Wastewater Plant Operator Trainee

JOB SUMMARY

This position requires training in preparation to perform skilled work in the operation, monitoring, and maintenance of wastewater treatment plants and related facilities and may work independently or as a member of a crew. and must participate in the on-call program. An individual in this position must be available for overtime work and a variety of assigned shift schedules, some in excess of five consecutive days, including weekends and holidays, for periods of 16 hours or more. This position reports to the Chief Wastewater Plant Operator or Wastewater Operations Superintendent.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Operates and monitors wastewater treatment plant equipment.
• Adjusts controls on various equipment and machinery such as screens, grit removers, digesters, blowers, valves, pumps, filters and chemical feeders.
• Monitors and adjusts process flow rates as necessary.
• Collects wastewater samples and performs process control tests as required at assigned facility. 
• Operates, monitors, and adjusts aeration basins.  
• Monitors clarifier sludge blankets and adjusts return sludge rates.
• Takes readings and records on charts various wastewater treatment plant equipment, gauges, and other related instrumentation.
• Maintains complete and accurate records and logs of duties completed.  
• Notes changes made to process and test results.
• Receives and verifies chemical shipments and fills chemical feeders as required.
• Performs preventative and minor maintenance on assigned plant.  
• Performs janitorial duties at assigned plant.
• Cleans and/or paints equipment, pumps, motors, piping, etc.
• Performs grounds maintenance such as grass cutting, weed eating, and general clean up as needed.
• Operates, monitors, and adjusts belt press to control and maximize the efficiency of the dewatering process.
• Operates a front end loader (bobcat) to change out dumpsters or in connection with belt press duties.  
• Performs other related duties as required/assigned.   

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

High School diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED).

Special Qualifications:

Possession of a valid State of Georgia driver’s license and satisfactory Motor Vehicle Record (MVR). Must have ability to obtain a State of Georgia Class III Wastewater Treatment System Operator Certificate within one year of employment. Ability to obtain Confined Space Entry and Chlorine Safety certificates.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 

• Knowledge of mathematics and chemistry.
• Skill in using small hand tools.
• Ability to perform mathematical computations.
• Ability to learn state and federal standards, rules, and regulations regarding operation of wastewater treatment facilities.
• Ability to learn the methods and techniques of wastewater treatment facility operations, maintenance, and repair.
• Ability to learn proper handling and storage of wastewater treatment chemicals and physical and biological reactions.
• Ability to understand written and oral instructions.
• Ability to work independently and with other employees.
• Ability to read gauges and meters accurately.
• Ability to operate a front end loader (bobcat).
• Ability to work outside under adverse weather conditions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work is medium work which requires exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 30 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:

• Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing or crouching on narrow, slippery, or erratically moving surfaces. The amount of balancing exceeds that needed for ordinary locomotion and maintenance of body equilibrium.
• Climbing: Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms. Body agility is emphasized.
• Crawling: Moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet.
• Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
• Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.
• Fingering: picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.
• Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
• Handling: Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand.
• Hearing: sufficient to perceive the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction; ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discrimination in sound. 
• Kneeling: Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.
• Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles.
• Mental Acuity: sufficient to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
• Pulling: Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.
• Pushing: Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force in order to thrust forward, downward or outward.
• Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
• Repetitive Motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers
• Standing: particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Talking: sufficient to express or exchange ideas by means of the spoken word including those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Visual Acuity: sufficient to observe violations of codes, to effectively operate standard office equipment; ability to read and write reports, discerning of color changes, correspondence, instructions, drawings, etc.; and to operate motor vehicles and/or heavy equipment, by both day and night.
• Walking: sufficient to move about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or move from one work site to another.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The employee will be exposed to the following conditions in the work environment: hot or cold indoor work environment; dirt, dust, grease, machinery and its moving parts; work in high, precarious places; fumes or airborne particles and toxic or caustic chemicals; outdoor weather conditions; risk of electrical shock; and vibration. The work is often performed on rough ground and slippery surfaces in and around water. Protective devices such as masks, goggles, gloves, hearing protectors, helmets, and other protective equipment or clothing is often required. The employee may work in conditions with direct contact with raw sewage/water and sewage/water sludge. The noise level in this work environment is usually loud to very loud.