Control Room Operator - Fitchburg, MA

Sprague Operating Resources LLC; Westminster (MA); On-site; USD 56,826 - 80,934; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) Traditional and Roth with 100%

Defined Contribution Plan: 2.6%

Paid Volunteer Time

Tuition reimbursement

Health plans: HDHP and PPO

Wellness Program

Job summary

Sprague is hiring a Control Room Operator for the Westminster, MA biomass plant. You will lead daily operations, monitor PLC-based controls, and ensure safe, reliable power generation with environmental compliance. Strong technical knowledge and communication skills are essential.

Qualifications include a MA 2nd Class Engineer License, driver’s license, and 1–2 years of related experience. The role offers comprehensive benefits and a chance to contribute to a growing renewable energy portfolio.

Qualifications

• Power plant operations and/or maintenance experience required.
• Must possess Massachusetts 2nd Class Engineer License.
• Valid driver’s license required.
• Basic computer skills and data entry ability.
• Good verbal communication skills essential.
• Knowledge of safety practices in power plant operations.
• Strong teamwork and ability to work with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

• Start-up, operate, shut down and secure equipment from the control room or in the field.
• Troubleshoot and assist with preventative and reactive maintenance.
• Follow lockout-tagout, de-energization and zero energy verification procedures.
• Complete plant rounds and inspect equipment for faults or failures.
• Maintain logs and records of operating conditions and deviations.
• Monitor water chemistry and control treatment dosing within limits.
• Identify unsafe conditions and notify supervision for corrective action.
• Interpret process controls and respond to variances to maintain safe operation.
• Support maintenance and management in process upset situations.
• Supervise or coordinate contractors performing work at the facility.

Skills

Power plant operations

Valid driver’s license

Basic computer skills

Basic math skills

Clear communication

Safety awareness

Team player

Problem solving

Education

Massachusetts 2nd Class Engineer License

Job description

NE Renewable Power is made up of 5 Biomass electric generating power stations located in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. These stations play a crucial role in supplying locally sourced renewable energy to the people of New England. Sprague brings over 150 years of energy operating experience to the operations of these facilities, and we’re hiring a Control Room Operator for the Westminster, MA location.

Who we are:

Sprague takes a collaborative, customer-centric approach to providing best-in-class energy products and related services throughout the Northeast. Founded in 1870, we pride ourselves on offering customers the expert solutions and high-quality service that help their businesses thrive in any market landscape. Sprague values innovation, safety, integrity and people. We know that our people are what set us apart from our competition, and we work hard to make sure each employee across our 20+ locations knows how important they are to our community.

We offer great benefits! Medical benefits and retirement contributions start on your first day!

• 401(k) Traditional and Roth plans with employer match of 100% of the first 6% of the employee’s contribution
• Defined Contribution Plan with an automatic 2.6% contribution from Sprague
• Paid Volunteer Time
• Tuition reimbursement
• Choice of high deductible and PPO Health Plans to fit your individual needs
• Wellness Program

Our Control Room Operator (CRO) is the shift lead and is responsible for the safe and efficient, day-to-day operation of our 18 MW wood-fired, turbine-generator biomass power plant in Westminster, MA. This includes the daily operation, monitoring and documentation of the various plant process components, instrumentation and other feedback to control interfaces of the control room in order to access proper operational function. The CRO must be able to operate the PLC-based control system as well as some of the control room’s older analog systems.

The CRO monitors and documents all process variables that pertain to plant performance and system/component reliability and capacity and therefore must be qualified and capable of understanding the correct operation of plant system’s mechanical, electrical and instrumentation/controls components and process flow, and be able to perform corrective action when appropriate. A heightened level of safety awareness and process awareness is required to be able to determine when to call in appropriate support from the plant maintenance and management team as needed.

The CRO must be proficient in clear communication with plant personnel, including the shift team and other onsite personnel during process upset situations, and be comfortable with making decisions that will affect the plant process.

