Wastewater Plant Operator

County of Santa Barbara; Santa Maria (CA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 109,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation days

Holidays

Sick leave

Health plan

On-site clinics

Job summary

Laguna County Sanitation District in Santa Maria is hiring a Wastewater Plant Operator at the I, II, or III level. The position requires state operator certificates and a California Class B license where applicable.

The department offers a pathway from Operator I to higher levels with certification progression. The role involves operating and maintaining wastewater treatment plant facilities, managing pump stations, conveyance lines, and disposal systems, while contributing to regulatory

Qualifications

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Dedication and team loyalty.
• Experience using Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.
• Experience creating Daily Work Reports on a mobile device.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain sound working relationships with diverse people and personalities.

Responsibilities

• Operates and maintains wastewater treatment plant pumps, valves, electric motors, and filters; reads meters and gauges and regulates flow.
• Drives trucks and operates heavy equipment to support maintenance and collections.
• Reviews sewer maps, marks lines, and coordinates underground services.
• Performs laboratory testing of wastewater and adjusts chemical dosages.
• Cleans, paints, and maintains plant equipment and facilities.
• Completes maintenance forms, prepares reports for regulatory compliance, and maintains databases.

Skills

Communication skills

Customer service

Teamwork

MS Word/Excel/Outlook

Tools

MS Word

MS Excel

Outlook

Job description

SALARY

• Wastewater Plant Operator I: $74,751.04- $89,554.40 Annually
• Wastewater Plant Operator II: $80,687.36- $96,799.04 Annually
• Wastewater Plant Operator III:$90,378.08- $108,628.00 Annually

We are accepting applications to hire one (1) full-time Wastewater Plant Operator at the Laguna County Sanitation District (LCSD) wastewater treatment plant facility in Santa Maria.

The department may choose to hire at the Wastewater Plant Operator I, II, or III level. If hired at the I, II, or III level, possession of a valid Grade I, II or III Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator's certificate issued by the State of California, respectively, and a valid California Class B Driver’s License are required at the time of appointment.

BENEFITS OVERVIEW!

• Vacation:12 to 25 days per year depending on length of public employment.
• Holidays:13 days per year.
• Sick Leave: 12 days sick leave per year. Unlimited accumulation, one year of which can be converted to service credit upon retirement.
• Health Plan:Choice of medical and dental plans (with vision care). County contributes toward the employee's premium.
• On-Site Employee Health Clinics in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria: Provides ongoing and episodic services to eligible employees and their eligible dependents over age 15.

In addition, applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for:

• Retirement reciprocity
• Time and service credit towards an advanced vacation accrual rate

THE POSITION

Under close supervision, operates and maintains Laguna County Sanitation District (LCSD) wastewater treatment plant facilities, including collection systems, such as pump stations, conveyance lines, and manholes; treatment systems, such as pumps, gauges, tanks, and automatic switches; and disposal systems, such as effluent irrigation piping, pumps, valves, and storage facilities; and performs related duties as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

The LCSD wastewater treatment plant is a Class IV tertiary plant. Incumbents in this technician series may flex from the Trainee through III classes upon meeting established experience requirements and obtaining the appropriate grade certification issued by the State Water Resources Control Board, and also upon obtaining appropriate licensing from the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

NOTE

The Public Works Department operates a wastewater reclamation plant and sewer collection system that serves the Orcutt and unincorporated Santa Maria area through its Laguna County Sanitation District. The District currently has one opening for a Wastewater Plant Operator at the I, II or III level in the Wastewater Plant Operator series (levels I – III) with appropriate experience and education/training.

Wastewater Plant Operator I is the entry-level class in the series and requires possession of a Grade I operator certificate. Incumbents must work under the direction of a Grade III (or higher) certified operator. Incumbents are expected/encouraged to obtain Grade II certification and flex to WPO II after eighteen months of experience at this level.

Wastewater Plant Operator IIis the journey-level class in the series and requires possession of a Grade II operator certificate. Incumbents at this level may work independently are expected/encouraged to obtain Grade III certification and flex to WPO III after three years of experience at this level.

Wastewater Plant Operator III is the advanced journey-level class in the series and requires possession of a Grade III operator certificate. Incumbents at this level may act as lead workers for Operator Trainees, I’s, II’s, and III’s. Incumbents may also act as shift supervisors in the absence of Wastewater Plant Operator, Supervisor and Wastewater Plant Operator, Chief.

The IDEAL CANDIDATE will have:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Dedication and team loyalty
• Good judgment and be solution-oriented
• Experience using Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook
• Experience creating Daily Work Reports on a mobile device
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain sound working relationships with diverse people and personalities
• Customer service-oriented skills and experience
• Ability to lead and effectively manage multiple situations occurring simultaneously
• A current valid California Class B Driver's License without Air Brake or Automatic Transmission restriction

The Public Works Department

The County's Public Works Department employees are committed to efficiently providing, operating and maintaining public works infrastructure, facilities and services to make everyday life as safe and convenient as possible for the public we serve. The Department is comprised of five Divisions: Administration, Resource Recovery & Waste Management, Surveyor's Office, Transportation, and Water Resources. To learn more about the Public Works Department, please visit: https://www.countyofsb.org/184/Public-Works.

1. Operates and maintains wastewater treatment plant pumps, valves, electric motors, and filters; changes flowmeter charts; takes readings of gauges and temperatures and records readings; reads meters and gauges and regulates flow of wastewater; and packs, greases, and oils pumps and equipment regularly.
2. Drives pick-up trucks, vans, dump trucks, and flushing trucks in order to haul equipment and materials to work sites; operates backhoes, cranes, forklifts, and other heavy equipment utilized by the department; and operates sewer cleaning equipment such as hydro-flushers, root cutters, and sewer videotaping equipment to perform collection system maintenance.
3. Reviews sewer maps to locate underground sewer utilities; marks sewer lines above ground; contacts utilities to provide underground service alerts; washes and cleans bar screens and clarifier troughs; installs, maintains, and repairs sewer main lines; and makes other plumbing repairs as needed.
4. Performs laboratory testing of wastewater in various stages of process; performs arithmetic calculations to determine necessary changes in chemical dosage and treatment processes; and adjusts chemical dosages and treatment processes as necessary.
5. Cleans, paints, and maintains wastewater plant equipment and lift stations; and performs building, grounds, and property maintenance using hand tools and equipment such as drills, welding equipment, and mowers.
6. Completes forms for maintenance records, spill reports, requisitions, purchases, and questionnaires; prepares written reports for regulatory compliance including data collection for monthly, quarterly, semiannual and annual reporting; and inputs data and maintains facility maintenance databases using a personal computer.

Possession