This is highly responsible work assisting in supervising Harford County's water or sewage treatment plants or water and wastewater pumping stations and related facilities in accordance with State and Federal standards. Emphasis is upon the proper utilization of staff, equipment, and treatment techniques with responsibilities for monitoring the operation and maintenance of all related facilities. Supervision is exercised over a staff of shift supervisors and support personnel. The employee reports to the Superintendent of Plant Operations and receives general direction and review from superiors.
Examples of Duties
(The following examples illustrate the work performed in the positions in the class. Positions may require some or all of these examples depending on the organization of work within the department. The list is not inclusive. A position may require duties not listed, if necessary, to accomplish the work of the department.)
Supports the preparation of the annual budget and assists with the management of budgets, ensuring cost control and expenses are in alignment with the budget.
Provides support to the execution of water and sewer capital projects by providing oversight and coordination of contractors.
Monitors equipment and process operation at each facility ensuring compliance with internal practices and policies, as well as Federal, State, and Local regulations and laws.
Coordinates and prepares reports on plant, station, and system operation including required regulatory reporting.
Supervises a team and manages the performance of individuals through ongoing coaching, feedback, and development to motivate, engage and drive a high-performing team.
Reviews laboratory data and SCADA information to monitor plant and station performance effectively.
Manages and prioritizes projects and maintenance in a work order system to keep all equipment and processes performing as intended.
Collaborates with Human Resources to develop recruitment plans based on labor needs, and participates in internal and external job candidate selection, including screening, conducting interviews, testing, and onboarding. Supports all hiring/promotional decisions, ensuring compliance with all related policies and regulations.
Schedules and assigns duties to a team of supervisors, operators, and mechanics.
Other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
Thorough knowledge of the principles, practices, and methods of processing water according to State and Federal standards, and the methods and techniques for their safety, repairs, and maintenance.
Ability to plan, assign, supervise, train, and inspect the work of others
Ability to maintain records and prepare reports; to maintain effective working relationships with the public, officials, and employees
Ability to drive a County vehicle while carrying out some assignments
Proficient in effectively and efficiently using MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook), Adobe Acrobat, and various database software.
The ability to multitask is essential.
Ability to inspect while in kneeling, sitting, or prone positions, depending on the location of the item to be inspected.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:
Bachelor's degree in chemistry, biology, engineering, sanitary engineering, or other closely related field AND satisfactory completion of the following courses or equivalents (please see below):
Operation of Wastewater Plants I, Sacramento course
Operation of Wastewater Plants II, Sacramento course
Operation of Wastewater Plants Advanced, Sacramento course
Six (6) years of treatment work experience in Wastewater Class 5A, Two (2) years in a responsible supervisory position
*Additional experience may be substituted for the educational requirement on a year-for-year basis. However, candidates wishing to exercise this option must still possess the required two (2) years' of supervisory experience.
LICENSE & CERTIFICATION:
Valid permanent MDE Wastewater Plant Operator 5A Certification or equivalent from another state at the time of hire. Candidates with out-of-state certifications will be obligated to obtain the required License through reciprocity within one (1) year of employment.
Valid permanent MDE Water Plant Operator T2 certification or higher or equivalent from another state at the time of hire preferred. Candidates with out-of-state certifications will be obligated to obtain the required license through reciprocity within one (1) year of employment. Candidates without a permanent MDE Plant Operator T2 certification are obligated to obtain the required license within three (3) years of employment.
Possession of a valid Class "C" non-commercial driver's license with no more than three (3) points. Please be advised this position requires a valid driver's license. Your application will not be considered if you fail to include the full driver's license number on the electronic application.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
Nature of operation requires an employee to be available on a shift, on-call, any hour/day, and/or emergency basis. The employee could be contacted by pager or cell phone and the use of a cell phone for contact is required.
Work is on a rotating shift basis including weekends, so as to control the proper operation of the facilities.
The employee will be required to maintain his/her Operator's License in good standing.
Employees may be exposed to chemicals, raw water, wastewater, insects, etc.
Selected Candidate must successfully complete Superintendent License Training within six (6) months of hire.
The selected candidate will be subject to random drug and/or alcohol screening.
SAFETY:
Must comply with all Federal (OSHA), and State of Maryland (MOSH), safety regulations and applicable Harford County safety policies, procedures, or manuals as required for this position. Participates in all Safety Training provided under the Water and Sewer Operations annual safety training program.
