Plant Operator - Wastewater Utility Plant

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This is an EXCITING time to Join the City of Richmond! We are committed to nurturing talent fostering growth opportunities and building strong connections within our workforce. As we continue to make strides to becoming the employer of choice we are thrilled about the below employee benefit enhancements:

• Virginia Retirement System (VRS)
• Language Incentive
• Referral Bonus
• Tuition Assistance Program

The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities is seeking qualified candidates to fill a Plant Operator position in the Wastewater Utility Plant. The Plant Operator will perform work of moderate to considerable difficulty in the operating of a wastewater treatment plant in accordance with applicable laws ordinances and regulations. The Plant Operator is a career broadband position.

Incumbents serve as an Essential employee which means that the incumbent is required to work when the City is closed due to public emergencies critical or hazardous conditions or inclement weather.

• Monitoring documenting and optimizing wastewater plant process controls to include adjusting wastewater flow rates chemical dosage set points air compressor discharge pressures and blower output settings;
• Maintaining compliance with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality VPDES permit and the Environmental Protection Agencys federal regulations;
• Recognizing and correcting negative impacts to wastewater quality;
• Sampling collecting documenting chain of custody information transporting and performing laboratory testing and analysis on wastewater sludge and biosolids samples;
• Reading and interpreting gauges meters wastewater quality analyzers and control panels to monitor plant equipment and adjust treatment processes to maintain compliance with the wastewater treatment plant permits;
• Observing and documenting variations in operating conditions and wastewater treatment techniques to determine proper process control adjustments;
• Recording operational data in wastewater control station log books digital databases daily log sheets and supervisory control and data acquisition systems;
• Operating valves gates pumps and plant equipment to control and adjust wastewater treatment processes;
• Adjusting monitoring and responding to normal and abnormal operational situations involving the wastewater collection system combined sewer overflows retention basin diversion structure remote collection stations and wastewater treatment plant;
• Completing visual inspections of assigned duty stations and treatment facilities several times each shift;
• Perform regular preventative maintenance on plant equipment structures tanks and grounds (groundskeeping and housekeeping);
• General housekeeping and cleaning in and around wastewater operator control stations;
• Ability to use and navigate applications and programs on desktop computers laptop computers smartphones tablets human machine interfaces programmable logic controllers and operator interface terminals;
• Perform complex mathematical calculations to determine areas volumes averages means geometric means minimums maximums percentages wastewater flow rates sludge flow rates return activated sludge flow rates waste activated sludge flow rates filter influent flow rates pump speeds blower speeds chemical demands chemical dosages and chemical residuals;
• Active participation in the stormwater pollution prevention program which includes regular inspections and daily groundskeeping responsibilities;
• Walking for long periods of times indoors and outdoors up and down several flights of stairs during the day or at night in all types of weather wearing the appropriate level of personal protective equipment;
• Active participation in utility wide safety programs;
• Active participation in employee training programs;

• Knowledge of wastewater treatment processes;
• Knowledge of safety principles and safety practices;
• Knowledge of Scada programs used to monitor control and document wastewater plant operations and compliance;
• Strong mathematical background in Algebra and Geometry;
• Ability to safely use hand tools;
• Knowledge of wastewater laboratory equipment including spectrophotometers p.H. probes and meters dissolved oxygen probes and meters incubators ovens and glassware;
• Knowledge of computerized maintenance management systems

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

• High School Diploma or GED;
• Virginia drivers license;
• Ability to properly use personal protective equipment.
• Knowledge of wastewater treatment techniques

PREFERRED TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum of a Class 3 Virginia Wastewater Works Operator License;
• At least one year of experience in wastewater treatment plant operations;
• Experience with utility plant maintenance;
• Valid Virginia drivers license;
• Microsoft Office Suite including Outlook Excel Word PowerPoint and Teams;
• Completion of Wastewater treatment training courses;

LICENSING CERTIFICATIONS and OTHER SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

The Plant Operator is a Broadbanded position.

• Incumbents assigned to Zone I require a high school diploma or G.E.D. Must obtain a Virginia Class 4 Wastewater Works Operator License within 9 months of initial hire date. Must obtain a Virginia Class 3 Wastewater Works Operator License within 18 months of initial hire date. If the license requirements are not met within the specified timeframe the candidate will be separated from employment;
• Incumbents assigned to Zone II require a Commonwealth of Virginia Class 4 Wastewater Works Operator License. Must obtain a Class 3 Virginia Wastewater Works Operator License within 9 months of initial hire date. If the license requirement is not met withing the specified timeframe the candidate will be separated from employment:
• Incumbents assigned to Zone III require a Commonwealth of Virginia Class 3 Wastewater Works Operator License;
• Incumbents assigned to Zone IV require a Commonwealth of Virginia Class 2 Wastewater Works Operator License;
• Incumbents assigned to Zone V require a Commonwealth of Virginia Class 1 Wastewater Works Operator License.
• Candidates without a Virginia Wastewater Works Operator License will be required to obtain Class 4 Wastewater Works Operator License within 9 months of their initial hire date. If the candidate is unable to obtain a Class 4 Wastewater Works Operator License within 9 month of their initial hire date they will be terminated and separated from the City of Richmond. In addition to obtaining a Class 4 Wastewater Works Operator License the candidate will also be required to obtain a Class 3 Wastewater Works Operator License within 18 months of their initial hire date.
• Candidates with a Class 4 Wastewater Works Operator License will be required to obtain a Class 3 Wastewater Works Operator License within 9 months of their initial hire date. If the candidate is unable to obtain a Class 3 Wastewater License within 9 month of their initial hire date they will be terminated and separated from the City of Richmond.

Supplemental Information

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS: Working conditions may include exposure to travel to other locations within the City of Richmond as well as outside of the City of Richmond; exposure to hazardous physical conditions such as mechanical parts electrical currents vibrations etc.; atmospheric conditions such as fumes odors dusts gases and poor ventilation; inadequate lighting; intense noise; and environmental hazards such as disruptive people imminent danger and a threatening environment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT: Due to the nature of work assignments incumbents must be able to perform detailed work on multiple concurrent tasks with frequent interruptions and under time constraint. The essential duties of this classification may require the ability to balance stoop kneel crouch crawl reach stand walk push objects pull objects lift use fingers and grasp objects. The working conditions may include exposure to noise dust grease smoke fumes gases and potentially hazardous chemicals working in or with wastewater. In terms of the physical strength to perform the essential duties this classification is considered to be medium work exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally up to 20 pounds of force frequently and up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The City of Richmond provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race color religion age sex national origin disability status genetics protected veteran status sexual orientation gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by federal state or local laws.

The City of Richmond is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment the City of Richmond will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodations. If you require reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to participate in the job application and/or the interview process please contact Jessica McKenzie Human Resources Manager by email at .

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment including recruitment hiring placement promotion termination layoff transfer leaves of absence compensation and training.

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