Senior Wastewater Plant Operator positions lead/direct the work of a crew responsible for the operation and maintenance of wastewater treatment or pump station facilities to ensure that treatment standards are met; adjust chemical feed rates for effective wastewater treatment; interact with regulatory inspectors; inspect facility for compliance with safety and permit/regulatory requirements; develop and provide technical training on facility operations; maintain operating logs; conduct tours of facilities; and perform other duties as assigned.
NOTES:
Employees in job classifications represented by AFSME Local 127 are scheduled to receive the following general wage increases:
2% effective 1/1/25
5% effective 7/1/25
In addition to the scheduled general wage increases, the following special salary wage increase is also scheduled to take effect for Senior Wastewater Plant Operator:
5% effective 1/1/25
5% effective 1/1/26
Eligible benefitted employees originally hired on or after July 10, 2021, will be automatically enrolled in the San Diego City Employees Retirement System (SDCERS).
Senior Wastewater Plant Operator employees may be required to work nights, weekends, holidays, and/or unusual shifts for which they may receive 5% additional pay.
Senior Wastewater Plant Operator employees may be required to be on standby and work overtime on a frequent basis.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE: You must meet ONE of the following options:
A valid Grade III or higher Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certificate issued by the State of California Water Resources Control Board.
A valid Grade II Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certificate issued by the State of California Water Resources Control Board AND one of the following options:
One year of experience as a Wastewater Plant Operator with the City of San Diego.
One year of experience as an operator in a wastewater treatment facility.
LICENSE: A valid California Class C Driver License may be required at the time of hire.
HIGHLY DESIRABLE:
Four years of increasingly responsible experience working in the operation and maintenance of a wastewater treatment facility.
Completed college-level course work in Water and/or Wastewater Technology.
Experience working with an Emerson Distributed Control System (DCS) or SCADA System.
Computer skills to include word processing and spreadsheet programs.
The City:
With more than 1.4 million people, the City of San Diego is the eighth largest city in the United States and the second largest in California. The City of San Diego’s strong economy, diverse population, great educational institutions, unsurpassed quality of life, and world-renowned location makes it the ideal place to work, live, and play. With its great weather, miles of sandy beaches, and major attractions, San Diego has something to offer for everyone.
The City’s Mission, as found in our Strategic Plan, is “To Effectively Serve and Support Our Communities.” Our core values are Integrity, Service, People, and Excellence. The City’s Vision is “A World-Class City for All.”
As one of the region’s largest employers, the City of San Diego has a combined Fiscal Year 2022 operating and capital budget of approximately $4.6 billion and employs approximately 11,800 highly dedicated employees. Additional information about the City of San Diego can be obtained on the City’s website: www.sandiego.gov.
The Department:
The Public Utilities Department (PUD) is comprised of four branches that are primarily funded by the Water Enterprise Fund and the Sewer Enterprise Funds: t...he Water Recovery Branch, the Water Delivery Branch, Business Support Branch, and the Pure Water and Technical Support Branch. The Department is committed to the following in its management of Water and Wastewater services:
•Quality: We surpass quality and safety standards.
•Value: We operate and invest wisely.
•Reliability: We consistently provide dependable services.
•Customer Service: We are responsive, professional and courteous.
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The Public Utilities Director is responsible for setting the overall direction for the department and providing high level guidance on day to day activities. The External Affairs and Water Policy group reports directly to the Director. All other activities of the department report directly to the Executive Assistant Director, who is responsible for operations of the department on a daily basis. Day-to-day operational responsibility for PUD rests with the Assistant Directors of each branch, who report to the Executive Assistant Director. The Public Utilities’ management team is further comprised of Deputy Directors, who report to the Assistant Directors and head each of the major divisions within each branch. PUD currently has a staff allocation of approximately 1,700 and a Fiscal Year 2022 budget of $1.7 billion.
The water system serves the City and certain surrounding areas, including retail, wholesale and reclaimed water customers. The water system's service area covers 403 miles, including 342 miles in the City, and has approximately 1.3 million retail customers. This water system can treat up to 378 million gallons of drinking water per day and includes: 49 pump stations; 3 water treatment plants; over 3,400 miles of pipeline; more than 320,000 service connections; and 135 separate pressure zones.
The wastewater system consists of two sub-systems: the Municipal Sub-System and the Metropolitan Sub-System. The Municipal system is a sewage collection and conveyance system for the City's residents, and the Metropolitan system treats and disposes of the wastewater generated by the City and 12 other cities and districts near the city. The Metropolitan system has sufficient capacity to accommodate a regional population in excess of 2.5 million. The entire wastewater system covers approximately 450 square miles and a population of over 2.2 million. The system can treat up to 255 million gallons of wastewater per day and includes: 79 pump stations; 3 wastewater treatment plants; a bio-solid processing plant; 2 ocean outfalls; and more than 3,000 miles of pipeline.
The City is implementing a large-scale potable reuse project called Pure Water San Diego that uses proven water purification technology to produce a safe, sustainable, and high quality water supply for San Diego. The Program is a cost-effective investment that will provide a reliable, locally-controlled, and drought-proof drinking water supply. An initial 30 million gallons per day water purification facility is planned to be operational as early as 2025. The long-term goal, producing 83 million gallons of purified water per day (one-third of San Diego's future drinking water supply), is planned to be reached in 2035.