Water/Wastewater Operations Assistant

City of Tuscaloosa; Tuscaloosa (AL); On-site; USD 38,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Tuscaloosa seeks a Maintenance Worker to assist operators and technicians with inspections and routine maintenance at the water treatment plant and WRRF facilities. The role involves cleaning, minor repairs, and equipment upkeep to ensure reliable operations.

The position requires a high school diploma or GED, valid driver’s license, and readiness for rotating shifts, including nights and holidays. Pre-employment screening applies.

Qualifications

• Interpersonal communication skills are essential for coordinating with staff and public.
• Ability to read and understand mechanical, electrical, and water utility documentation.
• Strong basic math skills for measurements, calculations, and data interpretation.

Responsibilities

• Assist in inspections of water treatment plant and WRRF processes and equipment.
• Perform cleaning tasks to maintain facilities and storage areas.
• Perform repair and maintenance tasks on machinery, plumbing, and pumps to keep systems running.

Skills

Interpersonal communication

Language ability

Verbal aptitude

Numerical aptitude

Motor coordination

Manual dexterity

Color differentiation

Intelligence

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

Responsibilities

• Assists Operators and Maintenance Technicians with inspections of water treatment plant and WRRF processes and equipment.
• Performs cleaning tasks to keep facilities in good condition, including but not limited to: cleaning buildings, chemical storage and feed areas, and floors.
• Performs repair/maintenance tasks to keep machinery, equipment, and tools in good working order, specifically: cleans and lubricates equipment and machinery, dismantles, overhauls, repairs and reassembles conduits/plumbing lines, performs minor electrical tasks, replaces filters, fuses, switches, belts and related parts, paint and repacks pumps.
• Performs welding fabrication/repair tasks associated with equipment repairs.
• Operates heavy and light equipment, machinery and tools associated with repairing, maintaining and testing equipment, specifically: dump trucks, hoists, tractors, backhoe, mowers, generators, pumps, forklift, welder, diagnostic instruments, computer, mechanic tools, electrical tools, plumbing, and carpentry tools.
• Hauls dirt and grit; shovels sludge and sand; paints fire hydrants; cuts grass and maintains lawns.
• Loads/unloads equipment and supplies.
• Performs routine maintenance on vehicles and landscaping equipment, specifically: checking fluids, belts and tires, and repairing electric motors.
• Assists in directional flushing plan of water distribution system.
• Responds to calls from the public concerning water system problems, complaints, or emergency situations.
• Must be able to work rotating shifts to include nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Must accomplish the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations, in a timely manner.
• Must meet regular attendance requirements.
• Must be able to maintain good interpersonal relationships with staff, co-workers, managers and citizens.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required; previous experience at a water treatment plant, or water resource recovery facility preferred. Must possess a valid driver’s license. Depending on position assigned, must obtain an Alabama Commercial Driver’s Permit within six (6) months of employment and must possess and maintain an Alabama Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), Class B within twelve (12) months of employment. This job classification is considered to be safety-sensitive and is subject to pre-employment and random drug screens.

The following requirements are normal for this classification. Specific requirements may not apply to all positions within this classification, but are determined by the normal requirements for the particular position.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Must be able to operate a variety of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing and grounds keeping equipment including dump truck, hoists, tractors, backhoe, mowers, generators, pumps, forklift, welder, diagnostic instruments, computer, mechanic tools, electrical tools, plumbing tools, and carpentry tools. Physical demand requirements for some positions within this classification may at times be at levels of those for heavy work.

DATA COMPREHENSION: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people, or things which may include forms, reports, reference materials, procedural manuals, and operational manuals.

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION: Requires the ability to speak with and/or signal people to convey or exchange mechanical and water utility-related information, including giving/receiving assignments and/or directions to/from co-workers, assistants, managers, or supervisors as well as communicating with the general public.

LANGUAGE ABILITY: Requires ability to read a variety of mechanical, electrical and water utility-related documentation, directions, instructions, and methods and procedures. Requires the ability to write basic job related documentation and reports with proper format, punctuation, spelling and grammar, using all parts of speech. Requires the ability to speak with and before others with poise, voice control, and confidence using correct English and well-modulated voice.

INTELLIGENCE: Requires the ability to learn and understand relatively basic mechanical, electrical, and water utility-related principles and techniques, to understand departmental policies and procedures, to make independent judgments in absence of supervision, and to acquire and be able to expound on knowledge of topics related to primary occupation.

VERBAL APTITUDE: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, and to follow verbal and written instructions.

NUMERICAL APTITUDE: Requires the ability to add and subtract totals, multiply and divide totals, determine percentages, determine time and weight, and utilize basic mathematical formulas.

FORM/SPATIAL APTITUDE: Requires the ability to visually inspect items for proper length, width, and shape using job related equipment which may include standard measuring devices.

MOTOR COORDINATION: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes in using mechanical, electrical, and plumbing equipment and to operate motor vehicles.

MANUAL DEXTERITY: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and grounds maintenance equipment, control knobs, switches, meters, gauges, pumps, calibrator, dump truck, tractor, welder, etc. Must have the ability to use one hand for twisting motion or turning motion while coordinating other hand with different activities. Must have average levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.

COLOR DIFFERENTIATION: Requires the ability to discern color.

INTERPERSONAL TEMPERAMENT: Requires the ability to deal with and relate to people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be able to adapt to and perform under minimal stress when confronted with an emergency.

PHYSICAL COMMUNICATION: Requires the ability to talk, express, or exchange ideas by means of spoken words and/or hear and perceive nature of sounds by ear.