Wastewater Supervisor

Butterball; Mount Olive (NC); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Butterball is seeking a wastewater operations supervisor to lead a team in North Carolina, ensuring daily plant performance, irrigation management, and regulatory compliance. The role oversees DAF, lagoons, maintenance, and data-driven process adjustments, with strong emphasis on safety and biosecurity across facilities.

The ideal candidate will have a state wastewater license, leadership experience, and a background in environmental science or civil engineering, with 3–5 years in related

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED.
• 4+ years of relevant experience.
• 1+ year of leadership experience.
• Current state-issued grade 2 Wastewater Operator License or Grade 1 with 1 year to upgrade; valid spray irrigation license.

Responsibilities

• Supervise day-to-day activities of a team of entry-level contributors and support HR tasks.
• Oversee wastewater plant operations: screening, grit removal, DAF, lagoon systems, dewatering.
• Develop and manage a preventive maintenance program for pumps, aerators, meters, and irrigation equipment.
• Manage agricultural spray fields and center-pivot irrigation; monitor soil health and nutrient uptake.
• Act as back-up regulatory liaison; maintain records and reports for permits.
• Coordinate sampling/testing of influent/effluent/soil/ groundwater; adjust processes using data.
• Enforce poultry biosecurity and odor-control practices; protect community relations.

Skills

SCADA systems

DAF systems

Sludge management

Irrigation principles

Machinery principles

Leadership

Math & physics

Root cause analysis

Data interpretation

Communication & organization

Resource management

Education

Associate or Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Agriculture, or Civil Engineering

Job description

Guides the day-to-day activities for a team that ensures the daily operations, maintenance, and compliance of the wastewater treatment facility and associated agricultural land application (irrigation) sites. Ensures compliance with all regulations and company policies and procedures. Plays a critical role in handling high-strength organic processing byproducts, managing dissolved air flotation (DAF) systems, maintaining lagoon systems, and overseeing the safe agricultural application of treated effluent.

At Butterball, we exist to help people pass love on. As the most recognized name in turkey, the brand represents more than 60 years of cherished memories, providing quality, great tasting products that make meals something to celebrate every day.  We proudly believe that life at Butterball means having a team who supports you, having the opportunity to grow personally and professionally, and making an impact on the health of others daily.  

Whether you choose to work at one of our five (5) manufacturing facilities in NC, AR, MO, farms in AR, NC, and KS, corporate office in NC, IL, or in the field, we believe we have an opportunity for everyone to succeed.   At Butterball, we believe in fostering a culture where every team member is valued, has the opportunity to grow professionally and contribute to our success.

Key Responsibilities

1. 1. Supervises the day-to-day activities of a team of entry level individual contributors. Provides guidance, coaching, and support to ensure successful completion of tasks. Participates in HR activities such as hiring, terminations, performance management, goal setting, team member development, scheduling, etc. Enforces systems, policies, and procedures.
2. 2. Supervises the operational parameters of the wastewater plant, prioritizing screening, grit removal, DAF units, aerobic lagoon systems, and sludge dewatering equipment.
3. 3. Develops, schedules, and controls a preventive maintenance program to maintain pumps, aerators, flow meters, screens, tractors and farm irrigation equipment to minimize operational downtime.
4. 4. Responsible for the agricultural spray fields and center-pivot irrigation systems used for effluent land application. Monitors soil health, crop nutrient uptake (e.g., nitrogen loading limits), hydraulic loading, and seasonal planting/harvesting cycles.
5. 5. Acts as the back up technical point of contact for regulatory agencies. Maintains records and prepares accurate daily, monthly, and quarterly reports as needed, including for NPDES/state land application permits.
6. 6. Coordinates sampling and testing schedules for influent, effluent, soil, and groundwater monitoring wells. Analyze data (BOD, TSS, FOG, pH, and Nutrients) to adjust treatment processes proactively..
7. 7. Enforces rigid poultry biosecurity protocols to prevent cross-contamination between the wastewater facility, farm fields, and production plant. Manage odor control systems to maintain positive community relations.

Minimum Qualifications (Educations & Experience)

1. 1. High school diploma / GED
2. 2. 4+ years of relevant experience or the knowledge, skills, and abilities to succeed in the role
3. 3. 1+ year of leadership experience or the knowledge, skills, and abilities to succeed in the role
4. 4. Possession of a current state-issued grade 2 Wastewater Operator License or a level 1 license with 1 year to achieve grade two to be back up ORC and a valid spray irrigation license

Butterball Core Competencies

• Safety First: We put safety first. The health, safety, and well‑being of our people, products, and turkeys is everyone's responsibility and everyone's jobs.
• Integrity: We trust each other to do the right thing. We act with integrity and gain the confidence and trust of others through honesty, respect, and authenticity.
• Stewardship: We take care of what matters. We are accountable to our commitments and take responsibility for the well‑being of our teams, our quality, our customers, our business, our brand, and our communities. We are always answerable for our actions and those we lead.
• Enthusiastic Attitudes: We create a climate where everyone feels they belong and can be engaged, every day. Where our people are enthusiastic and motivated to do their best and work together to make great things happen.
• Continuous Improvement: We are committed to continuous improvement. We challenge ourselves and our company to constantly learn, develop, grow, improve, and innovate.

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

1. 1. Familiarity with SCADA systems, dissolved air flotation (DAF), sludge management, and agricultural irrigation principles
2. 2. Knowledge of practical use of Mechanical, pneumatic, electrical, and hydraulic principals
3. 3. Understanding of the principal of machinery and the total process
4. 4. Good leadership skills with the ability to coach, support, and motivate a team
5. 5. Ability to use math and physics to identify calculations needed in maintenance
6. 6. Effective technology skills
7. 7. Skilled at root cause analysis, investigating accidents, and troubleshooting
8. 8. Ability to research, evaluate, and interpret data
9. 9. Effective communication, organization, time‑management, problem‑solving, and critical‑thinking skills
10. 10. Skilled at resource management, delegation, and prioritizing deliverables

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Associate or Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Agriculture, or Civil Engineering
• 3-5 years of experience in wastewater treatment operations, with specific experience handling high-organic food processing waste (poultry/meat processing heavily preferred)

Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be regularly required to stand, sit, talk, hear, reach, stoop, kneel, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer, telephone, keyboard, and occasionally lift up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, color vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Working Conditions & Travel Requirements

• Work will be performed in a variety of conditions including climate-controlled office and laboratory environment(s); in a manufacturing plant environment with varying conditions, such as cold areas, wet areas, warm areas, chemicals, and other site conditions; and in a farm environment including working outdoors in seasonal conditions with live animals and at times in dusty environments. This position requires the individual to wear and work in personal protective equipment while in the laboratory, manufacturing and farm environment. This individual may be working around sick or diseased animals where additional precautions may need to be taken.
• The noise level of the office, laboratory and farm environment is usually moderate. The noise level in the manufacturing environment may exceed 85 DBA and require hearing protection. Showering in and out of farm locations may be required.
• Occasional travel may be required.

Disclaimer

We embrace equal opportunity employment. Butterball is committed to the fair and impartial treatment of all employees and applicants for employment without regard to gender, age, race, religion, color, national origin, physical or mental disability, military/veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, or any other status protected by law.

This position is deemed Safety Sensitive for purposes of Butterball’s Drug/Alcohol Screening & Testing Policy. Details will be provided to individuals who receive a conditional job offer, or upon request.

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of what is required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not imply or establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.

For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.