Operator - Thermal Biosolids Dryer

Thermal Biosolids Dryer Operator

Cary is seeking a dependable and safety-focused professional to join the South Cary Water Reclamation Facility team as a Thermal Biosolids Dryer Operator. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced industrial environment, values teamwork, accountability, and environmental stewardship, and takes pride in maintaining high operational standards. Success in this position requires strong situation awareness, attention to detail, and the ability to combine technology-based monitoring with hands-on observation and sound judgment in the field.

As part of Cary's One Cary culture, employees are empowered to collaborate across departments, think creatively, and provide exceptional public service while supporting the Town's commitment to innovation, safety, air quality, and operational excellence. This position works a non-rotating schedule as follows:
Mondays: 6am to Noon Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays: 12am to Noon Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays: OFF Anticipated Hiring Range: $56,867 - $69,867
* Hiring range varies based on the level of direct experience and possession of certifications, and it may be higher for exceptionally qualified candidates.
* Water Reclamation Facility positions are part of our established career ladder program that provides for the advancement of non-supervisory staff members in eligible positions who demonstrate increasing levels of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Depending upon the level of attainment in the career ladder, an employee may have lead worker duties over other plant personnel. The minimum certification level is determined by the career ladder criteria.

This position is a "critical position" meaning you are required to report to work during adverse weather or other emergency situations, to maintain equipment, operate the facility and/or assist the Department in any capacity necessary to continue Town operations.

This position will report to the South Cary Water Reclamation Facility located at 4900 W. Lake Rd. Apex, NC 27539.

Typical tasks in the role of Operator/Biosolids Dryer include pre-start up data collection, primary and secondary equipment checks/preparations, process start-ups, steady state operation, and controlled shutdowns of the dewatering and thermal drying processes according to established standard operating procedures; collect critical process data, on well-established schedules, to demonstrate that the thermal drying process consistently yields a final biosolids product that meets or exceeds the permitted federal and state regulatory requirement of Class A Exceptional Quality;

operate and maintain dewatering processes and equipment including polymer storage, make-up, batching and feed systems, as well as high speed centrifuges to yield the wet material meeting the solids content required by the drying processes; use of SCADA process screens and live trend charts essential to maintaining optimum dewatering and dryer performance; operate and maintain air compressors for utility air and pneumatic conveyance system;

other conveyance equipment such as screw conveyors, rotary air locks, bucket elevators; operate and maintain fugitive dust collection system and control devices; solids handling equipment such as a wet material feed pump, recycle metering screw, mixer, pre-separator, poly-cyclone, rotary shaker, and roll crusher; emissions control devices including the baghouses, saturator, and venturi-scrubber; monitor and ensure function of all critical process safety systems including carbon monoxide, oxygen, and temperature instrumentation as well as the inertization system including liquid nitrogen storage and evaporation, and nitrogen gas feed system to the product storage vessels that require this safety control;

basic application of knowledge regarding the 40 CFR 503 sludge regulations as it applies to biosolids processing provided by the thermal biosolids dryer facility; operate plant in regular or fill in capacity; performs other job-related tasks as required.

Typical tasks in the role of Plant Operator include making regular tours of plant and checks bar screens, engines, generators, pumps, settling…