Wastewater Treatment Manager - Inman, SC

Job Description

Job Description

The Wastewater Treatment Manager will have direct responsibility for the performance, compliance, and reliability of the industrial wastewater treatment operation at High Performance Conductors' Inman, South Carolina facility. This is a hands-on leadership position responsible for maintaining effective treatment of wastewater generated by nickel and silver electroplating operations while ensuring the facility consistently meets its Significant Industrial User discharge permit requirements. 

The successful candidate will combine strong industrial wastewater treatment knowledge with hands-on process control experience, sound mechanical judgment, regulatory discipline, and the ability to lead and develop treatment operators. This position works closely with Environmental, Engineering, Maintenance, and Plating Operations to manage wastewater flows, treatment chemistry, equipment reliability, sampling, regulatory reporting, and continuous improvement.  

OPERATOR OF RECORD AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

The Wastewater Treatment Manager will serve as the designated Operator of Record for the facility's industrial wastewater treatment system and will be accountable for maintaining compliant treatment operations.

Key responsibilities include:

• Operate and oversee the industrial wastewater treatment system in accordance with the Significant Industrial User discharge permit issued by the City of Inman.

• Complete and certify monthly Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMR) and Self Monitoring Reports.

• Maintain accurate daily operational logs, required sign-offs, representative sampling records, and compliance documentation.

• Monitor treatment performance and identify potential compliance concerns before they result in permit exceedances.

• Investigate excursions or permit exceedances, determine root causes, implement corrective actions, and support required agency notifications in partnership with the Environmental Manager.

• Maintain facility laboratory certification requirements, including proficiency testing, pH certification, instrument calibration, and supporting records.

• Maintain complete and audit-ready documentation for regulatory inspections, internal audits, customer audits, and agency reviews.    

INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT OPERATIONS

This role will provide hands-on technical leadership for the facility's physical and chemical wastewater treatment processes.

Responsibilities include:

• Direct daily operation of the industrial wastewater treatment system, including pH and ORP control, metals precipitation, clarification, microfiltration, filter press dewatering, and reverse osmosis systems.

• Make process-control decisions based on wastewater characteristics, analytical results, flow, loading, treatment chemistry, and system performance.

• Manage chemical reduction and oxidation, coagulation, flocculation, solids separation, and dewatering processes.

• Oversee batch treatment of spent acid and alkaline cleaners and manage decant and transfer activities between tanks.

• Verify completion of treatment logs, flow meter readings, scrubber readings, and chemical inventory checks.

• Monitor incoming wastewater flow and hydraulic loading to ensure operations remain within the treatment system's capacity.

• Partner with Plating Operations to address water usage, process changes, leaks, drag-out, and housekeeping conditions that can affect wastewater treatment performance.

• Routinely walk production and plating areas to identify conditions that may negatively impact treatment operations.

• Troubleshoot treatment performance issues and make timely adjustments to maintain effluent quality and regulatory compliance.  

EQUIPMENT RELIABILITY AND MAINTENANCE

The Wastewater Treatment Manager will also play an important role in maintaining the reliability of treatment equipment and instrumentation.

Responsibilities include:

• Schedule and verify preventive maintenance for pumps, valves, strainers, sensors, flow meters, filters, filter presses, and related wastewater treatment equipment.

• Coordinate equipment repairs and troubleshooting with the Maintenance team.

• Maintain proper calibration of pH and ORP sensors.

• Coordinate required calibration of flow meters, Parshall flumes, spectrophotometers, thermometers, and other treatment instrumentation.

• Manage treatment chemical selection, ordering, inventory, drum handling, and vendor returns.

• Coordinate sludge dewatering, containerization, and disposal with the Environmental Manager and approved waste vendors.

• Support capital planning, equipment upgrades, and improvement projects designed to increase treatment system reliability, capacity, and performance.  

SAMPLING, TESTING, AND LABORATORY OVERSIGHT

• Perform and coordinate monthly effluent sampling.

• Coordinate quarterly stormwater sampling.

• Support annual and semi-annual groundwater monitoring events.

• Maintain chain-of-custody documentation and coordinate analytical testing with contract laboratories.

• Perform in-house analytical testing and maintain laboratory quality-control records.

• Maintain required well-flow readings, out-of-service records, and repair documentation.

• Ensure all sampling, analytical, calibration, operational, and maintenance records are complete, accurate, legible, and inspection-ready.  

