Temporary Desalination Maintenance Technician

Southeast New Mexico College; Carlsbad (NM); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Job summary

Southeast New Mexico College in Loving, NM, has partnered to operate and maintain a solar-powered produced water desalination pilot facility. The role focuses on daily plant operations, safety, SOP adherence, and routine maintenance.

The position involves on-site O&M tasks, chemical handling, equipment checks, performance monitoring, and recordkeeping to ensure safe, reliable plant operation. A background in mechanical or chemical engineering and facility maintenance is advantageous.

Qualifications

• Field experience with steam systems, desalination, or wastewater treatment.
• Field experience handling chemicals, including spill prevention and safe handling of hazardous materials.
• Hands-on water analysis experience, including colorimetric testing and jar testing.
• Experience with control panels, instrumentation, and process equipment in industrial settings.
• Experience developing and following SOPs.

Responsibilities

• Independently perform on-site operations and maintenance tasks at the produced water desalination pilot plant in Loving, NM.
• Follow established SOPs for daily operations and routine maintenance, including chemical handling and equipment checks.
• Safely handle and manage chemicals used in produced water pretreatment.
• Provide hands-on maintenance support as needed and respond to system alarms.
• Document maintenance activities and report deviations from plans or expected performance.
• Track chemical consumption and manage spare parts inventory.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Desalination / water treatment

Chemicals handling / safety

Water analysis techniques

Instrumentation & control panels

SOPs compliance

Heavy lifting 40+ lbs

Outdoor work

MS Excel / data entry

Education

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field

Job description

Examples of Duties

• Field experience with steam systems, desalination processes, or wastewater treatment systems
• Proven experience handling industrial chemicals, including spill prevention and safe handling of hazardous materials such as oxidizers and corrosives
• Hands‑on experience with water analysis techniques, including in‑field colorimetric testing and jar testing
• Experience working with control panels, instrumentation, and process equipment in an industrial or pilot‑scale environment
• Demonstrated experience developing, following, and adhering to standard operating procedures (SOPs)

Required Qualifications

• Field experience with steam systems, desalination processes, or wastewater treatment systems
• Proven experience handling industrial chemicals, including spill prevention and safe handling of hazardous materials such as oxidizers and corrosives
• Hands‑on experience with water analysis techniques, including in‑field colorimetric testing and jar testing
• Experience working with control panels, instrumentation, and process equipment in an industrial or pilot‑scale environment
• Demonstrated experience developing, following, and adhering to standard operating procedures (SOPs)

Preferred Qualifications

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field. Any equivalent combination of education, training, and/or experience as approved by the Human Resources Department.

FLSA Status

Non‑Exempt

Grade

Temporary

Salary

$40.00 per hour minimum; rate commensurate with experience.

Location

Loving, New Mexico

Anticipated Schedule

Monday through Friday mornings (e.g., 8:00-10:00 a.m.), averaging approximately 2 hours per weekday following completion of training.

Background

Located in Carlsbad, New Mexico, Southeast New Mexico College (SENMC) is a newly independent public community college accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. A proud Hispanic Serving Institution, it awards certificates and associate degrees that serve the needs of its region and prepare students to transfer to programs at other colleges or universities. SENMC offers Early College and Dual Credit programs in collaboration with local high schools. Southeast New Mexico College enjoys the strong support of its community, and has been awarded several grants, which include $11.7 million from the U.S. Department of Energy and several multimillion‑dollar grants from the U.S. Department of Education for student support. The college’s diverse employee pool includes 39 full‑time faculty, 48 adjunct faculty, and 112 staff members. SENMC offers a generous benefits package which includes medical, dental, retirement, and college tuition reimbursement. More information on SENMC can be obtained from its website at https://senmc.edu.

Project Overview

Southeast New Mexico College (SENMC) has commenced joint operations with Sunvapor, Inc., a leading developer of low‑carbon industrial process plants, to operate and maintain the country’s first solar desalination facility – located at a commercial saltwater disposal well in Loving, New Mexico. To develop its workforce program in sustainable water reuse, SENMC supports operations and maintenance (O&M) tasks at the pilot facility. The solar‑powered desalination plant leverages a patented hybrid desalination process to achieve industry‑leading thermal efficiency and recovery rates for the prospective beneficial reuse of produced water in the Permian Basin.

Purpose And Scope

This position supports SENMC’s sustainable water reuse program by performing routine operations and maintenance at the solar‑powered produced water desalination pilot facility.

Under Sunvapor’s direction, responsibilities include daily plant operations in accordance with SOPs, chemical handling, equipment checks, performance monitoring, responding to alarms, assisting with maintenance, and maintaining operational records to ensure safe, reliable facility performance and workforce training support.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Work under the direction of the System Owner (Sunvapor) and proactively communicate with SENMC Technical Point of Contact.
• Independently and confidently perform on‑site operations and maintenance (O&M) tasks at the produced water desalination pilot plant in Loving, New Mexico.
• Follow established SOPs for daily operations and routine maintenance, including produced water handling, chemical dilution and dosing, piping inspections, and basic equipment maintenance.
• Safely handle and manage chemicals used in produced water pre‑treatment.
• Provide hands‑on assistance as needed in maintenance activities.
• Receive and respond to system alarms/events as soon as they occur.
• Execute or plan emergency and unscheduled maintenance activities as needed.
• Document completed maintenance activities and report deviations from established plans or expected performance.
• Conduct daily facility performance assessments and identify causes of performance deviations.
• Track and report pre‑treatment chemical consumption and other consumables.
• Manage spare parts inventory.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Field experience with steam, desalination, or wastewater treatment systems.
• Field experience with chemicals handling, including spill prevention and handling hazardous chemicals (e.g. oxidizers, corrosives).
• Field experience with water analysis, such as in‑field colorimetric methods and jar testing.
• Field experience with control panels, instruments, and process equipment.
• Hands‑on abilities as a mechanic; detail‑oriented.
• Ability to lift at least 40 pounds and work at heights greater than 15 feet.
• Desire to work outdoors at pilot site, including during summer.
• Familiar with OSHA and ASME safety codes and practices.
• Experience developing and following standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Familiarity with basic data entry, such as MS Excel and Google Drive/Sheets.

Work Environment And Physical Demands

• Work is performed primarily outdoors at an industrial pilot facility.
• Manual dexterity and fine motor skills.
• Exposure to varying weather conditions, including heat, sun, and wind.
• Exposure to chemicals and industrial equipment, requiring proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Requires standing, walking, climbing, bending, and lifting up to 40 pounds.

Performing the essential functions of this position requires the use of a computer throughout most of the workday, the ability to navigate a typical office environment, significant amounts of interpersonal interaction including oral and written communication, and the ability to keep track of multiple tasks, projects, deadlines, information sources, and business processes. This job description is intended to be generic in nature and describe the essential functions of the job. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities, and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.

Affirmative Action Statement

SENMC is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer dedicated to excellence through diversity and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

We offer a complete benefits package to full‑time employees including health care, dental, vision, retirement, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, long‑term disability, holidays, vacation, and sick leave.

Part‑time employees who work an average of 30 hours per week over the course of a year, receive benefits on a pro‑rated basis.

To learn more details, visit our benefits page.