Wastewater Superintendent

City of Sioux Falls; Sioux Falls (SD); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Sioux Falls is seeking a Wastewater Superintendent to lead a multi-disciplinary team and oversee essential treatment operations, ensuring reliable services and compliant facilities. You will work closely with supervisors, operators, maintenance staff, engineers, and lab personnel to keep treatment processes efficient and the collection system reliable.

You will collaborate with Public Works leadership, engineers, water purification, finance, and other stakeholders to guide capital

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in science or engineering plus eight (8) years’ progressively responsible experience in the water/wastewater field; or any such combination of education, experience, and training as may be acceptable to the hiring authority.
• Valid unrestricted South Dakota Operator’s Certificate is desirable.
• Valid unrestricted South Dakota Wastewater Collection Certificate is desirable.
• Possession of a valid driver’s license is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead a multi-disciplinary team and oversee operations essential to Sioux Falls’ infrastructure and environmental stewardship.
• Collaborate with supervisors, operators, maintenance staff, engineers, and lab personnel to ensure efficient treatment processes and reliable collection systems.
• Balance daily operational decisions with long-range planning and capital project implementation.
• Support culture, safety, and professional development to build a high-performing workforce.
• Coordinate with Public Works leadership and other departments to deliver shared priorities.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in science or engineering

Job description

What This Role Is About

As the Wastewater Superintendent, you’ll lead a multi-disciplinary team and oversee operations that are essential to Sioux Falls’ infrastructure, environmental stewardship, and future development. You’ll work closely with supervisors, operators, collection system maintenance staff, a biosolids team, engineers, lab staff, and maintenance personnel to ensure our treatment processes run efficiently and our collection system remains reliable.

This role blends:

• Leadership and People Development – build strong teams, support supervisors, and maintain a safe, positive, and inclusive culture.
• Strategic Vision – anticipate future system needs, guide capital projects, and help shape long-term infrastructure planning.
• Operational Excellence – maintain compliance, optimize processes, and ensure the community receives dependable wastewater services.
• Cross-department Collaboration – partner with Public Works leadership, Engineering, Water Purification, Finance, and many more internal and external stakeholders to deliver on shared priorities.

Who We’re Looking For

A leader who:

• Thrives in a collaborative, purpose-driven environment.
• Communicates clearly and builds trust across divisions.
• Is committed to continuous learning
• Values people as much as process and understands that culture drives success.
• Can balance daily operational decisions with strategic thinking and long-range planning.

What You Can Expect

• A strong team culture grounded in Safety, Teamwork, Innovation, Character, and Respect.
• Opportunities to lead critical infrastructure planning and capital improvements.
• Meaningful work that directly serves the community and supports economic growth.
• Support from Public Works leadership and cross-functional partners.

Water Reclamation Division operations include the following major areas: Collections (which includes: cleaning of sanitary sewer infrastructure (vactor), television inspection, pump station and force main, and construction teams), Operations (which includes plant operations and biosolids processing and handling), Maintenance (which includes maintenance of the wastewater treatment facility and pump stations), Controls and Electrical (which includes the electrical, instrumentation, and controls (EIC) for the Water Reclamation and Water Purification Facilities, and other divisions), Pretreatment and Laboratory (which includes the pretreatment for the regional customers), and Engineering (which includes design, project management and construction administration of wastewater treatment and collection system projects). Management of the stormwater drainage system includes the following major areas: cleaning of stormwater infrastructure (vactor), television inspection, sump pump collection system, and construction. Additional programs and areas that are managed include: the collection system flow metering program, air release maintenance, odor control systems, regional customer billing and communications and management of the wastewater hauler and industrial customer sampling, testing, and billing.

Minimum Qualifications

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in science or engineering plus eight (8) years’ progressively responsible experience in the water/wastewater field; or any such combination of education, experience, and training as may be acceptable to the hiring authority.

Valid unrestricted Class III or IV South Dakota Operator’s Certificate is desirable.

Valid unrestricted Class III or IV South Dakota Wastewater Collection Certificate is desirable.

Possession of a valid driver’s license is desirable.