Water Treatment Operator

East-Bay-Municipal-Utility-District-; Oakland (CA); On-site; USD 109,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid vacation

Holidays

Sick leave

Health insurance

Dental and vision care

Life insurance

Long-term disability

Retirement plan

Flexible spending account

Transit subsidy

401(k)/401(a)/457(b) plans

Roth 401(k)

Tuition reimbursement

Career development

Job summary

East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) is seeking a Water Treatment Operator to monitor and operate six treatment plants with diverse processes, including ozone-enabled facilities. The role involves logging operations, testing, SCADA supervision, sampling, and maintaining plant equipment to ensure safe, compliant water delivery.

Applicants should have a high school diploma, a CA T2 certificate with progression to T3 within two years, and relevant field experience.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• 6 college semester units in water treatment or related field toward T3 per CA SWRCB-DDW required.
• 2 years of EBMUD experience as Water Treatment/Distribution Operator Trainee or equivalent experience.
• Must obtain California T3 Operator certificate within 2 years of appointment.

Responsibilities

• Log plant operations, tests, maintenance, and unusual conditions.
• Operate and monitor distribution system via SCADA as needed.
• Sample water, run quality tests, adjust chemical feeders and equipment.
• Maintain plant and equipment, perform routine maintenance and cleaning.
• Make minor repairs and respond to abnormal conditions.
• Read gauges, meters, and schematics and document data.

