Wastewater Operator

Founded in 2018, SoulShine Farms has quickly grown to be a local further-processing poultry industry leader. Our work revolves around our values, our people, and our dedication to quality.

SoulShine Farms is seeking reliable, safety-minded individuals to join our maintenance team as Wastewater Operator at our plant in Gainesville, Georgia. This is an hourly position, and you will be paid weekly for hours worked.

In this role, you will use a knife or similar sharp cutting tool to cut raw chicken into precise shapes and sizes according to customer and production specifications. This is a fast-paced, repetitive assembly-line position that requires attention to detail, strong hand-eye coordination, and a commitment to quality, safety, and production standards.

Position Summary
The Wastewater Operator operates, monitors, and maintains wastewater treatment and pretreatment systems supporting Soulshine Farms’ poultry further processing facility located in Gainesville, GA. This hands-on role manages wastewater generated by production and sanitation, maintains reliable treatment performance, and supports compliance with applicable discharge limits and environmental requirements. The operator partners with Maintenance, Production, Sanitation, and EHS to prevent disruptions, resolve treatment issues, and protect employee safety and the environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Operate and monitor installed wastewater systems, including screening, equalization, dissolved air flotation (DAF), chemical feed, pumps, and sludge handling equipment, as applicable to the facility.
• Monitor flows, tank levels, pH, chemical usage, alarms, and other process indicators; adjust operating settings within approved procedures to maintain treatment performance and discharge compliance.
• Manage treatment of fats, oils, grease, suspended solids, and organic loading from poultry processing and sanitation; identify changes in wastewater characteristics and respond promptly.
• Collect representative samples at required locations and frequencies; perform authorized process tests and coordinate laboratory testing for permit parameters such as BOD, COD, TSS, and fats, oils, and grease.
• Maintain accurate operating logs, sample records, instrument checks, chemical inventory, maintenance records, and sludge disposal documentation; provide data for required environmental reports.
• Inspect equipment, clean screens and treatment areas, calibrate instruments, and perform routine preventive maintenance within training and authorization; coordinate repairs with Maintenance.
• Handle, store, and dose treatment chemicals safely using required protective equipment, safety data sheets, approved procedures, and spill prevention practices.
• Coordinate with Production and Sanitation on schedules, cleaning activities, and unusual discharges that could affect treatment capacity or performance; recommend source reduction and water conservation improvements.
• Identify and promptly escalate equipment failures, spills, abnormal readings, and potential discharge exceedances; initiate approved response procedures and support required notifications through designated management.
• Coordinate sludge removal and approved waste hauling; monitor storage capacity and maintain orderly, safe wastewater operating areas.
• Support inspections, audits, root cause investigations, and corrective actions with EHS, management, laboratories, and service providers.
• Maintain required operator certification and complete continuing education; perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• At least three years of wastewater treatment or industrial pretreatment operating experience.
• Working knowledge of wastewater process controls, sampling methods, basic laboratory testing, chemical dosing, and environmental operating records.
• Ability to troubleshoot pumps, valves, instrumentation, and treatment equipment; recognize process changes and take timely corrective action.
• Ability to read operating procedures, safety data sheets, equipment instructions, and applicable permit requirements; perform basic calculations and accurately record data.
• Basic computer skills for logs, spreadsheets, email, and maintenance work orders.
• Ability to work independently, communicate clearly across shifts and departments, and follow safety and food safety requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in poultry further processing, food manufacturing, or another operation with high organic loads and fats, oils, and grease.
• Experience operating DAF systems, conducting jar tests, adjusting polymer and coagulant feed, and managing sludge dewatering.
• Technical coursework in wastewater treatment, environmental technology, industrial maintenance, or a related field.
• Possess, or willing to obtain within one year, a pre-treatment wastewater operator’s license.

Schedule and Availability
Work schedules align with production and sanitation needs and may include early mornings, evenings, weekends, overtime, and on-call response to wastewater equipment or process emergencies.
Join Our Team!

  Benefits:

• Weekly Paychecks
• Six (6) Paid Holidays
• Earned Vacation
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance with a portion of the premiums paid by SoulShine Farms

SoulShine Farms offers steady work, skill-building training, and performance-based pay opportunities for motivated team members who are committed to safety, quality, and productivity.

Application Process
Interested parties are invited to submit a resume using this online portal. Applications will be reviewed on a regular basis until the job opening is filled.

IMPORTANT: By submitting this application online, you hereby authorize SoulShine Farms to contact, obtain, and verify the accuracy of the information contained in your application from all current and/or previous employers, references, and educational institutions. You also hereby release from liability SoulShine Farms and its representatives for seeking, gathering, and using such information to make employment decisions, and all other persons or organizations for providing such information.

You understand that any misrepresentation or material omission made by you on this application will be sufficient cause for cancellation of your application or immediate termination of employment if you are employed by SoulShine Farms whenever the misrepresentation or material omission is discovered.

SoulShine Farms is an equal opportunity employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.