Demo

Principal Plant Operator (night shift)

Chesterfield County
Chesterfield, VA Full Time
POSTED ON 1/20/2025
AVAILABLE BEFORE 2/16/2025
High school diploma or GED and three years of experience in wastewater treatment plant operations or maintenance field and a Commonwealth of Virginia Class I Wastewater Operator's License is required for Principal Plant Operators; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Applicants without a Class I Wastewater Works Treatment Works Operator's License who possesses a Class II, Class III, or non-licensed status will receive consideration at lower level plant operator classifications, salaries, and grades/ranges.

The hiring range for this position, depending upon qualifications, are as follows:

  • $58,180 - $78,542 for applicants with a Commonwealth of Virginia Class I Wastewater Works Treatment Operator's License and three years of related experience.
  • $52,521 - $70,902 for applicants with a Commonwealth of Virginia Class II Wastewater Works Treatment Operator's License and two years of related experience.
  • $47,412 - $64,005 for applicants with a Commonwealth of Virginia Class III Wastewater Works Treatment Operator's License and one year of related experience or hold a bachelor's degree in biological, chemical or engineering Science or related field.
  • $42,800 - $57,779 for non-licensed applicants that will start as an Unlicensed Operator.
Through the career development plan, operators without or with licenses lower than a Class I license will receive salary increases after passing higher license exams and establishing minimum tenure requirements.

Other requirements:

Candidate must be at least eighteen (18) years of age at date of hire. Candidate must be able to perform manual labor in the elements. Required duties include use of ladders, lifting up to fifty (50) pounds, and standing or walking for 30 minutes at a time. Current valid VA driver’s license and good driving record are required. Based on the Virginia DMV point system, record must not reflect a total of six or more demerit points within the twenty-four months preceding the anticipated hire date, or one major violation of six demerit points within the preceding thirty-six months. Out of state driving records must be obtained by applicant and presented at time of interview. Records must reflect at least three years of history and be dated within thirty days of interview date. Pre-employment drug testing, FBI criminal background check, and education/degree verification required.  This position is considered Safety Sensitive and is subject to random drug and alcohol testing.




This position is for a Principal Plant Operator focusing on plant maintenance at Chesterfield County’s wastewater treatment plants. The Principal Plant Operator will perform all operational aspects required to maintain compliance with federal, state and local regulations governing wastewater treatment. This requires observations and/or adjustments of physical, chemical, and biological treatment processes at a wastewater treatment plant.

This includes but is not limited to the following:

  • Operate and maintain process equipment and systems associated with wastewater treatment
  • Monitor the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA)
  • Observe and record process trends related to equipment operation and plant performance on daily log sheets
  • Monitor and adjust process control instrumentation
  • Inventory chemicals and inspect chemical dosing pumps and storage tanks
  • Ensure proper operation of samplers, collect process monitoring samples and perform field analytical tests
  • Transfer sludge by manually turning valves in correct sequence with operation of pumping equipment
  • Perform preventive maintenance
  • Work outdoors in the elements
  • Perform other work, as required
PLEASE NOTE: Position open until filled (first review to begin Dec. 30, 2024). 

This position is part of an approved Career Development Plan (CDP) and offers career progression opportunities and salary incentives, as funding permits, based on performance, qualifications, and experience.


3 nights on; 3 nights off; includes evenings, weekends and holidaysUtilities

Salary : $56,485 - $96,026

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a Principal Plant Operator (night shift)?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Principal Plant Operator (night shift) career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$106,272 - $135,338
Income Estimation: 
$148,081 - $218,733
Income Estimation: 
$50,084 - $69,688
Income Estimation: 
$54,660 - $73,879
Income Estimation: 
$54,660 - $73,879
Income Estimation: 
$89,517 - $109,269
Income Estimation: 
$89,517 - $109,269
Income Estimation: 
$105,498 - $131,773

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs with skills like those required for the Principal Plant Operator (night shift).

Click the checkbox next to the jobs that you are interested in.

  • Automation Skill

    • Income Estimation: $54,738 - $70,072
    • Income Estimation: $50,271 - $79,025
  • Bilingual Skill

    • Income Estimation: $50,271 - $79,025
    • Income Estimation: $63,368 - $80,434
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at Chesterfield County

Chesterfield County
Hired Organization Address Chesterfield, VA Full Time
Does this sound like you? You're flexible, adaptable, and have strong communication skills; well-organized, strong atten...
Chesterfield County
Hired Organization Address Chesterfield, VA Part Time
Who We Are : Mental Health Support Services (MHSS) is the provider of mental health, developmental disabilities, and sub...
Chesterfield County
Hired Organization Address Chesterfield, VA Full Time
High school diploma or GED and five years of journeyman-level experience in the maintenance, repair and computerized dia...
Chesterfield County
Hired Organization Address Chesterfield, VA Full Time
High school diploma or GED and two to three years of experience in the maintenance, repair, and computerized diagnosis o...

Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Principal Plant Operator (night shift) jobs in the Chesterfield, VA area that may be a better fit.

Principal Plant Operator - Maintenance

Chesterfield County, VA, Chesterfield, VA

Plant Operator III

Spotsylvania County, Spotsylvania, VA

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!