Water Treatment Plant Operator Trainee

Salary : $52,650.92 - $78,936.00 Annually
Location : Northport, AL
Job Type: Full-Time
Department: Utilities
Opening Date: 08/17/2026
Closing Date: 8/31/2026 4:00 PM Central


JOB SUMMARY & ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Under general direction and within guidelines set by policies, rules, and regulations, this position is responsible for performing complex operational and general maintenance work functions at the City's water treatment plant or wastewater treatment plant, as assigned, under the direct supervision of a licensed Grade IV Water or Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator. Upon receiving Grade IV Water or Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator license, employee will transfer into Utility Plant Operator Grade IV job and pay grade.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• All essential functions are performed under the supervision of a Grade IV Water or Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator.
• Ensures proper dosages of chemicals and mixing operations; tank elevations; filter processes; laboratory work; safety; lagoon maintenance, operational data logs, and compliance with all local, state and federal regulations.
• Follows preventive maintenance schedules for all equipment, performs repairs and replacement of defective parts and equipment, inspects equipment and machinery according to procedures and requests necessary supplies, equipment and repair parts.
• Performs required analytical testing for the water/wastewater treatment facility. Records and reports all data.
• Collects required bacteriological, primary and secondary testing samples.
• Follows and updates Standard Operating Procedures.
• Greets the general public, receives and attends to customer complaints, prepares for required certification examination by studying appropriate materials.

• Performs other reasonably duties in a safe manner as assigned by immediate supervisor or other supervisors as required.

QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience:

High school diploma or equivalent with related work experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. College level coursework is desirable.
Utility Plant Operator Trainee - Water Treatment Plant

Special Qualifications:

• Must pass the certification exams listed by the required deadline or be subject to termination: Alabama Grade II Water exam as required by ADEM within a nine (9) month period from the date of hire; Alabama Grade IV Water certification exam as required by ADEM within a eighteen (18) month period from the date of hire.

• Possession of a valid, State of Alabama driver's license to operate a motor vehicle. Requirement exists at the time of hire and as a condition of continued employment.
• Must be physically capable of performing strenuous manual labor in adverse weather conditions.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES/PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORK ENVIRONMENT
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the principles and practices used in water treatment.
• Knowledge of mathematics and science.

• Knowledge of City ordinances, policies, and procedures.
• Knowledge of modern office practices and procedures.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other similar programs).
• Skill in following written instructions and interpreting gauges, charts, and troubleshooting guides.
• Skill in using diagnostic equipment on pumps, controls, motors, and electrical systems.
• Skill in repairing pumps, motors, controls, and electrical systems.
• Skill in planning and organizing work.
• Skill in utilizing such office equipment as a calculator, typewriter, facsimile machine, and copier.
• Skill in interpersonal relations; establish and maintain effective working relationships with fellow employees and the general public.
• Skill in verbal and written communication.
• Skill in the use small office equipment, including copy machines or multi-line telephone systems.
• Skill in using computers for data entry, word processing, and/or accounting purposes.

• Ability to obtain certification within required time period.

• Ability to organize and communicate effectively.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work is heavy work which requires exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally,


and/or up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 20 pounds of force constantly 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.
• Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.
• Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.

• Sitting: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Handling: Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand. Must have the ability to place records, files, and boxes weighing no more than 25 pounds on shelves about head level.
• Hearing 1: 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.
• Hearing 2: Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discrimination in sound. Must have the ability to hear well enough to carry on a normal conversation with clients both in person and on the telephone.
• 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.
• Manual Dexterity: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling. Must have the ability to efficiently operate a computer, calculator, fax, copy machine and other related office machines.
• Mental Acuity: Ability to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
• 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 1: 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.
• Talking 2: Shouting in order to be heard above ambient noise level.
• Visual Acuity 1: Have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; and/or extensive reading. Must have the ability to see well enough to interpret data on a computer monitor.
• Visual Acuity 2: Including color, depth perception, and field vision.
• Visual Acuity 4: Have visual acuity to operate motor vehicles and/or heavy equipment.
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another. Must have the ability to move freely about the office.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is performed indoors and outdoors. Performance of essential functions may require exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, wetness, humidity, temperature and noise extremes, bright/dim light, toxic agents, disease, pathogenic substances, animal/wildlife attacks, animal/human bites, smoke, and/or rude/hostile citizens.
DISCLAIMER
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.
Thank you for your interest in joining our team. Employment with our municipality offers the opportunity to serve the community as well as work in a professional and fulfilling environment. We recognize that it is our employees who drive our success and meet the needs of our residents every day. So to attract and retain the best staff, we offer a stable, family oriented work environment and an excellent benefits package. To learn more, please click for our Employee Benefits Summary
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Do you understand that you must pass the certification exams listed by the required deadline or be subject to termination? Alabama Grade II Water exam as required by ADEM within a nine (9) month period from the date of hire; Alabama Grade IV Water certification exam as required by ADEM within a eighteen (18) month period from the date of hire.

• Yes
• No

Required Question