Lead Plant Operator - Renewable Natural Gas (Emerald)

OPAL Fuels; Northville (MI); On-site; USD 52,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Short & Long Term Disability

401(k) plus Matching Contributions

Tuition Assistance

Referral Bonus

Generous Paid Time Off

Ten Paid Holidays

Job summary

OPAL Fuels is seeking a Lead Plant Operator to oversee day-to-day operations at the Emerald RNG site in Northville, MI. You will lead the operations team, coordinate maintenance, ensure safety and environmental compliance, and optimize plant performance.

The role combines technical leadership with hands-on troubleshooting, contractor coordination, and proactive safety culture development. Strong recordkeeping and reliability focus are essential.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of Renewable experience preferred.
• Must be skilled in recordkeeping and logging.
• General troubleshooting abilities.
• Computer skills (Microsoft Office).
• Must possess good mechanical skills.
• Basic electrical knowledge is preferred.
• Must be self-motivated and perform most tasks with little or no supervision.
• Working knowledge of basic unit operations and components such as pressure, temperature, and flow.
• Experience with pumps, blowers, or air compressors.
• Heavy equipment operations experience is preferred (gas compressor O&M).
• Fabrication and Basic Process Knowledge
• Must have a current and valid driver’s license, without any restrictions.

Responsibilities

• Provide plant safety leadership by stopping unsafe work, reviewing LOTO; reviewing JHA’s; bringing safety concerns to upper management, reporting incidents and near misses
• Environmental (monthly reporting; monitors composition of LFG to include H2S treatment and media sampling; reviewing compliance procedures and ensuring compliance)
• Coordinating maintenance tasks with management, vendors, and operators
• Develops and maintains operator schedules and coordinate shift coverage
• Planning outage events
• Working with third party vendors to ensure timely and efficient service
• Responding to callouts and managing the callout roster
• Covering operator shifts when necessary and callouts
• Tuning and adjusting the plant to meet production and efficiency needs
• Inventory Management and Preventative Maintenance program
• This position will be also responsible for operating, adjusting, and repairing equipment required to maximize gas plant production in a safe and environmentally compliant manner.
• Operate and monitor the blowers, gas pretreatment, chiller, CO2 removal, N2 removal, O2 removal, compression equipment.
• Ensuring operators maintain detailed records on production data, equipment operational hours, and service schedules and equipment outages.
• Check all operating equipment daily including flow meters, gas chromatographs, fluid levels, pressure and temperature readings, and unusual noises to correct conditions before failure occurs.
• Perform all maintenance and repairs on the operating equipment including oil and filter changes, replacement of drive belts, hoses, valve adjustments, replacement of compressor filters, slide valves, couplings and bearings, as necessary. Participate in preventative maintenance outages and overhauls.
• Maintain a high level of cleanliness in and around the plant. Keep equipment, plant grounds, and floors looking as presentable as possible.
• Keep all on-site parts and supplies stocked and well organized. Maintain plant inventory.
• Respond to call outs in a timely manner. Identify and correct the cause of the call out. If the problem cannot be corrected or diagnosed, it is the responsibility of the Lead Operator to contact the Area Manager to get the help required to fix the situation.
• Operate the plant with a clear focus on safety. Clean up spills immediately. Make sure all lighting systems are fully functional; no slip or trip hazards are consistently present; and no electrical or mechanical hazards go on for long periods of time without attention. affirm that all plant visitors, mechanics, and outside contractors are following safe work practices.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Recordkeeping

Troubleshooting

MS Office

Mechanical skills

Electrical knowledge

Self-motivation

Unit operations basics

Pumps/Blowers/Compressors

Heavy equipment operations

Fabrication knowledge

Driver's license

Tools

Pumps

Blowers

Air compressors

Job description

About OPAL Fuels

OPAL Fuels(Nasdaq: OPAL) is a leader in the capture and conversion of biogas into low carbonintensity RNG and renewable electricity. OPAL Fuels is also a leader in the marketing anddistribution of RNG to heavy duty trucking and other hard to de-carbonize industrial sectors. Foradditional information, and to learn more about OPAL Fuels and how it is leading the effort tocapture North America’s naturally occurring methane and decarbonize the economy, please visitwww.opalfuels.com.

Position Summary

We are hiring for a Lead Plant Operator with experience to work at our Emerald RNG site, located in Northville, MI as part of our Operations department. This position reports to the Area Manager and shares accountability of the day-to-day operations of the site.

The Lead Operator is more than just a board operator or field operator. We're looking for someone who can help lead the day to day operation of the Renewable Natural Gas facility, coordinate maintenance activities, ensure safety and environmental compliance, help train and support other operators, and take ownership of plant performance.

