SR Production Technician - Waste Water (6:45pm - 6:45am)

Position Summary

The Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator contributes to our mission of saving and sustaining lives by being part of a team that ensures the safe, compliant, and reliable 24/7 operation of Baxter's membrane filtration wastewater treatment plant. The operator monitors and adjusts treatment processes; collects and analyzes regulatory and process-control samples; operates solids-handling and dewatering equipment; completes inspections, documentation, housekeeping, and routine equipment care; and promptly reports and responds to safety, quality, environmental, or operating discrepancies.

Job Responsibilities

• Monitor wastewater treatment processes and equipment through the SCADA system and field inspections; adjust operating parameters to maintain treatment performance and effluent quality.
• Collect representative wastewater, process-control, upstream, and downstream samples using required sampling and aseptic techniques.
• Perform or coordinate regulatory and process-control analyses, including flow, BOD5, COD, TSS, fecal coliform, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, ammonia, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, toxicity, phosphate, and mixed liquor suspended solids, as applicable.
• Prepare standards; calibrate, operate, and care for laboratory instruments; complete required quality-control checks; and accurately document analytical results.
• Use sampling and laboratory results to evaluate treatment conditions and make authorized process adjustments that protect the quality of water discharged to the North Fork Catawba River.
• Monitor biomass and biosolids levels, waste activated solids as necessary and operate centrifuge equipment to maximize dewatering efficiency by adjusting polymer feed and biosolids flow.
• Adjust plant-flow pump rates to support manufacturing needs and adjust chemical-dosing pump rates to maintain appropriate nutrient feed and treatment conditions.
• Oversee bulk chemical deliveries and safely load, unload, move, and store materials using approved powered industrial vehicles, pickup trucks, and material-handling practices.
• Inspect treatment buildings, grounds, tanks, pumps, piping, membranes, laboratory areas, safety equipment, and supporting systems; identify conditions requiring correction or repair.
• Perform routine cleaning, housekeeping, minor operator care, and preventive maintenance support to keep equipment, tools, and work areas safe, orderly, and efficient.
• Inventory and maintain tools, laboratory supplies, chemicals, personal protective equipment, and consumable materials needed for reliable plant operation.
• Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, laboratory, and biological-process issues; take authorized corrective action and promptly escalate conditions outside established limits or authority.
• Complete operating logs, sampling records, laboratory records, inspection forms, work requests, and other required documentation accurately and on time.
• Notify the supervisor of safety, environmental, quality, compliance, equipment, or process discrepancies and take appropriate immediate action in accordance with procedures and training.
• Follow applicable NPDES permit requirements, environmental procedures, laboratory practices, cGMP requirements, SOPs, work instructions, and EHS rules.
• Participate in required training and maintain the knowledge, qualifications, and certifications necessary for assigned wastewater treatment and laboratory duties.
• Support continuous improvement by identifying operating risks, recommending improvements, and participating in investigations, corrective actions, and process changes related to wastewater operations.
• Sustain a clean and safe work area using 6S principles, including maintaining and securing assigned tools and equipment.

Knowledge, Skill and Abilities

• Ability to learn and retain skills related to biological wastewater treatment and membrane filtration processes, including the relationship between process-control results, operating adjustments, and effluent quality.
• Ability to learn and retain skills related to wastewater sampling, sampling technique, laboratory test methods, preparation of standards, instrument calibration, and routine quality-control practices.
• Ability to understand and operate automated and SCADA-controlled processes and to interpret trends, alarms, equipment status, and process data.
• Able to learn key indicators of abnormal mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, and process conditions and troubleshoot safe correction action with maintenance support and supervisory guidance as necessary.
• Ability to apply basic chemical and algebraic concepts to wastewater calculations, laboratory work, chemical dosing, plant flow, solids wasting, and process control.
• Ability to safely operate pumps, chemical-feed systems, membrane systems, centrifuge and biosolids-handling equipment, laboratory equipment, and approved material-handling equipment after qualification.
• Ability to read and comprehend SOPs, safety and quality instructions, equipment information, written work instructions, logs, charts, and drawings.
• Ability to accurately record data, maintain complete operating and laboratory records, communicate abnormal conditions, and use basic computer applications.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a 24/7 operations team, manage assigned priorities, and respond appropriately to changing plant conditions.
• Ability to work safely around chemicals, biohazardous materials, moving equipment, machinery, conveyors, noise, and vibration while using required personal protective equipment.

Required Education and Experience

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent.
• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Valid driver's license.
• Must obtain and maintain a North Carolina Grade 1 Biological Wastewater Operator certification within one year of position start.
• Basic understanding of chemical and algebraic concepts.
• Basic English written and oral communication skills and ability to understand verbal and written safety and quality instructions, work instructions, and drawings.
• Requires the ability to stand/walk continuously throughout the shift.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Must be able to pass the P.I.V physical.
• Normal visual acuity with the ability to distinguish color is required.
• Must be able to squat, crawl, reach above shoulder level, reach at or below shoulder level, kneel, twist and bend at the neck, twist and bend at the waist and balance.
• Requires extensive walking up and down stairs on a routine basis. Occasional need to climb ladders, if necessary.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Prior wastewater experience preferred.
• Experience with SCADA-controlled processes, water analysis, environmental sampling, instrument calibration, and laboratory quality control preferred.
• Experience operating and troubleshooting continuously operating systems preferred.
• Experience troubleshooting mechanical and/or electrical systems preferred.
• Powered industrial vehicle or forklift operating experience preferred.