Chief Operator - Water & Wastewater Operations

Woodard & Curran is an employee-owned engineering, science, and operations firm dedicated to clean water, a safe environment, healthy communities, and happy people. We foster an inclusive, collaborative culture that supports professional growth, flexibility, and meaningful work, empowering our employees to make a lasting impact on our clients, communities, and the planet.

We are seeking an experienced Chief Operator to provide day-to-day operational leadership at our water and wastewater treatment facilities. Under the direction of the Project Manager or Area Manager, the Chief Operator is responsible for managing daily plant operations, maintaining process control, supporting regulatory compliance, and providing hands‑on leadership to the operations team.

This role is ideal for an experienced operator who brings strong technical knowledge of treatment processes, enjoys troubleshooting operational challenges, and is comfortable leading and developing other operators.

• Oversee the daily operations of the facility and ensure treatment processes are operating effectively.
• Ensure the plant meets process control targets across treatment and odor control systems.
• Manage biosolids wasting, thickening, and dewatering operations.
• Implement policies and procedures for process monitoring and control.
• Supervise the collection of plant process samples and collect samples when necessary.
• Supervise or perform laboratory testing of plant process samples and interpret results.
• Supervise or perform adjustments to water or wastewater treatment processes, operations, and equipment to maintain compliance with local, state, and federal drinking water standards or discharge permit requirements.
• Evaluate equipment performance and correct deficiencies.
• Train and supervise operations staff in the performance of their duties.
• Assign preventative maintenance (PM) tasks to operations staff.
• Coordinate the maintenance and upkeep of facility grounds and landscaping.
• Develop and maintain wastewater records, including chemical usage, plant flows, equipment and process checklists, diaries, logbooks, and laboratory records.
• Coordinate with the Plant Manager and / or Area Manager with proposals and specifications for major purchases and requisitions for supplies and materials needed for effective facility operation.
• Assist with managing facility scope, schedule, and budget in accordance with contract requirements.

Schedule: Mon
- Fri 7:00am – 3:30pm. The position may require an irregular work schedule and overtime. On call rotations, after hours, and holiday staffing will be required for this position.

• A combination of education and experience equivalent to a high school diploma or G.E.D.
• 10 years of experience working in a water or wastewater treatment facility.
• State of Florida Water C license or higher and Wastewater Treatment Operator License C or higher.
• Valid State Driver’s License.
• Proficiency with computers, including SCADA, Microsoft Word, Excel, Maintenance Management Programs, and other site‑specific systems.
• Ability to train and supervise operations staff and obtain a Florida DOT Medical Card.
• Successful candidates will be required to complete a background check, pre-placement physical and drug screen before employment.

This position is performed primarily in a plant environment and involves a combination of sitting, frequent standing and walking, lifting, carrying, bending, reaching, keyboarding, and telephone use. The Chief Operator must also be able to use tools to perform minor repairs on pumps and equipment.

Work may take place in interior and exterior environments involving temperature changes, dust,…