Wastewater Plant Operator I

About the role

Operates and maintains wastewater treatment, processing, disposal and testing equipment in wastewater treatment facility to purify water to meet permit and operational requirements.

Responsibilities

• Operates plant processes including primary treatment, activated sludge secondary treatment, sludge thickening, gravity thickening & blending, belt filter press & centrifuge systems.
• Maintain and performs minor repairs on equipment.
• Writes work orders for major repairs and submits to maintenance department.
• Reads meters, gauges, scales, charts, and totalizers and records these readings on appropriate log sheets.
• Trains and directs other operators in various duties as needed.
• Cleans and paints equipment, washes windows, sweeps and mops floors, maintains buildings and grounds throughout the plant.
• Tends automatic and semi-automatic machines and related equipment including pumps, engines, generators, valves, gates, mixers, conveyors, blowers, chemical feed and odor control and vacuum filters used to decontaminate waste water by settling, aeration and sludge digestion.
• Maintains control panels and adjusts valves and gates manually or by remote control to regulate flow.
• Maintains and records operating conditions observations and data in area shift log.
• Monitors and verifies operating conditions and reports suspected malfunctions and variances to supervisor and takes corrective actions.
• Performs routine and preventative maintenance and maintenance related items as assigned.
• Performs manual labor including filling and emptying of machine bins and cleaning equipment, facilities and grounds as required.
• Performs minor maintenance including, but not limited to, routine preventive maintenance, lubrication and minor adjustments.
• Operates vehicles for plant operational purposes.
• Practices good housekeeping in assigned area and properly disposes of waste according to safety and environmental policies.
• Performs field tests (chemical, physical and biological) in order to pace chemical dosages for process and odor control units or alter unit processes.
• Samples wastewater, sludge and gases (odor control, digester, etc.) according to schedule.
• Prepares chemical solutions and services automatic samplers.
• Maintains process chemical supplies and recommends reorder.
• Performs routine lab tests.
• Performs routine instrument calibration for portable meters including, but not limited to, dissolved oxygen, pH, H2S, percent oxygen, lower explosive limit.

Requirements

• High School Diploma/GED is required.
• Zero to two years experience in a related position and environment with knowledge of the methods, techniques, and practices of water/wastewater treatment.
• Ability to read, write and comprehend English (operational, process, safety and quality instructions).
• Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations.
• Ability to learn and independently operate assigned machines and equipment meeting or exceeding processing and quality targets.
• Ability to learn and independently operate equipment such as pumps, engines, centrifuge, generators, valves, gates, mixers, conveyors, blowers, dryers, chemical feed, odor control, disinfection equipment, sludge processing filters, belt presses and measuring/control devices, testing equipment and material handling equipment.
• Ability to use computer programs for process control.
• Ability to work in a team environment and willingness to assume additional or new responsibilities readily.
• Able to serve rotational 24-hour emergency on-call if required by site.

Qualifications

• Holds or is working toward a Michigan Class D wastewater treatment certificate.
• Valid driver’s license and a safe driving record.

Benefits

Veolia’s comprehensive benefits package includes paid time off policies, as well as health, dental, vision, life insurance, savings accounts, tuition reimbursement, paid volunteering and more. In addition, employees are also entitled to participate in an employer sponsored 401(k) plan, to save for retirement.

Additional Information

The Company reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.