Process Technician/Water Treatment Plant Operator

Requisition ID: 106555

Share Our Purpose. Be Yourself. Feel Valued.

People are the heart of our business. As an American Water employee, you will be offered a competitive salary and health benefits package, along with opportunities to develop, grow, and evolve your career. Our benefits packages focus on key areas such as health & wellness, emotional & well-being, and savings for current & future goals.

We are Beautifully Different. We strongly believe having diversity across our company makes us more successful and helps us provide essential services to our customers. We are stronger because we embrace different ideas, viewpoints, experiences, and backgrounds. American Water is the best choice for your next role! Click here for more information on our inclusion, diversity, and equity journey.

About American Water

American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886, We Keep Life Flowing by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people across 14 regulated jurisdictions and 18 military installations. American Water's 6,500 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company's national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.

As one of the fastest growing utilities in the U.S., American Water expects to invest $30 to $34 billion in infrastructure repairs and replacement, system resiliency and regulated acquisitions over the next 10 years. The company has a long-standing history of executing its core operations, aligned with sustainable best practices, through its commitments to safety, affordability, customer service, protecting the environment, an inclusive workforce and strengthening communities.

American Water has been recognized on the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Indexfor the fifth consecutive year, ranked 18th on Barron's 100 Most Sustainable U.S. Companies 2023 List, earned the U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act designation and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense Excellence Award, among additional state, local and national recognitions.

For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Work Schedule

The current schedule involves 12-hour shifts on a rotating 4-week schedule.

Primary Role

Basic Function or Purpose of this position: To control and operate treatment plant machines and equipment to purify and clarify water for human consumption and for industrial use.

Key Accountabilities

• Principal Responsibilities of this position.

• Performs work assigned by supervisor, collects, compiles, and records work data.

• Operates and controls motors and valves to regulate flow of water throughout the treatment plant as well as the distribution system.

• Determine and inject specified amount of chemicals such as chlorine, fluoride, and caustic soda into water or adjusts automatic devices that admit specified amounts of chemicals into pipes or tanks to properly treat water.

• Monitors SCADA computers to regulate flow of water and treatment process.

• Cleans filter beds using backwash procedure.

• Tests water samples to determine pH, fluoride and other parameters using colorimeter, turbidimeter, and other instruments.

• Performs rounds throughout plant to collect samples, observe operations, mix filter aid, and perform other duties as assigned.

• Drives Company vehicles as required.

• Follows established safety guidelines and procedures.

• Other responsibilities of this position

• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Perform duties consistent with accepted operational procedures of the Treatment Facility.

• Collect and analyze water samples, record results.

Knowledge/Skills

TO DO THIS KIND OF WORK YOU MUST BE ABLE TO:

• Learn the function of the overall pumping, water treatment, and distribution system.

• Remain calm during emergency situations.

• Use arithmetic and geometry.

• Lifting items weighing over 50 lbs.

• Carry items weighing over 50 lbs.

• Be physically able to use self-contained breathing apparatus.

• Walk at heights and on narrow passageways.

• Work in confined areas.

• Work outdoors in all kinds of weather.

• Follow all established safety guidelines and procedures.

• Must be able to effectively use computers understand and interpret data shown on a computer screen.

MATH SKILLS:

• Requires mathematical development sufficient to be able to calculate surface, volume, weights and measures.

• Calculate square roots and variable formulas.

• Calculate plane and solid figures, circumference sources, etc.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

• Must have developed language skills to the point to be able to read instructions, rules, looking up information in reference sources, etc.

• Write sentences using proper punctuation, spelling, and employing adjectives and adverbs.

• Speak clearly and distinctly with appropriate pauses, emphasis and correct pronunciation. Must be able to communicate using two-way radio and other communications equipment.

RELATIONSHIPS TO DATA, PEOPLE, AND THINGS:

• Data: Copying, transcribing, entering, or posting data and classifying information about data, people, or things.

• People: Speaking or signaling: Talking with and/or signaling immediate supervisor or on-call supervisor to convey or exchange information.

• Things: Operating/Controlling: Starting, stopping, controlling, and adjusting the progress of machines or equipment. Operating equipment involves setting or adjusting the equipment or chemical feed rates as the treatment of water progresses. Controlling involves observing progress of operations and turning devices to regulate reactions of materials.

Experience/Education

• To do this job you must have the following licenses or certifications before being hired:

• Grade IV Water Treatment Plant Certification and driver's license

Work Environment

20% or more of the normal work day the employee is exposed to the following conditions:

• Confined Areas: Entering chlorine rooms and other buildings throughout the plant.

• Exposed to Weather: Both inside and outside work. Exposed to weather conditions during routine plant rounds.

• Wet: Contact with raw water or treated water.

• Humidity: Atmospheric condition with moisture content sufficiently high to cause marked bodily discomfort.

• Extreme Temperatures: Atmospheric conditions with moister content sufficiently high to cause marked bodily discomfort.

• Chemicals: Chlorine, sodium hydroxide, fluoride, carbon, polyaluminum chloride, filter aid, zinc orthophosphate, etc.

• Allergenics/Irritants: Potential exposure to chemicals and exposure to outside environmental elements, i.e. pollen.

• Potential Hazards: Potential exposure to chemicals. Walking at heights, ascending and descending narrow stairs, and walking around the top of Aldrich units.

• Customer Contact: Limited to telephone conversations

• Noise Exposure: Limited to occasional entry to Citico Pumping Station Vibrations

• Other: Working in darkness, slip and fall hazard on walking surfaces.

Competencies

Champions safety

Customer obsessed

Cultivates innovation

Nimble learning

Drives Results

Collaborates

Join American Water...We Keep Life Flowing

American Water is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based on his or her age, race, color, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, citizenship, or because they are an individual with a disability, protected veteran or other status protected by federal, state, and local laws.