Water Plant Operator Technician A

City-of-Mankat; Mankato (MN); On-site; USD 4,198,000 - 5,987,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Mankato is seeking a Maintenance/Relief Operator for the Water Treatment Plant. You will perform semi-skilled tasks to support operation, maintenance, and housekeeping, including rounds, equipment adjustments, and regulatory compliance.

Shifts include day/evening/on-call rotation, with opportunities to learn plant operation and water quality management and to develop a Class B license over time.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Must obtain Minnesota Class D Water License within 90 days.
• Must obtain Class B Water License within six years of employment.
• Any satisfactory equivalent combination may be substituted.

Responsibilities

• Maintain plant equipment and perform routine rounds and inspections.
• Operate and monitor treatment processes and adjust chemical feeds.
• Perform preventative maintenance and repairs as needed.
• Assist with plant operations and support on-call rotations.

Skills

Valid Driver's License

Education

High school diploma or GED

Minnesota Class D Water Supply System Operator Certificate within 90 days

Class B Water Supply System Operator certification within six years

Job description

Grade: STA4 FLSA Status: Non-Exempt Safety Sensitive Position: Yes Supervisor Title: Superintendent of Water Treatment Plant

Minimum Qualifications of Education and Experience

• Must possess a high school diploma or GED
• Have the ability to obtain a Minnesota Class D Water Supply System Operator Certificate within ninety (90) days of eligibility.
• Must obtain a Class "B" Water Supply System Operator certification within six (6) years of employment.

• Must possess a valid driver's license and be able to drive in the state of Minnesota.

OR

• Any satisfactory equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the job proficiently may be substituted for the above requirements.

2026 Salary Schedule – STA4

4.75%

4.75%

4.75%

4.50%

4.50%

4.25%

4.00%

3.00%

Step 0

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Tenure Step

3 years from top step

$30.47

$31.92

$33.43

$35.02

$36.59

$38.24

$39.87

$41.46

$42.71

Employees who hold a valid Class B Water License and meet performance expectations are eligible for additional hourly pay as follows:

• Employees at Steps 5–6 of the pay grade will receive an additional $1.00 per hour above the base pay rate.
• Employees at Step 7 or higher will receive an additional $2.00 per hour above the base pay rate.

This additional compensation is applied to the employee’s regular hourly rate and is contingent upon maintaining the required license and satisfactory job performance.

Nature of Work

This role is responsible for performing semi-skilled work to support the efficient operation, maintenance, and housekeeping of the Water Treatment Plant and the distribution system. Employees perform routine rounds of the plant, inspect and adjust equipment as needed, conduct preventative and corrective maintenance, assist with plant operations, and carry out daily tasks to ensure safe and reliable water production. Maintenance assignments focus on maintaining equipment reliability, performing repairs, and keeping the facility in proper working order, and may include performing the duties of a Plant Operator whenever an Operator is unavailable. Operators rotate between day, evening, and on-call shifts, managing treatment processes, monitoring chemical levels, and ensuring water quality meets all state, federal, and facility guidelines. Employees may be assigned to one or more functional areas within the department, providing exposure to a variety of operational and maintenance responsibilities.

About Us

Our employees are committed to working in an environment that fosters the core values of the City of Mankato – positive attitude, accountability, respect, teamwork, and integrity. We care about making a positive difference in the lives of others. Our work is challenging and has purpose. We listen and engage with each other and our community. We are empowered and trusted to make good decisions that align with the public service principles and core values. Our organization is committed to investing and developing each other. We will recognize and celebrate our collective achievements and individual accomplishments.

We take pride in investing in our employees. Our team enjoys a supportive work environment that encourages not only success for the community we serve, but for you as well. Come grow your career with us!

