Pretreatment Compliance Specialist - Austin Water
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
The City of Austin seeks a Pretreatment Compliance Specialist to verify and enforce environmental regulations across the pretreatment program. You will coordinate sampling, inspections, and reporting to protect wastewater systems and biosolids quality.
Responsibilities include investigations, enforcement actions, stakeholder training, and collaboration with city departments to ensure regulatory compliance and program efficiency.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in a scientific field plus four years of relevant experience.
- Associate’s degree plus six years of relevant experience.
- Master’s degree plus two years of relevant experience.
Responsibilities
- Verify compliance with federal, state and local pretreatment regulations.
- Conduct investigations, sampling, and reporting for compliance.
- Provide technical guidance to internal and external stakeholders.
- Review site plans to meet pretreatment guidelines and criteria.
- Engage in enforcement actions and testimony as needed.
- Assist with program changes and outreach to stakeholders.
Skills
Education
Job description
ABOUT AUSTIN WATER: For over 100 years, Austin Water has been committed to providing safe, reliable, high-quality, and affordable water services to our customers. Today, we serve over 1,000,000 people in the Austin metropolitan area, across more than 548 square miles. As one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, we’re not just keeping up-we’re leading the way with sustainable infrastructure, advanced treatment technology, and environmental innovation.
Austin Water consistently ranks among the best in the country when it comes to water quality. We also treat, return, and recycle wastewater in ways that protect environmental resources. Austin Water exceeds federal and state requirements for clean water and environmental compliance at our water and wastewater treatment plants.
Under limited supervision and using comprehensive knowledge of concepts, practices, procedures, and regulations, verifies and ensures compliance of the pretreatment regulated community in accordance with authority delegated by EPA/TCEQ. Responsible for projects and programs that are of diverse scope and complexity.
Under limited supervision and using comprehensive knowledge of concepts, practices, procedures, and regulations, verifies and ensures compliance of the pretreatment regulated community in accordance with authority delegated by EPA/TCEQ. Responsible for projects and programs that are of diverse scope and complexity.
Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.
- Conducts, participates in, and reports on investigations, audits, surveillance, monitoring, inspection, sampling, analyses, research, training, outreach, recognition, permitting, registration, enforcement and other environmental and pretreatment-related activities and programs related to general industrial users and liquid waste haulers.
- Initiates negotiation to resolve cases or enforcement proceedings for environmental, pretreatment, and pollution prevention issues of diverse scope and complexity related to residential customers and general industrial users.
- Reviews and ensures that all site and building plans and proposals meet or exceed all Federal, State, and Local code, ordinance, and regulation pretreatment guidelines and criteria.
- Collects, processes, analyzes, and evaluates information and data submitted within permit applications, contracts, schedules, proposals, self-monitoring reports and laboratory reports to provide approvals and recommendations and assesses compliance with applicable regulations related to general industrial users.
- Interprets and explains City policies and procedures, and provides technical information, advice, assistance, and training for internal and external customers.
- Conducts and assists with case file preparation, initiates and participates in administrative and criminal enforcement proceedings, and provides testimony in legal proceedings for alleged violations of regulations related to residential customers, general industrial users, and liquid waste haulers.
- Researches, recommends, and implements changes to specifications, standards, policies, procedures, codes, regulations, and ordinances.
- Participates in public outreach efforts, task forces, and committees. Represents department at board and commission meetings. Conducts and makes presentations for internal and external customers.
- Performs field sampling at sample ports for compliance and financial measurements. Reviews analytical data to establish surcharges and violation notifications for extra strength pollutants of concern and sanitary sewer overflows.
- Performs rotational on-call duty and responds to spills and emergency events, incidents, complaints, actions, and other related situations.
May provide leadership, work assignments, evaluation, training, and guidance to others.
Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.
- Knowledge of applicable Federal, State and Local regulations.
- Knowledge of City practices, policies, and procedures.
- Knowledge of architectural and engineering principles and practices.
- Skill in oral and in written communication.
- Skill in handling multiple tasks and prioritizing.
- Skill in using computers and related software applications.
- Skill in data analysis and problem solving.
- Skill in planning and organizing.
- Skill in providing leadership, training, guidance, and technical support.
- Ability to conduct research and/or investigations.
- Ability to provide customer service and problem solving.
- Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with city employees and the public.
- Graduation with a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major/minor course work in a scientific field related to the job, plus four (4) years of relevant experience.
- Graduation with an Associate's degree from an accredited college or university in a scientific field related to the job, plus six (6) years of relevant experience.
- Graduation with a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in a scientific field related to the job, plus two (2) years of relevant experience.
- One (1) additional year of experience may substitute for one (1) year of the required education with a maximum substitution of four (4) years.
- Valid Texas Class C Driver License.
- US Fats, Oils, and Grease Coordinator Certification from the US FOG Alliance or the ability to obtain within six (6) months of hire.
