Plant Operator I

Job Announcement

$2,500 Signing Bonus*

Would you like to be part of the team that supports critical wastewater infrastructure for the largest county in Virginia?

The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) seeks a Plant Operator I to monitoring equipment and/or treatment process station to ensure the proper treatment of wastewater at the Noman m. Cole Jr. Pollution control plant, an advanced 67 MGD wastewater treatment facility, which is required by law to meet, on a continuous basis, stringent effluent limitations established by state and federal regulatory agencies.

DPWES is a diverse, nationally accredited, and award-winning public works agency with approximately 1,000 employees providing solid waste, capital facility development, wastewater, stormwater, urban forestry, and land acquisition management services for the most populous county in Virginia. Join our team to help us protect the environment and serve the people of Fairfax County by creating and preserving a sustainable community that is an ideal place to live, work, and play for everyone.”

Fairfax County Government is committed to our employees, and offers comprehensive benefits, including a defined-benefit retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; paid leave; tuition reimbursement; and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Through our LiveWell Program and the County Benefits Division, we endeavor to cultivate a culture of wellbeing that empowers, educates, and engages employees and retirees to make life-long choices that promote a holistic approach to their physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual, and financial wellness. Please review our awesome benefits:

• Benefits
• Retirement

DPWES is a nationally recognized Utility of the Future responsible for maintaining more than 3,000 miles of sanitary sewers, 60+ pump-stations, and a NACWA Platinum Award winning 67 million gallon per day treatment plant.”

This position works in the DPWES Wastewater Treatment Division, located at 9399 Richmond Hwy. Lorton, Virginia.

• Assists higher level plant operators in monitoring operations via computer, visual, and audio inspections.
• Collects samples of wastewater and sludge at prescribes stages and time intervals in the treatment cycle and performs basic tests.
• Monitors alarms and by-passes piece of equipment in case of an emergency.
• Understands mechanical process and use of mechanical tools and instruments, maintains accurate logs, and carries out applicable safety practices.
• Cleans facilities such as, wet wells, tanks and other equipment and skims grease.
• Adjust chemical federates, adjust, or replaces packing on pumps, gates and other controls and equipment.
• Performs general housekeeping and cleaning duties.
• Learns principles and operation of wastewater treatment; has ability to learn the biological, chemical, and physical processes of wastewater treatment.
• Ability to learn and carry out applicable safety practices. Performs work in a safe manner. Participates in all safety training.
• Follows safety regulations and procedures. Reports unsafe conditions.
• Responsible for understanding and complying with regulatory requirements, the wastewater management program, environmental policy, and agency's response procedures

*A $2,500 signing bonus is available to new county employees hired in the Plant Operator I position.

Position may be underfilled as an Plant Operator Trainee; the Underfill Requirements are stated below in the Employment Standards section.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS :
Graduation from high school or a GED issued by a state department of education, and one year of operator experience in a Class I wastewater facility or higher facility.

UNDERFILL REQUIREMENTS:
This vacancy may be underfilled at the level of Plant Operator Trainee (Grade S18, $49,842 - $83,071). The employment standards for the Plant Operator Trainee are: Graduation from high school, or a GED issued by a state department of education. Click here to view the complete details and KSAs for the Plant Operator Trainee. Upon completion of an underfill agreement (which will require that the employee meet the employment standards stated above in addition to obtaining competencies defined by the hiring agency) the employee will be elevated to the level of Plant Operator I. Underfill candidates must be able to meet the minimum qualifications of the Plant Operator I within two years of the job announcement's closing date.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:

• A valid driver's license.
• A Class IV Wastewater Treatment Operator's certification issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check, a pre-employment physical examination, and driving record check to the satisfaction of the employer.

Positions within this classification are considered essential to the maintenance and continuity of core county operations during the activation of an emergency or critical incident.

Work Environment:
May be exposed to raw waste.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience working in a class I wastewater facility.
• Effective communication.
• Ability to read, write and understand directions.
• Knowledge of mechanical processes, tools and instruments.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Ability to lift 50 to 75 lbs. in a safe manner. Subject to working in adverse weather conditions, may be exposed to raw waste. Must be able to bend, stoop, climb stairs and climb up and down 40 foot ladder. Must be able to follow instructions. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include exercise.

BONUS ELIGIBILITY:
Positions within this classification that are general merit may be eligible for a one-time hiring incentive bonus for new county employees only. This bonus program requires a signed payback agreement between the department and employee.

The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 39.8% of residents speak a language other than English at home ( Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and others ) and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 703-324-4900 for assistance. TTY 703-222-7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov EEO/AA/TTY.

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