Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent

Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator

This position is a hands-on, operational leadership role responsible for day-to-day operations/maintenance while supervising plant process and compliance with regulations and managing plant staff.

Essential duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Managing and supervising plant operations and staff.
• Ensuring compliance with regulations and permits.
• Coordinating maintenance and repairs.
• Coordinating plant operations in conjunction with capital project schedules.
• Implementing safety protocols.
• Monitoring and optimizing treatment process.
• Assisting manager in budgeting and resource allocation.
• Ensuring plant efficiency and reliability.
• Staying current with industry developments and best practices.
• Developing and implementing SOPs.
• Conducting performance evaluations and providing training.
• Collaborating with other departments and agencies.
• Responding to emergencies and incidents.
• Maintaining and submitting accurate reports and records.
• Managing and overseeing schedules for operator shift work assignments and training.
• Assisting in developing plans for treating wastewater economically, and for new equipment installations and plant extensions.
• Supervising the upkeep and appearance of the general physical properties of plants.
• Conducting and supervising on the job training and career development of assigned personnel.
• Ensuring operations and procedures comply with all TDEC, EPA and OSHA regulations.
• Providing information and data and periodically may prepare and submit state and federal reports.
• Operating skid steer and telehandler.
• May be required for manual labor at times.
• Reliable attendance and punctuality are essential functions of this role.
• May be assigned other duties by WWTP Manager.

Required knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Knowledge of expert wastewater treatment processes and principles.
• Knowledge of plant maintenance and management.
• Knowledge of complex laboratory tests and analysis.
• Knowledge of safety protocols and regulations.
• Knowledge of manage and oversee equipment operation and maintenance.
• Knowledge of environmental regulations, requirements, and compliance.
• Knowledge of expert process control and optimization techniques.
• Knowledge of strong understanding of hydraulics, mechanics, electrical, I&C, process control, laboratory, and microbiology.
• Knowledge of budgeting and financial management.
• Skills include leadership and management.
• Skills include communication and interpersonal skills.
• Skills include managing operation and control of treatment process.
• Skills include managing equipment maintenance and repair.
• Skills include expert operational troubleshooting, problem solving, and optimization.
• Skills include clear and concise communication and record keeping.
• Skills include fostering and promoting teamwork.
• Ability to analyze data and make informed decisions.
• Ability to develop and implement operational plans.
• Ability to communicate and delegate assignments effectively.
• Ability to provide safe work environment, follow, and uphold safety protocols.
• Ability to adapt to changing situations and priorities.
• Ability to ensure compliance with regulations and standards.
• Ability to manage and supervise staff.
• Ability to establish and maintain an effective working relationship with other City employees, contractors, and the public.

Other duties and responsibilities:

• This position may be required to work beyond 40 hours a week and 8 hours per day.

Qualification requirements:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Language skills:

• Expert level verbal and written communication.
• Clear and concise reporting and delegating tasks and assignment to staff and contactors.
• Provide informative directions to solve problems along with corrective action options.
• Ability to communicate complex technical information.
• Establish and maintain an effective working relationship with subordinates, other employees, and deal effectively with the public.

Reading comprehension:

• Understand complex technical documents and regulations.
• Interpret complex instructions and manuals.

Writing skills:

• Produce accurate reports and logs.
• Prepares reports and correspondence.

Comprehension skills:

• Follow complex written and verbal instructions with precision.
• Communicate with coworkers, supervisors, and other departments.
• Understand and use complex technical terminology related to wastewater treatment.

Mathematical skills:

Math operations:

• Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
• Decimals, fractions, and percentages.

Algebraic skills:

• Formula calculation and manipulation.
• Solution concentration and dilution calculations.

Geometric skills:

• Volume and area calculations.
• Flow rate and velocity calculations.

Analytical skills:

• Expert level data interpretation and analysis.
• Expert level trend recognition and forecasting.
• Statistics and data analysis

Practical applications:

• Calculating chemical dosage and flow rates.
• Determining treatment process efficiency.
• Understanding and calculating sludge volumes and pumping rates.
• Use calculator and computer software for mathematical calculations.
• Apply complex mathematical concepts to real-world problems in wastewater treatment.
• Understand and work with units of measurement, conversion factors, and mathematical formulas related to wastewater treatment.
• Understanding and interpreting laboratory results (e.g., BOD, COD, TSS)
• Analyzing data trends and making process adjustments

Education:

A high school diploma or equivalent G.E.D is required.

Experience:

• Five or more years of experience at a Grade IV treatment plant is required.
• Prior supervisory experience is required, minimum two years is preferred.
• Experience with TDEC requirements for the operation and maintenance of a wastewater treatment system is required.
• Equivalent combination of education, leadership courses, training and experience may be considered in lieu of experience requirement.

Required certification and license:

• Grade 4 WWTP Operator Certification through TDEC. (Must obtain Grade 4 certification within 24 months of hire with prior experience or reciprocity from another state)
• Must attend all continuing education courses to keep certification current.
• Class B CDL is preferred.

Driver license:

A valid Tennessee Driver's License with clear driving record required.

Availability requirements:

Given the critical infrastructure role of the facility and the need to maintain essential staffing during events such as severe weather, power outages, or other emergency conditions, employees in this position must be available to work rotating shifts, including 24/7 assignments. This position is subject to on-call and call-back requirements, which may include work outside of normal business hours, including days, nights, evenings, weekends, and holidays. The employee must be available to participate in a rotating on-call schedule and may be required to report to duty or remain onsite during emergency operations.

Residency requirements:

Due to the on-call and emergency response nature of this position, the ideal candidate should reside in Wilson County or in one of the surrounding counties that border Wilson County, including Cannon, Davidson, DeKalb, Rutherford, Smith, Sumner, or Trousdale Counties.

Physical demands, work environment,