Plant Operator - Wastewater Utility Plant

Plant Operator – Wastewater Utility Plant

Join the City of Richmond’s Department of Public Utilities as a Plant Operator. The role performs moderate to considerable work operating a wastewater treatment plant, maintaining compliance with laws, ordinances, and regulations. It is a career broadband position; incumbents are essential employees, required to work when the City is closed due to emergencies or inclement weather.

• Virginia Retirement System (VRS)
• Language Incentive
• Referral Bonus
• Tuition Assistance Program

The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities is seeking qualified candidates for a Plant Operator position at the Wastewater Utility Plant.

• Monitoring, documenting, and optimizing wastewater plant process controls: adjusting flow rates, chemical dosage set points, air compressor discharge pressures, and blower output settings.
• Maintaining compliance with Virginia Department of Environmental Quality VPDES permit and EPA federal regulations.
• Recognizing and correcting negative impacts to wastewater quality.
• Sampling, collecting, documenting chain‑of‑custody information, transporting, and performing laboratory testing and analysis on wastewater, sludge, and biosolids samples.
• Reading and interpreting gauges, meters, wastewater quality analyzers, and control panels to monitor plant equipment and adjust treatment processes.
• Observing and documenting variations in operating conditions and wastewater treatment techniques to determine proper process control adjustments.
• Recording operational data in control station log books, digital databases, daily log sheets, and supervisory control and data acquisition systems.
• Operating valves, gates, pumps, and plant equipment to control and adjust wastewater treatment processes.
• Adjusting, monitoring, and responding to normal and abnormal operational situations involving the wastewater collection system, combined sewer overflows, retention basin, diversion structure, remote collection stations, and treatment plant.
• Completing visual inspections of assigned duty stations and treatment facilities several times each shift.
• Performing regular preventative maintenance on plant equipment, structures, tanks, and grounds (groundskeeping and housekeeping).
• General housekeeping and cleaning in and around wastewater operator control stations.
• Using and navigating applications on desktop, laptop, smartphone, tablet, human‑machine interface, PLC, and operator interface terminals.
• Performing complex mathematical calculations related to wastewater and sludge flow rates, chemical dosages, and equipment performance.
• Active participation in the stormwater pollution prevention program, safety programs, and employee training programs.
• Walking for long periods indoors and outdoors, across flights of stairs, in all weather, wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

• Knowledge of wastewater treatment processes.
• Knowledge of safety principles and practices.
• Knowledge of SCADA programs used to monitor, control, and document plant operations.
• Strong mathematical background in Algebra and Geometry.
• Ability to use hand tools safely.
• Knowledge of wastewater laboratory equipment (spectrophotometers, pH probes, dissolved oxygen probes, incubators, ovens, glassware).
• Knowledge of computerized maintenance management systems.

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Virginia driver’s license.
• Proper use of PPE.
• Knowledge of wastewater treatment techniques.

• Class 3 Virginia Wastewater Works Operator License.
• At least one year of wastewater treatment plant operations experience.
• Utility plant maintenance experience.
• Valid Virginia driver’s license.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Completion of wastewater treatment training courses.

• Incumbents in Zone I must hold a high school diploma or GED, obtain a Virginia Class 4 Wastewater Works Operator License within 9 months, and a Class 3 license within 18 months; failure to meet the timeline will result in separation.
• Zone II incumbents must have a Class 4 license,…