Skills

Water treatment knowledge

SCADA operation

Maintenance & repairs

Safety procedures

Data recording & reporting

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

CA SWRCB-DDW T2 certificate

Associate degree in water/wastewater technology

Job description

The PositionEast Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) has six treatment plants: three conventional (two with ozone) and three inline, ranging in size from 25 175 MGD. Assignments may include working at any treatment plant on any shift. Working on shifts without immediate supervision requires independent judgment, initiative, and action within established operational parameters.Water Treatment Operator duties include:• Logging plant operations, test results, maintenance work performed, and unusual operating conditions; preparing reports, as required.• Monitoring and operating the distribution system using the SCADA system as needed.• Sampling water at established times, performing standardized quality control tests, interpreting the results, and adjusting chemical feeders and other plant equipment accordingly.• Maintaining the plant and operating equipment and facilities in a clean and orderly condition, including draining and hosing down filters, tanks, and basins, and flushing chemical metering pumps; depressurizing, de-energizing, isolating equipment, removing chemicals, and locking and tagging out equipment in preparation for maintenance crews.• Making limited repairs and adjustments to equipment commonly used in water treatment facilities; listening for unusual equipment or machinery sounds to determine if there are potential problems; taking corrective action such as shutting down equipment or machinery and barricading off an area as appropriate.Knowledge of:• The operation, maintenance, and cleaning of a water treatment plant.• Water treatment principles, methods, and practices.• Pertinent safety rules, codes, and regulations, and common safe work practices.• Mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic principles.• Arithmetic calculations common to water treatment operations.• Standardized water quality tests.• Common hand and power tools.Ability to:• Perform routine maintenance and cleaning on machinery, structures, equipment, and piping.• Operate water treatment system equipment, including automatic control devices.• Perform minor maintenance and make operational adjustments to water treatment system equipment.• Operate plant equipment without immediate or detailed supervision.• Recognize unusual, inefficient, or dangerous operating conditions and take appropriate action.• Accurately read and record data from gauges, meters, and a SCADA system.• Read and interpret schematic drawings and diagrams showing plant piping, alarms, mechanical and electrical controls, valves, and related instrumentation.• Perform standardized water quality tests and adjust plant equipment accordingly.• Compile, evaluate, and analyze operational data and information; take or recommend appropriate actions.• Operate and maintain the distribution system on an emergency or as needed basis.• Establish and maintain effective working relationships.The salary range is $9,741 per month, increasing to $10,228 and $10,739 after 6 and 18 months, respectively.EBMUD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, gender identity (including transgender status), gender expression, marital or registered domestic partnership status, age for individuals age forty or older, national origin, ancestry, disability (mental or physical), medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, sexual orientation, military and veterans status, family or medical leave status, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation or related medical condition), pregnancy disability leave status, domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, and other categories protected by federal, state and/or local laws.Requirements1. A high school diploma or its equivalent.2. 6 college semester units in water treatment or other specialized training accepted by the California Department of Drinking Water (CA SWRCB-DDW) toward the T3 certificate; and eithera. 2 years of EBMUD experience as a Water Treatment/Distribution Operator Trainee plus satisfactory completion of training and supervisory certification of proficiency; ORb. 2 years of water treatment operator experience.* An Associate Arts Degree in water or wastewater technology or distribution including at least 15 units of physical, chemical, or biological sciences may be substituted for one year of experience under either of the above qualifying patterns.** A bachelor’s or master’s degree and completion of a state recognized comprehensive operator training program may be substituted for one year of experience under either of the above qualifying patterns.*** A bachelor’s or master’s degree in chemistry, biology, microbiology, public health, civil, chemical, environmental, or sanitary engineering or other closely related field may be substituted for the required experience under either of the above qualifying patterns.3. A California T2 certificate issued by the CA SWRCB-DDW. Must obtain a T3 Operator certificate within 2 years of appointment.4. A valid California driver’s license and satisfactory driving record.Other requirements: Must be physically capable of sustained climbing, standing, and walking; lifting of heavy materials such as 50-lb chemical sacks or valve pit covers. Must be willing to work assigned shifts, weekends, and holidays as scheduled to staff continuous operations. Must be willing to work with and around hazardous materials, to work outdoors in a variety of weather conditions, and to be clean shaven at all times as required to wear respiratory protective equipment.Operators must advance to the Senior Water Treatment Operator level within three years of appointment.Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered. To be considered under the “equivalent combination of education and experience” provision, it is your responsibility to include in your application materials written evidence of employment performed at the level of the typical duties of this position and/or coursework in subject areas directly related to this position. For more information, see our FAQ page at http://www.ebmud.com/jobs/job-resources/job-faqs-frequently-asked-questions/.The Selection Process1. Submit a completed EBMUD application and the required supplemental question responses online at www.ebmud.com by 4:30 p.m., Friday, October 9, 2026. Only application materials submitted online during the filing period will be accepted.2. Candidates must achieve a passing score on each test part in order to advance to the next step in the selection process.3. All qualified applications and supplemental responses will be competitively evaluated, with those candidates demonstrating the strongest qualifications for the position to be invited to a panel interview expected to be held in November.4. Successful candidates will be placed on the hiring list, based on rank, for further consideration to fill the current regular vacancy, as well as others occurring over the next 12 to 24 months.5. The probation period for this position is 12 months. For those holding civil service status the probation period is 6 months.6. All employment offers are conditional, pending the results of a Live Scan background screening. All selected finalists must participate in the Live Scan background screening process to remain in consideration for EBMUD employment.Supplemental InformationAs the first step in the selection process, responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted online with the regular EBMUD application. Please provide thorough, accurate descriptions of assignments you have personally performed. Should you respond with comments such as “see application” or “see resume” instead of addressing the questions directly, your application may not be considered.Our excellent benefits package includes:12 days paid vacation; 16 holidays; 13 days paid sick leave;Family health insurance (choice of Kaiser fully paid, or Sutter Health Plus or Anthem Blue Cross 85% paid);Fully paid family dental and vision care plans; life insurance; long-term disability insurance;EBMUD Retirement Plan (reciprocal with CalPERS);$1,000/yr. contributed to flexible spending account or cash;$145/mo. public transit subsidy;401(k), 401(a) and 457(b) tax-deferred retirement plans; Roth 401(k);$3,500/yr. tuition reimbursement;And opportunities for professional growth including training and career development.