Utilities Operator - Water

Utilities Operator I – Water Division

The City of Ankeny is accepting applications for a full‑time position in the Municipal Utilities Department. The Utilities Operator will perform and participate in unskilled and semi‑skilled work related to the operations and maintenance of Municipal Utilities facilities and the water distribution system.

Monday – Friday, 7 AM – 3:30 PM with additional on‑call and overtime hours as needed.

• Utilities Operator Assistant – $28.753 per hour with no certifications.
• Utilities Operator I – $31.946 per hour with a Grade I Water Treatment or Water Distribution operator certificate issued by the State of Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

• Vacation and Sick Leave
• Personal Leave
• 9 Paid Holidays
• Health/Dental/Life/LTD Insurance
• Parental Leave
• Wellness Programs and Incentives
• Tuition Reimbursement and Continuing Education Programs
• Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness Benefit
• Defined Benefits Pension Plan Through IPERS
• Deferred Compensation Plan
• Voluntary Insurance Benefit Options
• Longevity Pay

• Assist other personnel as directed in the operation and maintenance of Municipal Utilities facilities.
• Record readings from meters, gauges, probes, and equipment.
• Recognize and evaluate potential operational or mechanical problems and advise operational staff or supervisor.
• Assist the public by listening to complaints, inquiries, and problems, and reporting them to the supervisor.
• Perform customer service duties as directed.
• Complete routine maintenance and minor repairs on all operational equipment and appurtenances.
• Perform routine repair of buildings, general cleaning, grounds maintenance, and related activities.
• Assist with the maintenance and repair activities for the water distribution system.
• Assist in the routine maintenance of vehicles and other equipment.
• Respond to water main breaks, water service calls, and other emergencies as directed.
• Perform office duties as assigned.
• Assist other city departments as directed.

• Graduation from high school or an equivalent.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co‑workers and the public.
• Ability to keep accurate and legible records.
• Ability to recognize occupational hazards and follow established safety precautions.
• Valid driver’s license issued by the State of Iowa and ability to obtain a CDL Class B with airbrakes within one (1) year from date of hire.

• Utilities Operator Assistant–Water – Must obtain, within one year from date of hire, a Grade I operator’s certificate issued by the State of Iowa in Water Distribution or Water Treatment.
• Utilities Operator I‑Water – One (1) year combined experience in the operation and maintenance of a water distribution system or a water treatment facility, or an equivalent amount of education and experience recognized by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and possession of a Grade I operator’s certificate issued by the State of Iowa in Water Treatment or Water Distribution.

• Required to perform duties during off‑hours emergencies, weekends, or holidays.
• Exposure to chemicals, noxious odors, gases, high voltage, and other potentially hazardous working conditions, as well as all types of weather conditions and extremes.
• Required to operate employer’s vehicles and related equipment.

• Must be insurable.
• Must be sighted, hear normal conversation, and speak clearly at a normal rate of conversation.
• Must keep regular and reliable attendance at work.
• Must be able to kneel, squat, bend, twist, climb, lie on a creeper, and work overhead.
• Must be able to work on equipment located overhead, above, or below the waistline and in wet environments.
• Must be able to climb into or out of employer’s equipment and into 24‑inch openings.
• Must be able to remove and replace manhole covers weighing up to 80 pounds with a lever.
• Must periodically lift and carry, for short distances, heavy objects weighing up to 75 pounds.
• Must be able to climb and descend ladders and stairs, and walk over uneven terrain.
• Must be able to lift and move items weighing up to 150 pounds with the assistance of another employee but without a portable hoist.
• Must be able to use tools weighing 30 pounds or more.