Plant Operator I - V - Big Dry Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility

This is technically skilled work in the operation and maintenance of a 9.8 MGD Class A Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) along with a 10 MGD Reclaimed Water Treatment Facility (WTF). This position requires independent working abilities on an assigned shift and will be required to be on a rotating shift. The facility is staffed 24 hours per day, seven (7) days a week. The operator must demonstrate flexibility, and be willing to accommodate changes in the work schedule as required, to provide vacation and general leave coverage for coworkers. The Plant Operator will receive training and instruction to learn the essential functions of a Plant Operator I – IV. This is a safety sensitive position.

The full salary range for this position is stated above. The starting range of pay is dependent on qualifications and experience of each individual candidate. Starting position and pay for Plant Operators is also dependent on the applicant’s current State of Colorado Wastewater Plant Operator’s Certificate, as follows:

• Class D License: Plant Operator I($59,592 - $76,273)
• Class C License: Plant Operator II($64,084 - $81,993)
• Class B License: Plant Operator III($68,886 - $88,129)
• Class A License: Plant Operator IV($74,048-94,785)
• Cross-Certification: Plant Operator V (79,580 – $101,899)
  
  

The full salary range for this position is stated above. The starting range of pay is dependent on qualifications and experience of each individual candidate. The City of Westminster has a Multilingual Stipend Program to encourage and reward benefited employees who are conversationally fluent in languages other than English.  Benefited employees have the opportunity to test their language proficiency skills and qualify for a bi-weekly stipend that will vary based on the employee’s level of proficiency and usage.The City's work culture encourages passionate, positive and enthusiastic employees who, along with our City Council and City Manager, are strong supporters of our mission: Westminster’s purpose is to provide core services and foster economic resilience to give our community the opportunity to thrive. Our core values are embodied in our SPIRIT (Service – People – Integrity – Respect – Innovation – Teamwork).

This position supports the goals of the Public Works and Utilities Department, which maintains and enhances the safety and well-being of the community by providing exceptional water and wastewater service and maintaining the city’s extensive network of street infrastructure. The department continuously strives to meet the needs of the community by constantly focusing on customer service, efficient and effective utilization of resources, safety, innovation, and teamwork.

Every employee is accountable to:

• Demonstrate a high level of customer service; encourage others to focus on the customer; foster an environment where customer service is a priority
• Communicate with customers to ensure that, where possible, they are satisfied, and that their needs are being addressed; solicit and evaluate customer feedback
• Act as an ambassador by understanding and fostering the organization's mission and vision
• Exhibit pride in self, the department, the city, and the community; conduct self in a professional manner
• Demonstrate integrity and builds trust through credibility, reliability, commitment, loyalty and ethical behavior
• Address difficult or contentious issues in a constructive manner
• Support/promote change; demonstrate flexibility, and take calculated risks when appropriate
• Participate in personal growth opportunities, and attend trainings designed to enhance capacity to bring new skills and ideas to the job and the organization
• Work to continuously improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the service or product being delivered
• Demonstrate support for team efforts by accepting new roles and responsibilities, and helping others achieve objectives
• Value diversity; demonstrate an awareness of differences; demonstrate sensitivity, and adapt behaviors and communication to accommodate these differences

GENERAL COMPETENCIES
Citywide - Every employee in this position is accountable to:

• Establish effective interpersonal relationships through honest, open communication and follow-through on commitments
• Recognize personal strengths and weaknesses, and target areas for personal self-development
• Demonstrate initiative in performing job tasks
• Exhibit problem-solving skills leading to sound judgment and quality decisions
• Achieve goals, handle assigned workload and new assignments effectively; demonstrate an ability to work independently
• Communicate effectively with individuals and groups using clear and concise verbal and written communications
• Demonstrate accountability for work, and take ownership in job performance
• Demonstrate concern for the accuracy and quality of work; take steps to correct mistakes and improve the overall product

Job Specific – Every employee in this position must be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of general mechanical, hydraulic, and scientific principles used in municipal wastewater treatment
• Perform thorough daily operator walk-through inspections of both treatment facilities to detect problems with equipment
• Collect and analyze daily plant samples for process control, and record all data and notes in operator log
• Demonstrate proper use and maintenance of tools and equipment
• Demonstrate knowledge of SCADA, Word, Excel, Outlook, CityWorks, and other data management and workflow tracking platforms
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, citizens, and other City employees
• Demonstrate ability to work with minimal supervision, as well as the ability to follow written and oral instructions
• Demonstrate ability to work independently on all rotating shifts, which include nights, weekdays, weekends, holidays, and on-call as required
• Demonstrate safe work habits, and a willingness to follow all department and City policies
• Demonstrate thorough understanding of all current wastewater regulations, reclaimed water regulations, as well as discharge permit requirements of Big Dry Creek WWTF and Notice of Authorization requirements of the Reclaimed WTF

Essential Job Functions, Duties, Responsibilities and Tasks
1.   Operate a wastewater treatment facility and a reclaimed water treatment facility on a rotating shift basis, and conduct periodic checks of processes, mechanical equipment, and reclaimed water distribution system, including:

• Preliminary treatment, secondary treatment, solids handling, side-stream flows and internal recycle flows
• Pumps, pipes, hoses, reactors, electrical equipment, actuators, samplers, controllers, meters, probes, chemical systems, blowers, GBT’s, centrifuges, metering tanks, level transducers, UV system, air handling units, and other process equipment
• SCADA system, operator log sheets, lab data sheets, flow charts, trends, emergency response plans, and maintenance records
• Stormwater infrastructure, irrigation systems, emergency backup systems
• Process control tests to ensure plant compliance, check plant health, and maintain operational performance
• All other equipment or monitoring requirements related to health, safety, and regulatory compliance with EPA and CDPHE

