What are the responsibilities and job description for the Principal Water Pollution Control Plant Operator position at City of Sunnyvale, CA?
Salary : $59.68 - $76.17 Hourly
Location : Sunnyvale, CA
Job Type : Full-Time
Job Number : 24-00198
Department : Environmental Services
Division : WPCP Operations
Opening Date : 08 / 15 / 2024
Closing Date : Continuous
Description
PRINCIPAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PLANT OPERATOR
Regular, Full-Time Employment Opportunity
First Application Review Date : September 16, 2024
The Principal Water Pollution Control Plant Operator, reporting to the Water Pollution Control Operations Manager, undertakes supervisory responsibilities at the Sunnyvale Water Pollution Control Plant (SWPCP). Their duties include providing instruction, troubleshooting, and maintenance related to plant operations, supervising training programs, ensuring efficient operation and maintenance of equipment, and coordinating with various stakeholders.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS :
This Principal Operator position is the advanced journey-level classification in the Water Pollution Control Operator series. Incumbents are responsible for the coordination efforts between the Operations and Maintenance sections of SWPCP, administering the Operations portion of the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), and ensuring preventative maintenance is performed as required. Incumbents supervise the Operator in Training (OIT) Program. The Principal WPCP Operator is distinguished from the next lower classification of Senior Water Pollution Control Operator in that the Principal WPCP Operator performs a complex range of duties in the scheduling, training, operation, maintenance, and repair of wastewater treatment systems and has supervisor level responsibility.
Essential Job Functions
May include, but are not limited to, the following) :
- Provides leadership for water pollution control operators; works in a collaborative manner with other staff such as maintenance, laboratory, administration, contractors and other city staff to ensure that all safety, compliance and optimization efforts are diligently pursued.
- Coordinates emergency response measures at the plant; notifies the Department of Public Safety as needed; familiarity with contingency plans, emergency operations, layout and activities in the facility, including the location of all pertinent records and documents; offers suggestions to improve safety protocols when needed.
- Monitors all plant treatment processes to ensure that local, state, and federal regulatory requirements are met, and documents process conditions as required.
- Reviews, comments and makes recommendations on plans and specifications for Capital Improvement Projects during design and construction at the Water Pollution Control Plant.
- Acts as liaison and coordinator for contractors and vendors on an as-needed-basis.
- Operates and makes minor repairs to engines, motors, pumps, sedimentation basins, flights, gates, valves, chlorinators, contact channels and other related equipment.
- Is proficient at the application, use, and administration of the SWPCPs CMMS and ensures that associated work orders are appropriate, properly submitted, approved, and issued in a timely fashion to ensure the SWPCP equipment is properly maintained.
- Reviews, adds critical relevant information if needed, and certifies logbook entries are accurate, complete and meet established guidelines.
- Performs and orders analytical tests as needed for pilot studies, process control evaluation or other troubleshooting efforts.
- Ensures cost effective operations through the control and monitoring of electrical loads, chemical usage, staffing overtime / training assignments, and other operations costs.
- Optimizes removal of all solids separation processes such as primary sludge pumping, sedimentation tank FOG skimming, programming of raw sludge pumping cycles, and algae float skimming treatment and disposal.
- Schedules work for all crews based on individual operator Shift assignment including annual vacation requests and other time off requests.
- Updates monthly schedule to ensure the plant is properly staffed at all times on all shifts every day of the year.
- Checks and reviews time cards, and ensures compliance with vacancy guidelines.
- Trains operations staff on new and existing systems and equipment, developing and modifying training materials as needed to keep up with existing and changing technology.
- Evaluates process control programs to ensure they work as designed, preform under extremes and tune / s the system / s when drift of the process is observed.
- May act as the Designated Operator in Charge for the Water Pollution Control Operations Manager in his / her absence.
WORKING CONDITIONS :
Position requires sitting, standing, walking on level, uneven and slippery surfaces, reaching, twisting, turning, kneeling, bending, stooping, squatting, crouching, grasping and making repetitive hand movements in the performance of daily duties. The position also requires near and far vision when operating assigned equipment. Acute hearing is required in both the field and the office. The ability to lift, carry and push tools, equipment and supplies weighing up to 50 pounds is also required. Additionally, the incumbent in this outdoor position works in all weather conditions, including wet, heat, and cold. The incumbent may be exposed to chemicals, hazardous materials, skin irritants, fumes, and solvents. The nature of the work may also require the incumbent to perform confined space entries, climb ladders, use power and noise producing tools and equipment, drive motorized vehicles and work in heavy traffic conditions.
All of the work at the plant requires the use of appropriate personal protective equipment and / or established safety programs to perform the job. Some of these requirements may be accommodated for otherwise qualified individuals requiring and requesting such accommodations.
The base salary for this classification includes pay for potentially hazardous duties as listed in the essential job functions.
