Wastewater Treatment System (WWTS) Operator

Wastewater Treatment System (WWTS) Operator
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Department: Environmental Health & Safety / Operations
Reports To: EH&S Manager / Operations Management
Employment Type: Full-Time

Position Summary
Hammon Plating is seeking a Wastewater Treatment System (WWTS) Operator to manage the day-to-day operation, monitoring, and maintenance of the wastewater treatment system at our Palo Alto metal finishing facility.

This is a hands-on position responsible for safely treating wastewater generated from plating and manufacturing operations, maintaining compliance with applicable environmental requirements, operating treatment equipment, managing waste streams, maintaining accurate records, and keeping the wastewater treatment area organized and operational.
The WWTS Operator will work closely with EH&S, Chemistry, Maintenance, and Production to ensure wastewater is treated safely, efficiently, and in accordance with Hammon Plating procedures and regulatory requirements.

As the operator develops in the position, they will also be expected to help strengthen the overall wastewater program through improved procedures, documentation, training, waste reduction, and process improvements.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Wastewater Treatment Operations

• Operate and monitor the facility's wastewater treatment system.
• Perform daily startup, operation, monitoring, and shutdown activities.
• Monitor treatment conditions and make appropriate chemical additions and process adjustments.
• Perform pH adjustments and other treatment activities according to established procedures.
• Operate wastewater treatment equipment, including pumps, tanks, filtration equipment, and filter press systems.
• Monitor sludge generation and coordinate proper handling and disposal.
• Identify abnormal operating conditions and notify EH&S or management when corrective action is required.
• Maintain the wastewater treatment area in a safe and operational condition.
• Coordinate with Production and Chemistry regarding wastewater streams generated by plating operations.

Waste Management & Reduction

• Properly identify, segregate, label, store, and manage waste generated from wastewater treatment operations.
• Evaluate waste streams currently being sent to outside treatment or disposal vendors.
• Identify opportunities for waste to be safely and legally treated in-house when appropriate.
• Work with EH&S and management to evaluate potential treatment methods before implementation.
• Help reduce unnecessary off-site disposal costs while maintaining environmental and safety compliance.
• Assist with waste pickups, manifests, containers, and vendor coordination as needed.

Environmental & Regulatory Compliance

• Follow all applicable wastewater discharge permits, environmental requirements, company procedures, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain accurate wastewater operating logs and treatment records.
• Complete required inspections and documentation.
• Promptly report spills, treatment problems, equipment failures, abnormal discharge conditions, or potential compliance concerns.
• Assist EH&S and management during environmental inspections and audits.
• Support sampling, testing, recordkeeping, and other compliance activities as required.
• Recommend improvements that reduce environmental risk and improve wastewater control.

Standard Operating Procedures & Documentation

• Develop and maintain written wastewater treatment procedures.
• Document daily startup and shutdown requirements.
• Document normal treatment operations, chemical additions, pH adjustments, sludge handling, filter press operation, equipment inspections, maintenance, and recordkeeping requirements.
• Develop emergency shutdown and spill-response procedures in coordination with EH&S.
• Update procedures as equipment, processes, chemicals, or regulatory requirements change.
• Help ensure wastewater treatment knowledge is documented and transferable to other trained employees.

Safety & PPE

• Follow all required chemical handling and personal protective equipment requirements.
• Help establish and maintain a designated wastewater PPE station.
• Ensure wastewater PPE and safety equipment are organized, properly labeled, accessible, and maintained.
• Identify PPE requirements associated with specific wastewater treatment activities.
• Notify EH&S of damaged, missing, or inadequate PPE.
• Recommend safety and PPE improvements when hazards or opportunities are identified.
• Follow applicable SDS requirements and chemical-handling procedures.

Training

• Assist with the development of wastewater treatment training materials.
• Train designated backup employees on appropriate wastewater treatment activities.
• Provide instruction on basic WWTS operation, chemical hazards, safe handling, PPE, emergency response, documentation, and equipment operation.
• Help ensure employees assisting with wastewater operations understand their responsibilities and limitations.
• Support cross-training so wastewater treatment operations are not dependent upon the knowledge of a single employee.

Equipment, Maintenance & Housekeeping

• Perform routine inspections of wastewater treatment equipment.
• Identify maintenance needs and communicate issues to Maintenance and management.
• Perform basic preventive maintenance within the operator's training and authorization.
• Coordinate repairs when equipment problems could affect treatment operations or compliance.
• Maintain good housekeeping throughout the wastewater treatment area.
• Ensure tanks, equipment, chemical containers, waste containers, and storage areas are properly identified and labeled.
• Help develop visual controls and organization standards for the WWTS area.
• Maintain appropriate inventory of treatment chemicals and operating supplies.
• Identify potential equipment or process improvements that could reduce downtime or improve efficiency.

Continuous Improvement Expectations
The WWTS Operator is expected to actively look for opportunities to strengthen the wastewater treatment program. This includes improving treatment consistency, reducing unnecessary waste, improving documentation, strengthening preventive maintenance, improving housekeeping and organization, and identifying opportunities to safely reduce operating and disposal costs.
Changes to treatment methods, chemical usage, waste handling, or other activities that could affect environmental compliance must be reviewed and approved by the appropriate management and/or EH&S personnel before implementation.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Experience working in an industrial, manufacturing, chemical-processing, wastewater, or similar environment preferred.
• Ability to safely handle industrial chemicals and follow written chemical-handling procedures.
• Ability to understand and follow SOPs, SDSs, safety requirements, and environmental procedures.
• Basic mechanical aptitude and ability to operate pumps, valves, tanks, filtration systems, and related equipment.
• Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations associated with chemical additions, measurements, and treatment processes.
• Ability to maintain accurate written and electronic records.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to recognize abnormal operating conditions.
• Ability to communicate problems promptly and work with Production, Maintenance, Chemistry, EH&S, and management.
• Willingness to learn wastewater treatment processes specific to metal finishing and plating operations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous industrial wastewater treatment experience.
• Experience in metal finishing, electroplating, chemical processing, or a similar manufacturing environment.
• Experience with pH adjustment, chemical precipitation, filtration, sludge handling, or filter press operation.
• Familiarity with hazardous waste management and environmental recordkeeping.
• Experience developing SOPs or training other employees.
• Experience working under environmental permits or regulated wastewater discharge requirements.

Physical & Work Environment Requirements
This position works primarily in an industrial metal finishing and wastewater treatment environment.
The employee must be able to:

• Stand and walk for extended periods.
• Safely work around industrial chemicals and wastewater treatment equipment.
• Wear required PPE, which may include chemical-resistant gloves, safety glasses/goggles, face shields, protective clothing/aprons, safety footwear, and respiratory protection when required and authorized.
• Bend, reach, climb, and perform routine equipment inspections.
• Safely lift and move materials within established company lifting requirements.
• Work in areas that may be wet, noisy, warm, or exposed to chemical odors.
• Respond promptly to wastewater treatment or equipment issues during the scheduled workday.

Employee Benefits

• Management opportunities
• Generous employee compensation & benefits packages
• Significant 401K profit-sharing program
• $28-$34 per hour, DOE