Certified Treatment Plant Operator I​/II

The City of Eureka is currently looking for a Certified Treatment Plant Operator to join our team!

Under direct or general supervision, operates equipment, facilities and related appurtenances as found in a continuously-operating water and/or wastewater treatment plant on an assigned shift; assists with preventive maintenance and makes repairs to plant facilities and equipment; provides technical assistance to the Utilities Division; and performs related work as required.

Receives direct or general supervision from assigned supervisory or management personnel and technical and functional direction from a Senior Treatment Plant Operator. May exercise technical and functional direction over assigned staff.

Treatment Plant Operator I: This is the entry-level class in the utility operations series. Initially, under close supervision, incumbents with basic utility operations experience learn City water and wastewater treatment facilities and systems, use of tools and equipment, and a wide variety of practices and procedures. As experienced is gained, assignments become more varied and are performed with greater independence. This class is alternately-staffed with Treatment Plant Operator II and incumbents may advance to the higher level after gaining the necessary experience, demonstrating the knowledge, skill and ability required to perform at the higher level, and obtaining the licenses/certifications required to qualify for the journey-level class.

Treatment Plant Operator II: This is the journey-level class in the utility operations series that performs the full range of duties required to ensure that water and wastewater treatment facilities and systems operate safely and effectively. Responsibilities include inspecting and attending to assigned areas in a timely manner, and performing a wide variety of tasks in water and/or wastewater treatment plant operations.

This class is distinguished from the Senior Treatment Plant Operator in that the latter is responsible for technical and functional direction over lower-level utility operations staff and is capable of performing the most complex duties assigned to the division.

(Illustrative Only)

Management reserves the right to add, modify, change or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

• Monitors plant operations equipment and processes to ensure compliance with environmental and public health standards, including monitoring and making adjustments as needed to optimize efficiency, making chemical dosage changes, changing pumping rates, and monitoring all equipment daily.
• Reviews and analyzes automated information and control system data and revises equipment settings as appropriate; notifies supervisor of unusual situations and makes inspections or corrects system problems as necessary.
• Interprets and may perform laboratory and process tests to optimize plant performance, checks the results, and makes appropriate changes.
• Performs proper usage and handling of chemicals according to industry standards, including monitoring the Digester Gas System, performing safety hook-up connections for chlorine and sulfur dioxide cylinders, and handling dry sodium fluorosilicate.
• Operates and assists in preventive maintenance on a variety of treatment plant equipment, such as electric motors, engines, gas and electric powered pumps, air compressors, emergency systems, power generation systems, chillers, pressure and flow regulators, analyzers, filters, chemical feed systems, digesters, bar screens, and blowers.
• Operates valves, pumps and automated controls to regulate the flow of water and/or wastewater through plants.
• Lubricates pumps, motors, chains, conveyors and other machinery and equipment.
• Makes minor repairs to equipment; assists plant maintenance staff with major repair work.
• Performs routine maintenance painting of machinery, structures, equipment and piping systems.
• May assist in collecting water, wastewater, sludge and other samples from various phases of the treatment process; performing standard chemical and physical tests on these samples to ensure that plants are operating effectively and that regulatory requirements are being met.
• Uses a variety of hand and power tools and testing equipment.
• Maintains accurate records, including calculating the daily use of energy…