UTILITY SUPERINTENDENT

City of Hobbs; Hobbs (NM); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Hobbs seeks a seasoned Utility Superintendent to lead the water production, distribution, and wastewater collection systems. You will supervise staff, manage budgets, and drive capital projects to improve reliability and compliance.

The role requires a strong background in water utilities, regulatory standards, and interagency coordination to ensure safe, compliant operations for the Hobbs community.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, sanitary engineering, environmental science, or a related field

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations of water/wastewater systems to ensure safe, reliable service.
• Manage budgets and capital projects, aligning with long-term system goals.
• Ensure compliance with NM regulations and certification requirements (NMED, NMAC).
• Coordinate with regulatory agencies, City officials, contractors, and staff to execute projects.

Skills

Water/wastewater systems

Regulatory knowledge

Diagnostics & problem solving

SCADA / GIS data analysis

Operations management

Stakeholder relations

Education

Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or related field

Tools

SCADA

GIS

Asset management software

Hydraulic modeling

Job description

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The Utility Superintendent is responsible for overseeing the daily operations, maintenance, regulatory compliance, and long-term planning of the City’s water production, water distribution, and wastewater collection systems. This position supervises utility personnel, manages budgets and capital projects, ensures compliance with applicable state regulations and certification requirements, and coordinates with regulatory agencies, contractors, consultants, and City officials. The Utility Superintendent provides leadership in system maintenance, emergency response, infrastructure improvements, employee training, and overall operational efficiency to ensure safe, reliable, and compliant utility services.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Under general supervision of the Utilities Director, the Utility Superintendent is responsible for the management, regulatory compliance, and operational performance of the City’s water production, water distribution, and wastewater collection systems. This position serves as a responsible certified operator under New Mexico Administrative Code (NMAC) and ensures all activities comply with the Utility Operators Certification Act.

Plans, organizes, budgets, directs, instructs, sets standards, reviews, trains, and disciplines employees. Performs personnel management functions and ensures staff maintain required certifications under NMED Drinking Water Bureau and Surface Water Quality Bureau requirements.

Formulates short and long range operational and capital plans for water production, water distribution, and wastewater collection. Coordinates with City boards, regulatory agencies, consultants, and contractors. Oversee programs such as water line replacement, system rehabilitation, and utility construction. Provides initial design input, prepares cost estimates, and manages bidding and inspection of utility projects.

Prepares the first draft of the annual budget request for review by the Utilities Director. Maintains responsibility for water, wastewater, production, and joint utility construction fund budgets.

Organizes and directs staff in maintenance and repair of water production facilities, distribution infrastructure, and wastewater collection systems. Establishes work schedules and aligns daily operations with long term system goals. Evaluates staff performance and assigns tasks based on skill level and certification requirements.

Ensures compliance with all sampling, monitoring, reporting, and recordkeeping obligations under NMED, including but not limited to Drinking Water Bureau reporting, Surface Water Quality Bureau reporting for wastewater collection incidents, cross connection control program oversight, emergency response and incident documentation.

Directs and reviews operations for efficiency, safety, and regulatory compliance. Delegates authority appropriately and verifies final work product quality.

Ensures staff attend required training to obtain and maintain certifications. Counsels and disciplines employees as needed.

Performs all duties of subordinate staff when necessary, including field operations, emergency response, and after-hours system support.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

NON-ESSENTIAL DUTIES

May serve on various employee committees as required and assigned.

This position is subject to the City of Hobbs’ Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy which includes one or more of the following: pre-employment testing, post accident testing, random testing, reasonable suspicion testing, return to duty testing and follow-up testing.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, sanitary engineering, environmental science, or a related field; plus, eight (8) years of experience in a water or wastewater utility; with three (3) years of compensated supervisory experience required.

OR

An equivalent combination of education, certifications, and progressively responsible utility experience.

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:

• Extensive knowledge of materials, methods, processes, and equipment used in water production, water distribution, and wastewater collection systems.
• Knowledge of applicable regulations including 20.7.4 NMAC, Safe Drinking Water Act, Clean Water Act, and NMED reporting requirements.
• Ability to diagnose complex operational and maintenance problems and recommend corrective actions.
• Ability to manipulate operational data using various computer programs (SCADA, GIS, asset management, hydraulic modeling).
• Ability to organize, coordinate, and evaluate operations of a municipal water / sewer utility.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the Utilities Director, City boards, regulatory agencies, staff, developers, contractors, and the public.

LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS

Required:

• Valid state issued driver’s license.
• Possess and maintain New Mexico Water Supply Level 4 (WS4) certification

Required within two (2) years of employment:

• New Mexico Collection Systems Level 2 (CS2) certification.

Acceptable Substitution:

• Wastewater Level III or IV (WW3 or WW4) certifications may substitute for CS2.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Works under the broad policy guidance and direction of the Utilities Director.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

Exercises supervision over assigned personnel either directly or through subordinate supervisory staff.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

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

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to talk and hear, or reach with hands and arms from a standing position. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, kneel and use hands and fingers to handle feel or operate objects, tools or controls. The employee is occasionally required to lay, climb or balance, stoop, crouch or crawl.

The employee must routinely lift and/or move objects up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works near moving mechanical parts and equipment and regularly works outdoors. The employee occasionally works in confined spaces and is frequently exposed to adverse weather conditions, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, vibration, risk of electrical shock, and blood borne pathogens.

The noise level in the work environment is generally moderate to loud.