City of Austin - JOB DESCRIPTION

Austin Water Treatment Operations & Maintenance Technician Senior

Under limited supervision, perform complex repair, maintenance, and preventive maintenance at a water or wastewater treatment plant, wastewater collection, or water distribution systems facility. Perform in both operations and maintenance disciplines with demonstrated mastery in one discipline and demonstrated competency in the other discipline.

1. Makes process control decisions and assigns process control tasks under normal, temporary, and emergency operating conditions; conducts tests to determine proper chemical feed rates, calibrate field instruments, and make changes to chemical pumping rate as required.
2. Maintains balanced and consistent operation of plant equipment based on established process control techniques to ensure maximum efficiency of plant process and to ensure regulatory compliance for effluent quality.
3. Ensures plant processes are always operating within regulated parameters as mandated by State, Federal, and AWU requirements; reports out-of-compliance occurrences to supervisor and superintendent.
4. Leads work groups in performing preventative maintenance tasks such as lubrication, changing equipment oil/fluids, installing packing, bearings, and seals.
5. Leads work group in performing predictive and corrective maintenance on specialized treatment facility equipment such as pumps, blowers, clarifiers and valves.
6. Conducts routine rounds of the treatment facilities to monitor treatment process, identify and troubleshoot process, coordinate and resolve anomalies or mechanical problems with plant equipment.
7. Monitors and interprets data from SCADA systems and computerized control systems, instrument panels and gauges in order to make and coordinate basic to advanced process changes under normal and temporary operating conditions.
8. Maintains treatment facility operations and maintenance records using log books, databases and spreadsheets; generates and analyzes data trends and reports from historical data.
9. Troubleshoots, coordinates, and resolves mechanical and process failures.
10. Leads work group and assists with the on-the-job training of Austin Water Treatment Plant Workers, Austin Water Treatment Operations & Maintenance Technician Associates, and Austin Water Treatment Operations & Maintenance Technician Assistants.
11. Acts as a member of Confined Sapce Entry team and acts, as needed, as entrant, attendant, or lead.

Lead and coordinate a shift or work group, including assignment of operational and/or maintenance tasks.

• Knowledge of water/wastewater treatment, lift stations, and/or water systems operations processes and procedures; and regulatory requirements under normal, temporary, and emergency operating conditions.
• Knowledge of moderately complex utility mathematical formulas involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of standard and metric units of measure using whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and computing rate, ratios, and percentages.
• Knowledge of chemistry, chemical properties, and methods and precautions for receiving, storing and handling of hazardous chemicals.
• Knowledge of diagnostic techniques and troubleshooting methodology.
• Skill at reading diagrams, analyzing, interpreting and modifying blueprints, diagrams, schematics and technical drawings.
• Skill in using computers and related software.
• Skill in operating a motor vehicle and motorized equipment.
• Skill in operating manual, automated, and buried valves, pumps, and control systems.
• Skill in using hand tools and power tools.
• Skill in basic to intermediate welding and fabrication.
• Skill in precision alignment of rotating equipment.
• Skill in using lifts, hoists, and rigging.
• Skill in preparing written reports.
• Skill in analyzing and making recommendations on optimizing operational processes and/or maintenance schedules.
• Ability to operate and select proper breathing apparatus, respirators, and atmospheric monitors in compliance with Utility Respiratory Protection Policy/Procedures.
• Ability to work in hazardous environments with exposure to hazardous chemicals and solvents.
• Ability to climb ladders that support up to 300 pounds and work at heights of up to 200 feet.
• Ability to work in spaces, up to 100 feet deep, requiring the use of SRL Body Harness that supports up to 283 pounds.
• Ability to walk, stand, sit, bend, stoop, twist, push, pull, climb, kneel, crawl, and lift/carry up to fifty (50) pounds unassisted.
• Ability to follow written and verbal instructions.
• Ability to read, interpret, and modify treatment system technical guidelines and standard operating procedures.
• Ability to read and interpret meters, gauges, control panels, and testing and monitoring equipment.
• Ability to meet and maintain driver eligibility standards detailed in the City of Austin Driver Safety Program.

Graduation from an accredited high school or equivalent, plus four (4) years of experience in a work environment such as process control, operations, water distribution or wastewater collections, construction, or in the operation, repair, and maintenance of mechanical or industrial equipment.