Minimum Qualifications
Education and Experience :
The minimum qualifications for education and experience can be met in the following way :
Graduation from High School or tested equivalent, AND
Five years of experience in the operation and maintenance of a wastewater treatment plant with at least 3 years at the shift supervisor level as defined by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The Senior WPC Operator position at the SWPCP is considered equivalent to the SWRCB Shift Supervisor definition.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities :
Knowledge of :
Skill in :
Ability to :
Willingness to :
Licenses and Certificates
Application and Selection Process
If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit a City of Sunnyvale employment application and responses to the supplemental questions to the Department of Human Resources. The F irs t Application Review Date is September 16, 2024. Candidates are asked to fully describe any training, education, experience, or skills relevant to this position. Electronic applications may be submitted on-line through the City's employment page at and clicking on CITY JOBS. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.
EXAM PROCESS Applications will be competitively screened based on the minimum qualifications of this position. Based upon a review of the application materials, the most qualified candidates will be invited to participate in the examination process, which may consist of an oral examinationNote : The examination process may be changed as deemed necessary by the Director of Human Resources.
If selected to continue in the process, a copy of your current California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) record printout will be required.
SELECTION PROCESS Those candidates that receive a passing score on the examination will be placed on an eligibility list for up to one year, in accordance with the City's Civil Service Rules and Administrative Policies. Any candidate that is selected by the hiring department will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment process, which may consist of a background history check, as well as a medical exam(s) administered by a City-selected physician(s) before hire. Prior to starting work, all newly-hired employees will be fingerprinted to check conviction history. A conviction history will not necessarily disqualify an applicant from appointment; however, failure to disclose conviction history will result in refusal of employment or termination. Positions which are covered by the Department of Transportation regulations are required to submit to a pre-employment drug test and to random drug and alcohol testing.
INFORMATION ABOUT PROOF OF EDUCATION Please note : Any successful candidate, selected by the hiring department will be required to submit proof of education (i.e. copy of the diploma or college / university transcripts).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Positions in this job classification are represented by the Sunnyvale Employee Association (SEA).
The information contained within this announcement may be modified or revoked without notice and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.
The City of Sunnyvale is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the City of Sunnyvale not to discriminate against all qualified applicants or employees on the basis of actual or perceived race, religion (including religious dress or grooming practice), color, sex (includes gender, pregnancy, childbirth, medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, breastfeeding or medical conditions related to breastfeeding), gender identity and / or gender expression, sexual orientation (including heterosexuality, homosexuality and bisexuality), ethnic or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, uniformed service member status, marital status, family relationship, age, cancer or HIV / AIDS related medical condition, genetic characteristics and / or genetic information, and physical or mental disability. Applicants needing special accommodations for testing should submit a request to the Department of Human Resources at time of application.
Summary of Sunnyvale's Employees Association
California Family Rights Act) Rights and Obligations
Instructions for completing the supplemental questionnaire :
This supplemental questionnaire will be a primary tool in the evaluation of your qualifications for this position. The supplemental information that you provide will be evaluated along with your completed application. Please limit your response to one page per question. In answering the question(s), be as specific as you can. Some questions may include multiple parts (i.e., (a), (b), (c), (d), etc.). Please make sure to address each part of each question in the supplemental questionnaire below.
Please be advised that you will be 'timed out' of this page after 30 minutes. Therefore, it is best to copy the supplemental questions that require text answers from this page into a document that you can save on your computer, produce your responses in that document, and then copy and paste the responses into the space provided below. Additionally, please save your work continuously.
The completed application and responses to supplemental questions constitute an examination. Note : qualifying experience must be reflected on the education, work experience, Certificates / Licenses section of the job application form. Please note the information provided in the supplemental question will not be accepted in lieu of completing the work experience section of the application.
Resumes may be attached, but they will not be accepted in lieu of completing the work experience section of the application or the supplemental questions. The information you provide will be used to further identify those applicants who are best qualified to continue in the selection process for this position.
Your responses to the questions that require you to detail your background and experience should include the following information :
Additionally, I certify that I have completed the following supplemental questionnaire on my own; the answers accurately reflect my training, education and experience; and, I understand that my responses are subject to verification.
Do you have a high school diploma or an equivalent (GED)?
Do you have five years of experience in the operation and maintenance of a wastewater treatment plant with at least 3 years at the shift supervisor level as defined by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)?
If you answered yes to the previous question, please describe your five years of experience in the operation and maintenance of a wastewater treatment plant with at least three years at the shift supervisor level as defined by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB).Please include your job title, the dates you held the position and your specific job duties you were responsible for as well as the equipment you used.If you do not have the education and experience, please indicate N / A in the box below.The response you provide will be used to further identify applicants who are best qualified to continue in the selection process for the position.
Please describe your experience working with Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and / or Distributive Control (DCS) system / s for the monitoring and adjustment of wastewater treatment process control parameters.If you do not have the education and experience, please indicate N / A in the box below.The response you provide will be used to further identify applicants who are best qualified to continue in the selection process for the position.
Describe your experience reviewing and creating standard operating procedures (SOP's) for water / wastewater operations. If you do not have this experience, please indicate N / A below.
Do you possess a valid Grade III or above Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators Certificate issued by the California State Water Resources Control Board?
Do you have a valid class C California driver's license and a safe driving record?
Required Question
Salary : $60 - $76
