.

Preferred Skills:

All Research Scientists, Engineering Interns and Assistant Engineers with at least 1 year of Process Engineering experience are welcome to apply. A Master's degree in engineering, environmental science, biology, chemistry or other science and technology disciplines can be used to substitute for the one year’s process engineering experience requirement. This position will require a significant commitment from the selected candidates to develop their process engineering expertise, including successful completion of DEP sponsored coursework, compensated and uncompensated guided home study and associated examinations, including attainment of Grade 1A certification within 11 months of starting to maintain employment. A detailed experience and knowledge matrix is attached, however due to the specialized nature of the work it is recognized that candidates will not have the range of knowledge required. It is expected that the selected candidates will work towards achieving these capabilities within their first year of service. Assistant Process Engineers can advance to a multitude of functions, including more senior process engineering roles, process optimization specialist and process performance analyst roles when they have met the associated experience and civil service requirements and an opening becomes available.

Residency Requirement:

TBD

Additional Information:

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.