2.   Use microscopic examinations of the secondary treatment at regular intervals to evaluate biological conditions in the system, as it relates to:

• Biochemistry/data interpretation, process control adjustments, maintenance planning and execution
• Troubleshooting and remediation of plant upsets
• Microbiology identification, inventory, and tracking

3.   The operator must also monitor the reclaimed water treatment and distribution system, including:

• Adjustments to the system as the flow demand increases or decreases
• Control valve modulation to meet operating conditions as well as fulfill water orders
• Production, chemical dosing, and sand filter adjustments based on water quality analysis

4.   Driving is essential for this position; must possess a valid driver’s license and maintain a safe driving record
5.   Maintains regular and punctual attendance
Other Duties and Responsibilities
1.   Cleans and maintains assigned plant areas on a continuing basis
2.   Addresses public questions and concerns
3.   Operates sludge conditioning equipment as needed
4.   Utilizes required personal protective equipment and safety apparatus
Incumbent is accountable for all duties of this job and other projects and responsibilities may be added at the City’s discretion.Education, Experience, Skills, Formal Training, Licenses, and Certifications
Required:

• Graduation from high school or completion of GED
• Two (2) years of experience in Wastewater Plant Operation or related field
• Class D Colorado Wastewater Plant Operator’s certification or higher
• Must possess a valid driver’s license, provide proof of a safe driving record, and maintain a safe driving record for continued employment
• Safety sensitive positions are subject to random drug and alcohol testing

Preferred:

• Class C, B, or A Colorado Wastewater Plant Operator’s certificate
• Experience in activated sludge type treatment system, specifically Biological Nutrient Removal
• CPR/first aid knowledge
• Minimum three (3) years of experience in water/wastewater
• College coursework or degree in watershed science, environmental science, biology, chemistry, or closely related field of study

Incumbent will progress from Plant Operator I–V upon the receipt of proper Colorado Wastewater Plant Operator’s certification, as follows: 

• Class D: Plant Operator I
• Class C: Plant Operator II
• Class B: Plant Operator III
• Class A: Plant Operator IV

Incumbent will progress to Plant Operator V with the following requirements are met: 

• Current Operator IV job classification in good standing, including “A” wastewater treatment license in the state of the Colorado
• Minimum one (1) year of continuous employment with the City of Westminster Big Dry Creek WWTF
• Cross certification in a related discipline, as deemed appropriate and approved by the Utilities Division Manager
• Completion of BDC operations training manual
• Demonstrated knowledge and competency to bring anaerobic tanks into/out of service
• Demonstrated knowledge and competency to bring BNR basins into/out of service
• Demonstrated knowledge and competency to bring digesters into/out of service
• Demonstrated knowledge and competency to bring Reclaimed Water Treatment Facility into/out of service
• In-depth knowledge and ability to maintain, calibrate, troubleshoot, and repair online process instrumentation
• In-depth knowledge of the NPDES discharge permit and stormwater general permit, including limits, monitoring requirements, compliance schedules, and documentation requirements
• Willingness and ability to train new operations staff, using the operations training manual

Any equivalent combination of education, training and experience, which would provide the required knowledge and skills, may be considered.
Physical Requirements
This position is physical in nature and requires sufficient physical stamina and strength to:

• Constantly sit, stand and walk through a multilevel water/wastewater treatment facility
• Occasionally squat, bend and kneel to perform inspections and repairs; Occasionally crawl through confined spaces, climb ladders up to forty (40) feet and balance at various heights; Occasionally reach overhead and below shoulder to perform inspections and repairs; Frequent twisting to operate valves and move equipment
• Frequent light/firm grasp, fine manipulation and handling to perform daily office tasks and equipment repair and maintenance
• Frequent step up/down and actuate mechanism to safely enter, exit and operate vehicles and equipment
• Normal near and far acuity and hearing are needed to identify potential mechanical problems and hazards
• Constantly lift and carry twenty (20) pounds 200 yards to move supplies and equipment to work area; occasionally lift and carry up to 100 pounds up to ten (10) feet to move chemical bags and other supplies to work area; occasionally push/pull up to 120 pounds with the use of a dolly or pallet jacks to store chemicals and heavier equipment

WORKING CONDITIONS
Work is constantly performed indoors and outdoors with occasional exposure to extreme temperatures during a mandatory twelve-hour shift. While performing the duties of this job, the employee works near moving mechanical parts and high-speed rotating equipment; work can be performed in high and precarious places with exposure to wet or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, must be able to pass a respirator fit-test. Operators are required to work in confined spaces as required.
Required Materials and Equipment
May operate light equipment and machinery used in Wastewater Treatment operations, such as: forklifts, dump buckets, pallet jacks, sampling boats, snowplows, lab equipment, sludge pumps, centrifugal air blowers, influent pumps, general shop equipment, air compressors, welders, hydraulic pump units, two-way radios, cellular phones and chlorine feeders. Personal computers and keyboards, telephones, adding machines, and other basic office equipment.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

• Background check including employment references, criminal history and driving record review
• Drug screen
• Physical
• Must be legally entitled to work in the United States

Salary : $59,592 - $101,899