Major Duties / Responsibilities:

• Start-up, operate, shut down and secure equipment under normal and emergency conditions from the control room or in the field.
• Troubleshoot and perform basic mechanical skills to assist the facility team with preventative and reactive maintenance activities.
• Understand the process and process components in order to be able to properly access and carry out equipment and system’s proper lock out-tagout (LOTO), de-energization, zero energy verification, etc.
• Ensure all plant rounds are completed for the inspections of all facility machinery for malfunctions and / or potential failures.
• Maintain all logs and records as required to record complete operating conditions for the facility and report any irregularities.
• Ability to understand, perform and ensure the completion of facility water chemistry testing and the active dosing and adjustment of control treatment chemicals within recommended limits. Repair and calibrate equipment as required.
• Identify hazardous and/or unsafe conditions or work practices, notify supervisor and take action to correct as required.
• Must have the ability to understand process controls, monitor equipment and evaluate the plant production equipment and output, including efficiency and related variables.
• Monitor process variable feedback from controls (temperature, pressure, flow, etc.) for long term variances from normal trends and responds to the variances and issues instructions to ensure continued safe, reliable, and cost-effective power generation from the facility, while maintaining environmental standards.
• Be able to perform and ensure the routine preventive maintenance of components associated with ash removal, boiler and fuel systems, valves, pumps and other system components.
• Develop and maintain operating procedures to ensure consistent and safe operation.
• Conduct or assist in scheduled and forced outage maintenance work.
• Supervise, coordinate or assist contractors performing work at the facility.

Education / Experience / Skill Requirements

• Must possess a Massachusetts 2nd Class Engineer License
• Must possess a Valid driver's license
• Power Plant operations and/or maintenance experience is required
• 1 or 2 years related experience and/or training in similar position.
• Knowledge of combustion conditions, gas burner and boiler and turbine generator operations, and water treatment.
• Must have basic computer skills, including data entry
• Must possess basic math skills
• Good verbal communications skills are essential
• Must be cooperative with those he/she contacts in this work and can work without direct supervision.
• Must know the hazards involved and the safety precautions to be practiced in the operation and maintenance of power plant equipment and machinery.
• Must work within and ensure strict adherence to all safety practices and procedures.
• Must be a committed team member and be able to pool our knowledge and energy to work in tandem to completely understand and productively respond to all business challenges.

Work Environment

• Protective equipment such as hard hats, safety glasses, respirator air masks (tight seal), ear protection, chemical suits, hot gloves, high voltage protective equipment and other equipment must be worn in the performance of some duties.
• The inside power plant environment can have high ambient temperatures as well as very hot surfaces with exposure risks to steam, hot water and other high pressure/high temperature/high decibel level process’s.
• 80% of work is performed indoors, 20% outdoors.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time.
• Noise in the work environment is moderate to high.
• Respond to plant emergencies/call-ins (day or night) on holidays or weekends as applicable.
• There are extensive smoking restrictions in and around the facility.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to work on your feet for extensive periods, stairs and ladder climbing, and routinely lifting 50 pounds.
• Must be physically capable of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) including but not limited to half and full-face respirators, fall protection equipment, hard hats, safety shoes, safety glasses, etc.
• Must be able to work in elevated areas, confined spaces and in extreme heat and cold conditions.
• Perform repetitive motions as required.
• Ability to hear and understand audible alarms, detect changes in noise levels of equipment.
• All employees are required to pass pre-employment screenings including a physical examination, pulmonary function test, OSHA respirator questionnaire, audiometric test, drug screen, motor vehicle verification, and background check.
• Post-employment screenings include an annual audiogram and respirator (tight seal) fit testing.

Pay starts at $50.00/hour

Sprague is an EEO/AA employer. We strongly encourage minorities, females, Vets and individuals with disabilities to apply.

As a federal contractor we adhere to OFCCP employment regulations. Click here for OFCCP compliance information