- Pretreatment Facility Inspection Certification from an accredited college or the ability to obtain within six (6) months of hire.
- Professional work experience in Natural, Environmental or Physical Science
- Experience with pretreatment or environmental/field investigations, or other regulatory compliance related activities and knowledge of local, state or federal water and regulations
- Experience collecting and analyzing field samples in support of regulatory compliance work.
- Experience providing technical advice and assistance to internal and external customers
The annual hiring range for this position is $28.07-$33.96
The position performs environmental compliance work for Austin Water’s approved pretreatment program. This critical work ensures that the City meets all federal and state requirements for administering a program to protect the City’s wastewater treatment and collection systems from adverse effects of industrial and commercial wastewater pollutant discharges to the City’s system. The pretreatment program helps to make sure that the wastewater treatment operations are protected and effective in assuring that the millions of gallons of wastewater treated each day at our facilities meets the strictest water quality standards and permit effluent for discharging to receiving streams in our community. The program is also responsible for ensuring that pollutant sludge standards are met consistently to allow the City to continue producing biosolids that can be re-used beneficially. The position requires someone with environmental regulatory expertise and an ability not just to learn and understand existing and new complex regulations, but also to teach commercial and industrial stakeholders and community members about these regulations and how to comply with them in furtherance of these goals. The Pretreatment Compliance Specialist position being advertised will play a large role in sample collection activities for the program, but will also be expected to contribute and develop experience and expertise in all other program areas and activities.
Glen Bell Service Center; 3907 S Industrial Dr, Austin, TX 78744 (moving to north location at end of year)
- Monday through Friday; 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Flexible); rotating on call
Working with Austin Water provides a number of health and welfare benefits, such as medical, paid leave time, a great retirement plan, training opportunities and more.
- $3,000!
- $500 after 90 days.
- $500 after 180 days.
- $1,000 after 1 year.
- $1,000 after 2 years.
This position requires a valid Texas Class C Driver License or the ability to acquire one by your hire date. External New Hires must meet the City of Austin’s Driver Record Evaluation (DRE) requisite. To be considered for a driving position, applicants cannot have more than three moving violations or a total of six Driver Record Evaluation points within a period of thirty-six (36) months.
If you are selected for this position, and meet the Driver Safety Standards in the City of Austin Driver Safety Program, you may drive when necessary to multiple locations as part of your regular job duties. Otherwise, you are responsible for getting to and from these locations.
This position has been designated as essential for the City of Austin. Essential positions maintain emergency services or provide public health, safety, utility services, and welfare of the community. In the event of a designated emergency, these positions will be called back or retained to assist with operations and recovery.
- All Austin Water employees are prohibited from accepting or engaging in any secondary employment that might conflict or interfere with an employee’s duty and responsibility to the Department.
- Austin Water must review all secondary employment.
- Employees are required to submit a Secondary Employment Application for review and approval upon being hired with Austin Water, as well as current Austin Water employees considering secondary employment.
All Austin Water worksite locations are tobacco‑free. Use of tobacco products and/or e‑cigarettes is not permitted on any Austin Water worksite includes construction sites, parking lot, garage or in any personal vehicle located on the premises.
This posting may be used to fill additional vacancies that occur within the department.
At the City of Austin, we are more than just an employer‑we are a vibrant community dedicated to shaping one of the nation’s most dynamic and innovative cities. As we strive to fulfill our commitment as public servants, it is important that we ground our efforts in a set of guiding principles - Empathy, Ethics, Excellence, Engagement, and Equity - that anchor our delivery of services that significantly impact the lives of Austinites. Joining the City of Austin means embarking on a purposeful career, contributing to the community, and being part of a forward‑thinking organization that values every employee.
- Make a Difference: Join a team driving meaningful change in one of the fastest‑growing cities in the nation.
- Value and Innovation: Work in an environment where employees are valued, and innovation thrives.
- Competitive Benefits: Enjoy a comprehensive compensation package that includes generous leave, work‑life balance programs, and extensive benefits.
- Retirement Security: Plan for the future with the City of Austin Employees' Retirement System.
- Sustainable Transportation Options: Commute easily with access to public transit and bike‑friendly infrastructure.
- Focus on Wellness: Stay healthy through wellness programs, on‑site fitness centers, and mental health support.
- Career Growth: Advance your skills and expertise with professional development and leadership opportunities.
- Modern Workspaces: Work in innovative and sustainable environments that foster collaboration and inspiration.
The City of Austin will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, religion, veteran status, disability, or sexual orientation. In addition, the City will not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of an individual's AIDS, AIDS Related Complex, or HIV status; nor will the City discriminate against individuals who are perceived to be at risk of HIV infection, or who associate with individuals who are believed to be at risk.
City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require reasonable accommodation during the application process or have a question regarding an essential job function, please call (512) 974-3210 or Texas Relay by dialing 7-1-1.
Closing Date/Time: 2026-11-19
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