The role requires a balance of technical knowledge and leadership. You'll be expected to troubleshoot equipment, work with contractors and vendors, monitor production and equipment health, manage priorities during outages or callouts, and help drive a strong safety culture.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide plant safety leadership by stopping unsafe work, reviewing LOTO; reviewing JHA’s; bringing safety concerns to upper management, reporting incidents and near misses
• Environmental (monthly reporting; monitors composition of LFG to include H2S treatment and media sampling; reviewing compliance procedures and ensuring compliance)
• Coordinating maintenance tasks with management, vendors, and operators
• Develops and maintains operator schedules and coordinate shift coverage
• Planning outage events
• Working with third party vendors to ensure timely and efficient service
• Responding to callouts and managing the callout roster
• Covering operator shifts when necessary and callouts
• Tuning and adjusting the plant to meet production and efficiency needs
• Inventory Management and Preventative Maintenance program
• This position will be also responsible for operating, adjusting, and repairing equipment required to maximize gas plant production in a safe and environmentally compliant manner.
• Operate and monitor the blowers, gas pretreatment, chiller, CO2 removal, N2 removal, O2 removal, compression equipment.
• Ensuring operators maintain detailed records on production data, equipment operational hours, and service schedules and equipment outages.
• Check all operating equipment daily including flow meters, gas chromatographs, fluid levels, pressure and temperature readings, and unusual noises to correct conditions before failure occurs.
• Perform all maintenance and repairs on the operating equipment including oil and filter changes, replacement of drive belts, hoses, valve adjustments, replacement of compressor filters, slide valves, couplings and bearings, as necessary. Participate in preventative maintenance outages and overhauls.
• Maintain a high level of cleanliness in and around the plant. Keep equipment, plant grounds, and floors looking as presentable as possible.
• Keep all on-site parts and supplies stocked and well organized. Maintain plant inventory.
• Respond to call outs in a timely manner. Identify and correct the cause of the call out. If the problem cannot be corrected or diagnosed, it is the responsibility of the Lead Operator to contact the Area Manager to get the help required to fix the situation.
• Operate the plant with a clear focus on safety. Clean up spills immediately. Make sure all lighting systems are fully functional; no slip or trip hazards are consistently present; and no electrical or mechanical hazards go on for long periods of time without attention. affirm that all plant visitors, mechanics, and outside contractors are following safe work practices.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Skills

• 7+ years of Renewable experience preferred.
• Must be skilled in recordkeeping and logging.
• General troubleshooting abilities.
• Computer skills (Microsoft Office).
• Must possess good mechanical skills.
• Basic electrical knowledge is preferred.
• Must be self-motivated and perform most tasks with little or no supervision.
• Working knowledge of basic unit operations and components such as pressure, temperature, and flow.
• Experience with pumps, blowers, or air compressors.
• Heavy equipment operations experience is preferred (gas compressor O&M).
• Fabrication and Basic Process Knowledge
• Must have a current and valid driver’s license, without any restrictions.

Work Hours and Arrangements

• Lead Operators are scheduled 40 -50 hrs. per week based on operational need , plant performance and available staffing.
• Some examples of plant schedules are 5-8s, 4 -10s, 2 on and 2 off 12s
• Lead Operators are required to occasionally work night shifts and weekends and participate in rolling callout schedules that require 24/7 availability during that 7 day period

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described are representative of those required by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Position requires physical effort such as that associated with driving a motorized vehicle, operate an ATV, JLG, fork lift, basket lift, using hand tools, and typing on a computer. Position requires moderate lifting (10-50 lbs.), occasional need to walk on irregular surfaces, and occasional stooping, kneeling, climbing, or crouching. Also requires the use of hands and arms to operate/examine gas meter, flow meters, hand tools, power tools, bridge and jib cranes and test/diagnostic equipment.

Job Type

Full time

Pay

The range for this role is anticipated to be $38.00 -$44.00 hourly with bonus for eligible positions. Where a specific pay range is noted, it is a good faith estimate at the time of this posting. The actual salary offered will be based on experience, skills, qualifications, market / business considerations, and geographic location.

Benefits

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Short & Long Term Disability
• 401(k) plus Matching Contributions
• Tuition Assistance
• Referral Bonus
• Generous Paid Time Off
• Ten Paid Holidays

OPAL Fuels LLC is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

OPAL Fuels does not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters or agencies without a current signed agreement and written confirmation specifying the roles for which submissions are authorized. Any resumes submitted without an agreement and authorization will be considered the property of OPAL Fuels.