Utility Operator I​/II

Salary: $29.31 - $45.40 Hourly
Location : City Water & Sewer, Kenai, AK
Job Type: Full-time Regular
Job Number: 00341
Department: Public Works Department
Division: UTILITY
Opening Date: 05/21/2026
Closing Date: 6/23/2026 5:00 PM Alaska

Job Description

The Utility Operator I/II is an employee of the Public Works Department working under the direction of the Utility Foreman I/II. The Operator is licensed by the State of Alaska to work in Water Treatment, Water Distribution, Wastewater Treatment, and/or Wastewater Collections. This position performs work in support of the daily operation, maintenance, and repair of the Utility facilities and systems, and all structures, buildings, and grounds associated with each system to protect the public health by ensuring all state and federal laws and regulations are followed.

This position will be required to perform manual labor, occasionally in inclement weather and confined spaces.

Applications will be reviewed every two weeks and recruitment may end early if the position is filled during a review.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Operate and maintain the Water and Wastewater Treatment Facilities and all related systems.

Perform maintenance and occasionally new construction on pumps, lift stations, water and sewer lines, meters, telemetry equipment, conveyors, blowers, sludge press and other equipment.

Operate heavy and light equipment.

Perform field locates of existing water and sewer lines, and inspect new construction of water and sewer lines.

Operate Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software and telemetry equipment.

Collect samples and perform lab tests on water and wastewater; adjust chemical feed rates and plant functions as necessary.

Read meters, shut off and turn on water service, deliver shut off notices.

Communicate effectively with co-workers and the public.

Prepare documents and maintain records, including but not limited to daily logs, timesheets, accident reports, and job safety analyses.

Attend training programs; participate in and occasionally lead safety discussions; work safely.

Complete assigned work with a minimum of supervision.

Assist in other Public Works departments or divisions as required.

Have regular, reliable, and predictable attendance at work.

Perform other work as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Be at least eighteen (18) years of age.

Operator I (Level 15):The applicant (or employee after hire) must possess a provisional license issued by the State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation in at least one (1) of the following:
Water Treatment (WT), Water Distribution (WD), Waste Water Collection (WWC), or Wastewater Treatment (WWT) and obtain the required level of certification for City facilities within one (1) year of acquiring the required hours of operation. The Operator I shall be paid at a Range 15. Continuing education to maintain certification is also required. This requirement continues until the employee reaches the level of certification required by Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation to operate City of Kenai facilities.

Operator II (Level 18):The applicant (or employee after hire) must meet all requirements of Operator I and possess a Level 1 certification issued by the State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation in at least two (2) of the following:
Water Treatment (WT), Water Distribution (WD), Wastewater Treatment (WWT), or Waste Water Collection (WWC)
-or- a Level 2 certification in any one category. Continuing education to maintain certification is also required. This requirement continues until the employee reaches the level of certification required by Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation to operate City of Kenai facilities.

Possess and maintain a valid Alaska Class B commercial driver's license with endorsements and without restrictions required to operate equipment utilized by the Utility division within six (6) months of employment start date. All licenses must be valid and current prior to operating a City vehicle requiring a commercial driver's license. Applicants will be required to submit a Division of Motor Vehicles record upon request.

This position is governed by the City of Kenai's Drug and Alcohol policy and Department of Transportation (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). regulations. The successful applicant will be given a conditional job offer conditioned on the applicant receiving a negative result on a pre-employment drug test. Regulations also require the City to verify the applicant's CDL is a non-prohibited through the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (FMCSA).

Past violations may make the applicant ineligible for hire unless evidence is provided to the City that the applicant has successfully completed DOT's Return to Duty Requirements.

The employee must be available to work varying schedules, including weekends, holidays and occasional shift extensions into the late evening hours in order to respond to after-hours emergencies and approved…