Water Plant Operator Trainee, I, II, or III (Night Shift) at Town of Hillsborough – Hillsborough, North Carolina

This position performs technical and skilled work to operate and maintain the Town of Hillsborough’s water treatment plant in compliance with municipal regulatory requirements, maintain water quality and pressure, and provide safe drinking water to the Hillsborough community.

This position may be filled at the Trainee, Operator I, Operator II, or Operator III level.

This is a night shift position operating on a rotating 12-hour schedule that works three 12-hour shifts one week and four 12-hour shifts the following week. Shift hours are 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. and include Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and every other Saturday (plus holidays as needed).

WHY EMPLOYEES VALUE THE NIGHT SHIFT

• Quieter work environment: fewer interruptions and less daytime foot traffic, which can make it easier to focus.
• Built-in overtime opportunity: because the schedule alternates, the four-shift week totals 48 hours, creating a predictable overtime opportunity every other week (consistent with town policy and FLSA requirements).

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
The following duties are representative of this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required and assigned.

• Starts up and shuts down the water treatment plant.
• Operates and monitors the functioning of pumps, motors, valves, chemical feeders, and related equipment; recognizes and makes needed adjustments to equipment and or treatment process.
• Performs basic water plant maintenance and housekeeping; backwashes filters; fills chemical tanks and changes cylinders; drains and cleans sedimentation basins, troughs and flocculation basins; performs maintenance on chemical pumps, motors and piping; performs building and grounds maintenance.
• Performs skilled preventive maintenance and/or adjustments on equipment, including repacking pumps, greasing pumps, adjusting pumps, overhauling and changing oil in pumps and chemical feeders; performs maintenance and repairs on the plumbing and piping system; maintains and repairs the chemical feed piping system; fills chemical tanks; performs minor maintenance and repair on plant facilities.
• Collects and maintains accurate data; prepares and submits a variety of records, reports, charts, logs, etc.
• Gathers samples for lab analysis; performs laboratory quality control testing, such as chlorine residual, Ph, temperature, hardness, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity, fluoride, and other tests; performs water quality lab media in lab for use on water microbiological bacteria testing of samples; performs bench jar testing of raw water to optimize the plant's chemical dosage.
• Adds chemicals in accordance with prescribed standards; receives and properly stores chemical shipments.
• As the plant is manned 24/7 it serves as the 24-hour emergency call center for utilities.
• Receives calls from customers (sometimes irate) regarding water bills, water cut-offs, and broken lines; addresses after-hours complaints on nights, weekends, and holidays by dispatching proper personnel for water quality issues, line breaks, sewer spills, and pump station issues; records all received water/sewer service calls.
• Reports concerns and failures and takes operational direction from the Operator in Responsible Charge.
• Participates in classroom and other training to ensure certification can be renewed and for increased learning.
• Maintains plant security on assigned shifts.
• Serves as an on-call operator.
• Performs other related duties as required

Operator II and III added duties:

• Help QA/QC log sheets and state reports.

Education and Experience:

• Trainee to Operator I Requirements
  • HS diploma/GED + 6 months experience or equivalent combination of training and experience. Operator I requires NC Grade C Surface Water Treatment Operator certification after 1 year.
• Operator II requirements:
  • HS diploma/GED, NC Grade B Surface Water Treatment Operator certification, + 1.5 years experience or equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Operator III requirements:
  • HS diploma/GED, NC Grade A Surface Water Treatment Operator certification, + 2.5 years experience or equivalent combination of training and experience.

Annual Pay Ranges by Level
Salary range posted encompasses all three levels. Salary is dependent on qualifications.

• Water Plant Operator Trainee: $45,913.71
• Water Plant Operator I: $48,094.61 – $76,951.38
• Water Plant Operator II: $52,772.12 - $84,435.39
• Water Plant Operator III: $57,904.53 – $92,647.25

Career Progression Pathway
Trainee to Operator I (Grade C)
Trainee must obtain NC Grade C Surface Water Treatment Operator certification within 12 months of start.
The training pathway includes 6 months on night shift, 1-week certification course, and passing the certification exam.

Operator I to Operator II (Grade B)
Operator II requires NC Grade B Surface Water Treatment Operator certification (NC Bacteriological Methods preferred).

Operator II to Operator III (Grade A)
Operator III requires NC Grade A Surface Water Treatment Operator certification.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

• Must be physically able to operate a variety of equipment.
• Must be able to exert up to 100 pounds of force occasionally and/or more than fifty pounds of force frequently, and/or more than 20 pounds of force constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Must be able to lift and/or carry weights of up to 100 pounds.
• Must be able to walk, stand, bend, reach, climb and stoop.
• Must be able to remain alert during overnight hours.
• Work occurs mainly inside for the overnight shift with occasional work outside during rounds in various types of weather.
• Employee is subject to distracting noise from motors and pumps.
• Employee is subject to potential hazards including moving equipment, chemicals, fumes, odors, dusts, and oils.

Level of responsibility increases by classification. Trainee/Operator I work under closer guidance; Operator II/III perform more independent operations, troubleshooting, documentation, and may serve in lead/relief roles as assigned
Knowledge:

• Basic principles of surface water treatment and plant operations (treatment process, equipment, and terminology).
• Safety practices and hazards related to plant operations, chemicals, and equipment.
• Applicable regulations and requirements relevant to water treatment operations (state/federal/local; including OSHA and NC water rules).
• Fundamentals of water quality testing (chemical and bacteriological concepts) appropriate to the assigned level.

Skills:

• Operate, monitor, and perform routine care of plant systems and equipment (pumps, valves, motors, chemical feed, and related systems) consistent with certification level.
• Perform basic math for operational calculations and dosage adjustments (as assigned).
• Complete clear, accurate logs, reports, and records (paper or electronic).
• Use standard workplace technology (email, basic spreadsheets/word processing, and systems used for plant operations/recordkeeping).
• Communicate effectively with coworkers and (as required) the public in a professional manner.

Abilities:

• Learn and apply SOPs, safety procedures, and regulatory requirements; follow directions from the Operator in Responsible Charge (ORC) when applicable.
• Maintain attention to detail, prioritize tasks, and respond calmly during alarms, process upsets, or emergency calls.
• Work independently on night shift, remain alert, and exercise sound judgment within the scope of the position level.
• Perform the physical requirements of the job (lifting, climbing, working around noise/chemicals, indoor/outdoor rounds, and overnight work).