Primary Essential Work Functions

Maintenance/Relief Operator

• Makes periodic rounds of the plant, checking charts, equipment, and meters.
• Safely makes equipment adjustments on various components.
• Safely regulates electric motors, adjusts equipment and pumps for proper water flow and pumpage.
• Conducts preventative maintenance inspections throughout the facility and remote sites utilizing an asset management program.
• Conducts corrective maintenance activities either individually or in a team as assigned.
• Inspects, maintains, and repairs all equipment within the facility to provide quality water.
• Performs all housekeeping duties that are required.
• Safely performs the duties of a maintenance electrician after on-the-job training and under general supervision; and must register with the Department of Labor and Industry as a registered unlicensed electrician.
• Safely operates and inspects boilers.
• Safely operates and maintains a membrane filtration system.

Shift Operator

• Safely controls the proper treatment and pumping rates; safely manages the chemical levels within the Water Treatment Plant; performs laboratory testing to determine if the quality of water being produced is compliant with state, federal, and facility guidelines; and performs standard and chemical tests to ascertain water hardness, magnesium, turbidity, chlorine residual, fluoride, bacteria, and related testing.
• Manages the storage capacity of the Water treatment plant by adjusting the flows into the plant and making the appropriate chemical feed rate adjustments.
• Adjusts chemical feed rates and solid return rate for treatment processes under direction of the Superintendent of Water Treatment Plant.
• Records data in regard to the treatment and pumping of Mankato’s water supply.

Other Work Functions

• Assists the general public with water concerns, water quality complaints, billing questions, water chemistry questions, or other city concerns.
• Trains and mentors employees that are in the same or lower classification.
• Performs physical and mental demands and work environment requirements for this position.
• Attendance during regularly scheduled work hours and outside regular hours as necessary.
• Effective and respectful communication and interactions with other employees, supervisors, individuals from other organizations, and community customers.
• Performs other related work as assigned or apparent.

The above is a general listing of job duties. Essential and non-essential functions may vary by individual position. Reasonable accommodations may be available for both essential and non-essential job duties.

Communicates With

• Internally – Public Works Infrastructure Division, Information Technology, Administrative Services/Finance-Utility Billing
• Externally – MN Department of Health, general public, contractors

Supervision

• Non-supervisory

• Must possess a valid Minnesota Class D driver's license and be able to drive; and obtain a Minnesota CDL Class A driver's license and a tanker endorsement within 365 days (1 year) of employment.
• Must have the ability to obtain a Minnesota Class D Water Supply System Operator Certificate within ninety (90) days of eligibility.
• Must obtain a Class "B" Water Supply System Operator certification within six (6) years of employment.
• Must possess a Special Engineer Boiler Operators license or obtain one within six (6) months of employment.
• Employees must register with the Department of Labor and Industry as an unlicensed maintenance electrician.
• Satisfactory completion of a Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA) Clearinghouse query, background examination, physical examination, and drug testing.
• Ability to pass medical standards for respirator use, and ability to wear while performing work duties.
• Must be available for emergency overtime.
• Must have the ability to respond to the Water Treatment Plant or location of the alarm (in city limits) within 30 minutes when on-call.
• Must meet expectations of the work functions and knowledge, skills, and abilities for the position.
• Must comply with organizational and departmental policies.
• Must comply with data practices policies and standards relative to not public data. Any access to not public data should be strictly limited to accessing the data that are necessary to fulfill the employment responsibility. While data are being accessed, incumbent should take reasonable measures to ensure the not public data are not accessed by individuals without a work reason.
• Must comply with data practices policies and standards relative to not public data. Any access to not public data should be strictly limited to accessing the data that are necessary to fulfill the employment responsibility. While data are being accessed, incumbent should take reasonable measures to ensure the not public data are not accessed by individuals without a work reason. Once the work reason to access the data is reasonably finished the not public data must be properly stored according to city policy and the Minnesota Statutes.
• Safety Sensitive Notice This is a safety sensitive position which requires cannabis pre-employment drug testing. Safety sensitive position means a job in which an impairment caused by drug, alcohol, or cannabis usage would threaten the health and safety of any person.

Hours and days of work for this position will vary depending on scheduled shift. General working hours for the maintenance/plant operations assignment is Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. When working as a Plant Operator, the position will work daytime or evening hours and serve on an on-call rotation carrying a business cell phone to respond to emergencies outside normal business hours. May be required to work nights, weekends, and on holidays.