Wastewater Plant Manager at Essential Utilities

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company, employs people in a variety of roles within our eight-state footprint, ranging from field workers and customer service representatives who are on the front lines working with customers, to scientists and engineers who help ensure we’re delivering reliable water and wastewater services to our communities.  If you’re looking for a rewarding career helping improve our environment and protect our natural resources, we encourage you to join our team!

About Essential Utilities

Essential Utilities, Inc. delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families, and entire communities.

Operating as the Aqua (water and wastewater services) and the Peoples and Delta (natural gas) brands, Essential serves approximately 5.5 million people across 10 states. We are committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier employer status - including a competitive and comprehensive benefits package as well as a commitment to career growth opportunities.

We are advocates for the communities we serve and are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting more than 7,600 acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint.

Our company is one of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service and natural gas providers in the U.S. 

Are you looking for a fantastic career at Aqua?  We have a great opportunity for a Wastewater Supervisor to join our team on a full-time, direct basis in the University Park, IL area. This person will report directly to the Area Manager and is responsible for the efficient, compliant, and economical operation of our wastewater treatment facilities; this involves overseeing the administration, operating/capital budgets, and management of the operations teams in accordance with safety policies & regulations.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

• Responsible for compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations pertaining to the wastewater treatment plants.
• Establish procedures for process control operations.
• Provide capital & operational budget planning as well as project implementation support for wastewater facilities.
• Schedule personnel / assigns tasks and duties to team members.
• Provide training & supervision to Wastewater Plant Department employees.
• Champion the quality process.
• Bear primary responsibility for (and submit all) regulatory reports.
• Implement Standard Operating Procedures for the facilities.
• Participate in (and make presentations during) Departmental meetings.
• Attend laboratory, quality control, and process-related seminars & meetings.
• Investigate plant upsets and determine corrective action, when necessary.
• Provides direct or indirect support to other departments (including Customer Service, Wastewater Collection, and administrative staff).
• Maintain asset management program.
• Follow (and ensure staff are effectively trained on) Aqua's safety policies & procedures.
• Model Aqua’s values of Integrity, Respect, and Excellence.
• Performs other assignments, as required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• High School Diploma (or equivalent) is required; Bachelor’s degree is preferred (especially in Environmental Sciences or a related field of study).
• 3 years of professional experience working with Wastewater treatment.
• Prior laboratory experience is a plus.
• Prior supervisory is preferred.
• Previous experience administering and/or monitoring an industrial pretreatment program is preferred.
• IEPA Class 1 Wastewater License is strongly preferred (this person must obtain a minimum of the IEPA Class 3 Wastewater License within 1 year of hire, if you don't already have it) & continue to work toward a class 1.
• Must have a valid U.S. Driver's License.
• Must be able to carry a cell phone at all times and be ‘on-call’ for emergencies 24/7/365.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Must have knowledge of NPDES/National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System limits for wastewater quality and wastewater treatment requirements / facility regulations.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook Email, etc.).
• Experience with SAP is preferred.
• Excellent communication skills (written & verbal); proven ability to communicate effectively (clearly, concisely, and professionally) with both internal and external customers is strongly preferred.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Proven ability to work well under pressure.
• Proven ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• A Team Player demeanor with the ability to work effectively and multi-task in a team-fostered environment.

WORKING CONDITIONS / PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Perform sedentary work - exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently (or constantly) to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body (sedentary work involves sitting most of the time).
• Frequent travel across the Division and moderate travel to the State Headquarters.
• Available for emergencies and consultation on a 24/7 basis.

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. Equal employment opportunity is provided to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to the following legally protected characteristics: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions, including medical conditions related to lactation), physical or mental disability, covered-veteran status, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state or federal law.
Aqua is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities.  If you have a condition that may prevent you from applying for a job online or need to request an accommodation during the interview process, please call (1-877-271-9012).  
To maintain the integrity of the recruitment process and to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest due to employment and/or assignment of family members and personal referrals, specific guidelines apply to the hiring and assignment of these individuals including, but not limited to:

• Family members cannot result in a supervisor/subordinate reporting relationship
• Family members cannot work in the same department.