Wastewater Treatment Operator - West Point (A Crew)

The King County Wastewater Treatment Division has an immediate need for an experienced Wastewater Treatment Operator at our West Point Treatment Plant.
King County protects water quality and public health in the central Puget Sound region by providing high quality and effective treatment to wastewater collected from our local sewer agencies. King County's wastewater operators not only help prevent the spread of many contagious diseases, but help the environment and the communities they reside in.
Following and maintaining established safety policies, guidelines, regulations, and workplace standards. The O&M facilities are currently undergoing major capital improvements expected to continue over the next 10 years. The candidate will be a part of a flexible and dynamic team responsible for providing expertise and support to maintain continuous effective wastewater operations. The candidate will aid other plant staff, other King County staff, contractors and consultants as needed or required. A successful candidate will maintain and strive toward intra-team and cross-team support and cooperation daily.
The candidate will operate, monitor, and control Wastewater Treatment equipment using manual operations or complex computerized systems. The individual will be expected to troubleshoot all wastewater equipment, systems, and processes with limited supervision. An ability to provide clear and effective communications with the public, fellow team members, other treatment plant staff, and other King County work groups to accomplish work requirements is a must. The treatment plants operate on a 24/7/365 schedule. The ability to work varied operations shift schedules is a necessity and a requirement. As a mission critical employee, an individual within the operations group is expected to report for duty when required.
Who is eligible: This position is open to all qualified transfer-eligible S.E.I.U. Wastewater Local 925 candidates.This posting may be used to establish a list of qualified candidates for any Career Service, Special Duty Assignment or Term Limited Temporary openings in the following six months.
Working Conditions:
Work Location: West Point Treatment Plant - 1400 Discovery Park Blvd. Seattle, WA 98199
Work Schedule: The Treatment plants are operated 24/7. Candidates will be assigned a rotating shift schedule and but must be available to work any assigned schedule.This position is covered under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is overtime eligible.
Union Representation: This position is represented by S.E.I.U., Wastewater Local 925.
To learn more about the Wastewater Treatment Division click on the below links:
http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/wtd/About.aspx
http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/wtd/About/Vision.aspx

• Operate, monitor, troubleshoot and maintain systems and processes in wastewater and stormwater facilities.
• Conduct sampling and test analysis of wastewater. Determine, recommend/implement changes to systems and processes to meet permits and regulations and to optimize the performance of wastewater facilities.
• Train others on site-specific areas through on-the-job-training.
• Act as trainers in the new OIT program.
• Start up and shut down equipment and processes for maintenance and contractors.
• Perform maintenance on wastewater facilities, including buildings, equipment and grounds. Duties include cleaning, servicing operating equipment, mowing lawns and performing housekeeping tasks.
• Communicate with the public, construction personnel, consultants and engineers to resolve complaints, provide construction assistance, give tours and carry out related duties.
• Exchange information on wastewater operations, maintenance and processes with County staff and others as required involved in process control, maintenance, facilities services, off-site facilities services and other areas.
• Respond to unusual occurrences, assist in emergency responses, and may serve as on-scene incident commander.
• Operate, monitor and control wastewater equipment and systems using complex computer systems.
• Record technical data and daily activities on logs.
• Perform all essential duties in compliance with safety guidelines, policies and regulations.
• Develop and review Process Safety Management (PSM), Preventative Maintenance (PM) and Hazardous Energy Control Procedures (HECP) and provide draft documentation.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum qualifications

• Knowledge of Wastewater Treatment processes, including preliminary, primary, secondary, digestion, gas handling systems, sludge handling, plant-wide air, water, chemical, electrical and hydraulic support systems.
• Knowledge of collection systems; including pump stations, regulator stations, CSO facilities and miscellaneous structures.
• Knowledge of mechanical and electrical theory, cross connections and pumps
• Knowledge of wastewater terminology and process control
• Knowledge of industrial safety procedures and practices
• Knowledge of and skill in applying sampling, testing and laboratory procedures
• Skill in verbal and written communication techniques and principles and ability to read, write and follow oral and written instructions.
• Skill in reading, recording and interpreting information from field devices
• Skill in operating basic hand and power tools and specialized equipment
• Skill in operating complex computer control systems and identifying normal and abnormal operating conditions
• Skill in the interpretation and application of technical information from plant drawings, operations and maintenance manuals, and lab tests
• Ability to work rotating shifts including nights, weekends and holidays and demonstrate predictable, reliable and timely attendance
• Ability to work during adverse and inclement weather conditions
• Ability to lift and carry equipment weighing up to 50 pounds
• Ability to work in confined spaces, climb in and out of tanks using ladders, and work around noxious odors, heat and high noise levels
• Ability to effectively engage in and sustain relationships with people from diverse cultures and socio-economic backgrounds
• Ability to work independently and as a team member
• Demonstrated proficiency with business applications, such as Microsoft Office suite

Preferred qualifications (Trainable/Can Attain at a Future Date):

• Washington State Wastewater Operator I certification or higher issued from the Washington State Department of Ecology
• Washington State Driver's License or out-of-state equivalent
• CPR and first aid certification - can be achieved within the first six months of employment

Licensing, Certification and other Requirements

• Washington State Group I Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator certification from the Washington State Department of Ecology or out-of-state equivalency which must be converted to a Washington certification within one year of employment
• Valid Washington State Driver's License
• CPR and First Aid certification
• Additional licenses, certifications and other requirements determined to be necessary to meet the business needs of the employing unit may be required.

The Successful Candidate will have the following Competencies:

• Action Oriented - Identifies and seizes new opportunities; Displays a can-do attitude in good and bad times; Steps up to handle tough issues
• Manages Ambiguity - Deals comfortably with the uncertainty of change; Is calm and productive, even when things are up in the air; Deals constructively with the problems that do not have clear solutions or outcomes
• Collaborates - Works cooperatively with others across the organization to achieve shared objectives; Partners with others to get work done; Credits others for their contributions and accomplishments; Gains trust and support of others
• Communicates Effectively - Is effective in a variety of communication settings: one-on-one, small and large groups, or among diverse styles and position levels; Attentively listens to others; Provides timely and helpful information to others across the organization
• Manages Complexity - Asks the right questions to accurately analyze situations; Uncovers root causes to difficult problems; Evaluates pros and cons, risks and benefits of different solution options
• Decision Quality - Makes sound decisions, even in the absence of complete information; Considers all relevant factors and uses appropriate decision-making criteria and principles
• Being Resilient - Is confident under pressure; Handles and manages crises effectively; Maintains a positive attitude despite adversity; Bounces back from setbacks; Grows from hardships and negative experiences

Application and Selection Process: Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness including online application and responsiveness to the list of qualifications, skills, and abilities. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews. Applications without the following required materials may not be considered for this position.

• King County application
• Responses to supplemental questions

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact:
Angelia Remolana - Human Resource Analyst, anremolana@kingcounty.gov

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Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

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No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

Employment Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week