BENEFITS:
Harford County offers an exceptional benefits package that includes:
Health, Dental & Vision insurance
Flexible Spending Accounts
State Retirement Plan and Deferred Compensation
Long Term Disability, and Life Insurance for Employee, Spouse, and Children
Generous Leave Package & Paid Holidays
Tuition Reimbursement
FRINGE BENEFITS
(Effective July 1, 2023)
ANNUAL LEAVE - Begin accruing first day of employment and cannot be taken until successful completion of probationary period, EXCESS of 40 DAYS [320 hours] will be deposited into an 106 Premium Reimbursement Account.
0 months - 3 years 1 day per month (12 days per year)
4 years - 9 years 1 ¼ days per month (15 days per year)
10 years - 15 years 1 ¾ days per month (21 days per year)
Over 15 years 2 days per month (24 days per year)
* Please note that leave is prorated according to your status determined by actual hours worked*
SICK LEAVE - Begin accruing first day of employment (UMLIMITED ACCUMULATION)
1 day is allowed after first month of employment
1 ¼ days per month accumulation
PERSONAL LEAVE - For new employees, personal leave is prorated according to schedule below, for the first year only. Any employee on board as of December 31st of each year automatically receives 8 days as of January 1st the following year. (NOTE: Personal Leave may not be taken until successful completion of probationary period; personal leave will be lost if not taken before December 31st of each year.)
1/1 to 1/31 6 days 4/1 to 4/30 3 days
2/1 to 2/28 5 days 5/1 to 5/31 2 days
3/1 to 3/31 4 days 6/1 to 6/30 1 day
7/1 to 12/31 0 days
FAMILY LEAVE - Up to 12 weeks per year
FUNERAL LEAVE - 3 days + 1 day for extended travel
MILITARY LEAVE - 3 weeks per year with no loss in pay for Reserve or National Guard Training, Active Duty and serving during emergencies.
CIVIL LEAVE - No loss in pay while serving Jury Duty.
RETIREMENT - COUNTY EMPLOYEES: State Pension System 7% employee contribution LAW ENFORCEMENT (TO INCLUDE TEMPORARY DEPUTIES): LEOPS 7% Employee Contribution CORRECTIONS: SOPP 9% Employee Contribution
COUNTYFLEX - Provides the employee with a range of health care and other employee benefit options which gives employee the opportunity to design a benefit plan that best meets the employee's needs. Employee may use available credits to purchase the following:
HEALTH INSURANCE - CareFirst Triple Option and BlueChoice Opt-Out Plus Open Access and Kaiser Permanente (all plans include prescription drug coverage)
DENTAL INSURANCE - CareFirst Dental PPO Plus Plan and CareFirst Dental PPO Plan
VISION INSURANCE - Provided through BlueVision Plus
FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS - Provided through American Fidelity. Employees may fund health and child care expenses on a pre-tax basis.
PRE-TAX - All deductions for health, dental, vision and flexible spending accounts are subject to deductions from paycheck before federal and state taxes are applied.
LIFE INSURANCE -
Provided through MetLife - $50,000 policy - NO COST TO EMPLOYEE
SUPPLEMENTAL LIFE (TERM/WHOLE/UNIVERSAL AND AD&D)
Provided through MetLife.
LONG TERM DISABILITY - Provided through MetLife.
DEFERRED COMPENSATION -
Lincoln Financial Group - Retirement Consultant David Weiland
Phone 410-236-2494 Email- Dave.Weiland@LFG.com
[Customer Service Representative 1-800-234-3500]
RETIREE HEALTH CARE INSURANCE BENEFITS-
Employees hired on or after 7/1/2010 will have an automatic Retirement Health Savings account made available as the primary retiree healthcare benefit. This 105(h) Universal Reimbursement Account will only be able to be accessed upon separation of service and/or retirement whichever applicable. These accounts are employer funded, tax free, & portable with 20 different Nationwide investment options.
These funds are solely for the use of offsetting your premium health care cost, prescriptions, co-pays and deductibles. Upon death funds are made available immediately to the surviving spouse or qualified dependents (as defined by the IRC 152 (a).
DEATH BENEFITS - PAID BY COUNTY
50% of accumulated sick leave
All accumulated annual leave
Personal leave (maximum of 2 days)
$50,000 life insurance
One (1) month's salary
PAID BY RETIREMENT
One year's pay (after 1 year's service) plus employee's contributions refunded with interest.