Water/Wastewater Plant Operator, Chief
Category: Classified/Excluded
Pay Grade: C30
Job Code: 17193
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.
JOB SUMMARY
This is advanced technical and supervisory work operating water or wastewater treatment facilities in accordance with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) rules and regulations, Florida Administrative Code, the facility operating permit, and Pinellas County policies and procedures. Incumbent supervises Water Treatment or Wastewater Treatment Plant Operations, which includes: monitoring, maintenance and repair of pumps, motors, treatment systems, generators and related support systems; lift stations and switch gear; flow meters and chemical feed systems and overhead cranes; as well as collection and processing of a variety of samples. Incumbents perform on-site plant or distribution system operations, perform electronic control system operations, and make decisions that relate to the daily operational activities of the plant or distribution system and makes decisions that directly impact the quality or quantity of effluent, reclaimed water, or drinking water. The incumbent is supervised by a manager.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS (examples, not all inclusive)
- Plans, assigns and reviews the efforts of assigned, subordinate personnel;
- Works with Plant Manager to prepare and submit all compliance reports required by the permit (DMR/MOR, Annual Reuse Report, SWFWMD Public Supply Annual Report, Water Monitoring);
- Participates with the Plant Manager during core compliance activities such as the five year permit renewal process and SWFWMD annual Report process;
- Coordinates with operators, maintenance personnel, engineers and contractors during any event that improves or impacts the water treatment plant (WTP), water distribution system, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), associated pump stations, collections system (re: infiltration/inflow or industrial pretreatment issues), and the reclaimed water (RCW) distribution system;
- Coordinates with maintenance personnel and various utility representatives to resolve operational issues within WTP/WWTP, water distribution, pump station, or RCW distribution systems;
- Secures leaks from hazardous materials such as chlorine gas and sulfur dioxide gas;
- Reports to FDEP or State Warning Point during conditions when the plant is operating outside permitted conditions (upset) or during any sort of release;
- Performs all supervisory responsibilities; training, evaluations, discipline, etc.;
- Provides performance metrics and quality control on operational data;
- Provides ongoing input regarding operational priorities to the supervisor for capital improvement projects and maintenance activities;
- Responds to requests for information and complaints from the public in order to resolve complaints or provide information;
- Provides customer service and promotes positive public relations;
- Ensures that adequate amounts and types of equipment, materials and chemicals are available for safe and efficient systems operations;
- Acts as a liaison between the County and contractors;
- Monitors SCADA and Plant Cameras;
- Ensures efficient plant processes and reclaimed water operations, utilizing SCADA and Wonderware and other specialized software systems to ensure efficient operations; makes adjustments and dispatches crews to correct malfunctions and maximize efficiency;
- Reviews plans for construction or modification of facilities;
- Performs other related job duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience:
High School diploma or an acceptable equivalency diploma (GED); and seven (7) years of experience in the performance of process control including the performance of operational control tests and evaluation and interpretation of the test results; preparation of plant process control reports, logs or records; analysis and disposal or distribution of the plant product and the residuals from the treatment process; and control of the hydraulic system and necessary chemical adjustments; sample collection and analysis; electronic surveillance system monitoring, and plant maintenance, or Associate’s degree in a science, technology, engineering, math, business, construction or related field with five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in operating a Category 1, activated sludge process, wastewater treatment facility or water treatment facility that includes one (1) year as a shift or project leader, team leader, or supervisory experience; or an equivalent combination of education, training and/or experience.
Special Qualifications (May be required depending on area of assignment):
- Florida Driver’s License or Florida Commercial Driver’s License and endorsement, if any.
- Assignment to work a variety of work schedules including compulsory work periods in special, emergency, and/or disaster situations.
- Must possess an active FDEP Wastewater Plant Operator Class “A” license (Chapter 62-699 and Chapter 62-602 F.A.C.).
- A Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Water Treatment Plant Operator Class “A” license as set forth in Florida Administrative Code Chapter 62-602, DEP describing Water or Domestic Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators and Water Distribution System Operators license requirements.
- An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
- Other highly desirable knowledge, skills, abilities, and credentials required for a specific position.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Knowledge of all applicable safety principals;
- Knowledge of the plant operational permit, able to assure compliance with all related Federal, State and Local rules and regulations including County policies related to supervisory duties;
- Knowledge of the capabilities and limitations of electronic computers, SCADA system, instrumentation and the integrated role those perform in wastewater treatment and reclaimed water distribution;
- Knowledge of and ability to perform all required physical, biological, and chemical tests for process control and related mathematics;
- Ability to work independently, take initiative in identifying issues, and complete necessary tasks;
- Ability to train, supervise, and delegate assignments to subordinate staff;
- Ability to express oneself clearly in writing, both technical and in evaluation of employee performance;
- Ability to analyze written material and use critical thinking skills to synthesize information;
- Ability to listen, attending carefully to others in order to understand what they are saying;
- Ability to incorporate classroom and on the job training into work performance;
- Ability to maintain a professional presence and adhere to ethical standards;
- Ability to demonstrate strong team skills, artful negotiation, and cooperative information sharing;
- Ability to plan/schedule appropriate priorities, be flexible, and recommend changes;
- Ability to communicate and keep all shifts and personnel informed about processes and problems;
- Ability to apply computer applications, SCADA, and software including Enterprise Asset Management software to produce reports, identify efficiencies, and other meaningful performance metrics;
- Ability to monitor, evaluate, troubleshoot, and adjust the treatment process;
- Ability to deal with multiple variables when analyzing a problem.
PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS
The work is light work which requires exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force 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: Perceiving 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: Ability 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.
- Speaking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including the ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately and concisely.
- Standing: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
- Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires full motion of the lower extremities and back muscles.
- Talking: Expressing or exchanging 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: Have close visual acuity such as color differentiation, depth perception, and adequate field vision.
- Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Work is typically performed in a dynamic environment that requires sensitivity to changing goals, priorities, and needs.