TEAM LEADERSHIP AND OPERATOR DEVELOPMENT

The Wastewater Treatment Manager will lead wastewater treatment operators and utility handlers while building greater technical capability across the team.

Responsibilities include:

• Supervise wastewater treatment operators and utility handlers, including scheduling, staffing coverage, performance, and training.

• Provide hands-on coaching and technical guidance to treatment personnel.

• Develop operators toward South Carolina Class C and Class B wastewater treatment certifications through structured on-the-job training and exam preparation.

• Establish clear expectations for treatment operations, documentation, sampling, housekeeping, safety, and regulatory compliance.

• Write, maintain, and improve standard operating procedures and work instructions for wastewater treatment activities.

• Build a culture of accountability, consistency, safety, and operational ownership within the treatment team.  

PROCESS IMPROVEMENT AND CROSS-FUNCTIONAL PARTNERSHIP

• Work closely with Environmental, Process Engineering, Maintenance, and Plating Operations to maintain effective wastewater treatment operations.

• Review proposed chemicals and plating process changes for treatability, compatibility, and potential compliance impact before implementation.

• Identify opportunities to improve water usage, chemical consumption, treatment efficiency, equipment reliability, and process consistency.

• Support wastewater treatment capital projects and equipment upgrades.

• Participate in internal audits, customer audits, and regulatory inspections.

• Serve as a technical resource to plant leadership on industrial wastewater treatment performance, risks, and improvement opportunities.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Valid South Carolina Class B Wastewater Treatment Operator certification issued by the South Carolina Environmental Certification Board, OR an equivalent out-of-state wastewater certification eligible for reciprocity to a South Carolina Class B certification.

• Five or more years of hands-on wastewater treatment operating experience, including direct responsibility for process-control decisions.

• Strong working knowledge of physical and chemical wastewater treatment processes.

• Demonstrated knowledge of pH adjustment, ORP control, metals precipitation, chemical reduction and oxidation, coagulation, flocculation, clarification, and solids dewatering.

• Experience preparing regulatory reports and maintaining wastewater treatment records subject to regulatory or agency inspection.

• Strong mechanical aptitude with pumps, valves, piping, instrumentation, sensors, and process-control systems.

• Ability to troubleshoot wastewater treatment processes and make timely operational decisions.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel-based logs, reporting, and data tracking.

• Ability to respond to wastewater treatment system issues outside normal working hours when necessary.  

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• South Carolina Class A Wastewater Treatment Operator certification.

• Physical/Chemical Wastewater Operator certification.

• Associate or bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, or another related technical discipline.

• Industrial wastewater or pretreatment experience within electroplating, metal finishing, metals manufacturing, or another operation generating metal-bearing wastewater.

• Experience operating under a Significant Industrial User municipal pretreatment program.

• Previous leadership or supervisory experience in wastewater treatment, utilities, or industrial operations.

• Experience with industrial wastewater treatment equipment including reverse osmosis systems, filter presses, microfiltration, chemical feed systems, and instrumentation.

• Familiarity with SWPPP, SPCC, and RCRA hazardous waste requirements applicable to wastewater treatment operations.

• Experience operating or supporting a state-certified laboratory, including proficiency-testing programs.  

WHAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL IN THIS ROLE

We are looking for someone who takes ownership of the wastewater treatment operation and is comfortable making sound process decisions in a hands-on industrial environment.

The strongest candidate will be:

• Disciplined and consistent with operating routines, regulatory requirements, sampling schedules, and documentation.

• Comfortable working directly with wastewater treatment equipment, chemicals, instrumentation, and operators.

• Able to troubleshoot treatment problems and make confident process-control decisions.

• An effective coach who can develop operators and help them progress toward state wastewater certifications.

• Highly organized and able to manage operational priorities while maintaining regulatory compliance.

• A clear communicator who can work effectively with hourly employees, plant leadership, engineers, maintenance personnel, environmental professionals, vendors, laboratories, and municipal officials.  

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This position requires regular hands-on work in and around industrial wastewater treatment tanks, chemical feed systems, electroplating operations, wet floors, elevated platforms, and outdoor containment areas.

The Wastewater Treatment Manager must be able to wear required personal protective equipment, including safety glasses, face shields, chemical-resistant gloves and aprons, and respiratory protection when required. The position requires the ability to lift up to 50 pounds, climb stairs and ladders, and work from elevated walkways.

On-call availability is required for treatment system upsets, spill response, and emergency conditions.  

International Wire Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.