Job Status: Permanent Full-Time
Union: IBEW 636
Number of Positions: 1
Hours of Work: 40
Location: Water Pollution Control Plant, Chatham-Kent
Closing Date: June 25, 2026, 11:59pm EST. Applications received after this deadline will not be accepted.
The Water & Wastewater Division of the Chatham-Kent PUC has an opening for a permanent full-time Operator for the Water/ Wastewater Area.
Job description
Operators are responsible for the day-to-day operations and maintenance of water and wastewater treatment systems and to ensure the delivery of safe, reliable, and compliant drinking water and wastewater services.
Essential responsibilities
- Demonstrate Chatham-Kent’s core values and competencies.
- Conduct regular inspections of water treatment and wastewater treatment plants, collection and distribution systems, pump stations, and booster stations.
- Operate and maintain process control equipment to ensure compliance with Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks (MECP) standards.
- Perform sampling and routine laboratory testing; maintain records of analytical results for regulatory and operational purposes.
- Support industrial sampling programs for compliance with Municipal Sewer Use Bylaw.
- Perform routine lubrication and preventative maintenance on equipment as per schedule.
- Monitor, calibrate and maintain testing and monitoring equipment in accordance with manufacturer's specification, and regulations.
- Ensure conformance with Drinking Water Quality Management System (DWQMS) and Wastewater Quality Management System (WWQMS) and compliance with all Certificates of Approval, regulations and guidelines.
- Maintain and follow regulated sampling, monitoring, and laboratory testing schedules in collaboration with the Chief Operator and compliance staff, as well as record all test results for statistical purposes and plant records.
- Maintain adequate inventory of chemicals, lab supplies, and operational materials; order when required.
- Maintain all necessary operational and including, but not limited to operational records, daily logs and monthly reports.
- Follow preventative maintenance procedures by checking machinery and electrical equipment when required and completing work orders in conjunction with the electronic Preventative Maintenance Program.
- Inspect process control equipment to ensure proper operation.
- Aiding Maintenance personnel in day-to-day equipment up-keep.
- Report, record and track information in accordance with established policies and procedures.
- Review Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system trends regularly to monitor facility performance.
- Maintain facility grounds and buildings.
- Ensure security protocols for water treatment and wastewater treatment facilities are consistently followed and maintained.
- Position may require operational assistance and support to any of the water or wastewater treatment facilities.
- Ensure personnel safety regulations, procedures and standards are strictly observed.
- Participate in on-call rotation and weekend shift schedule; must be able to respond to call-ins no later than thirty (30) minutes following the time of being notified.
- Other duties as required.
Essential qualifications
- Secondary school diploma or equivalent education (e.g. GED certificate) required, completion of college diploma or university degree in an environmental studies related program preferred.
- Water/Wastewater Operator experience in water and wastewater treatment environment.
- Mechanical and/or electrical experience in relation to water and wastewater treatment facilities and systems.
- Knowledge of preventive maintenance programs and utilizing operational and maintenance manuals.
- Knowledge of standards established by Ministry of the Environment Conservation and Parks (MECP), PUC policies, procedures and contingencies and applicable regulations.
- Knowledge of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and applicable regulations.
- Experience working in a unionized environment.
- Strong working knowledge of SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) software.
- Strong computer skills, specifically Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) (or similar software programs).
Certifications, memberships, licenses
- Ministry of the Environment Conservation and Parks (MECP) certifications:
- Class 1 (or higher) for Wastewater Treatment (WWT) required (minimum OIT with ability to obtain class 1)
- Class 1 (or higher) in Water Treatment (WT) required (minimum OIT with ability to obtain class 1)
- The following training is an asset (will be provided upon hire otherwise):
- Confined space entry training
- Personal protective equipment training
- Standard First Aid/CPR
Work environment/hours of work
- This position works both indoors and outdoors.
- This position works weekday hours, with occasional weekend hours as well as on-call after hours and on weekends.
Driver’s licence/vehicle requirements
Because of the responsibilities, this position requires the successful candidate to have a valid class G (or higher) Ontario driver’s licence; a driver’s abstract will be conducted by the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. An acceptable driver’s abstract will: be an original document and current (within the previous thirty (30) days); have no more than four (4) demerit points; have no more than two (2) convictions for the same offence; have no criminal code convictions; have no ‘non-medical or administrative’ license suspension in the preceding three (3) years.
Background check requirements
Successful candidates will be required to complete a background check prior to commencement of employment. A background check may include the following: Police Criminal Record Check, education/certification verification, and employment reference check.
Essential physical and/or safety requirements
- Requires physical coordination and dexterity to use hand tools, such as drills, wrenches, screwdrivers, etc.
- Requires physical coordination and dexterity to use precision test equipment used to troubleshoot equipment and systems.
- Manual dexterity to operate computers and laboratory equipment, such as pH meters, turbidity meter, chlorine analyzers, etc.
- Requires physical strength to manipulate, move and reposition equipment and machinery.
- Frequent exposure to loud noises from equipment.
- Work outdoors in excessive cold, hot or adverse weather conditions.
- Work with hazardous chemicals.
- Wear self contained breathing apparatus for confined space entries or chemical spills.
- Work in areas with unpleasant odours associated with sewage treatment processes.
- Attention to detail for short periods of time when taking readings or working on process control equipment, hydraulic, electric or other systems.
- Ability to shift focus quickly in response to emergencies or other priorities in the workplace.
- Maintain focus on multiple tasks with varying priorities, deadlines and/or demands.
- Personal protective equipment as required by Health & Safety policies and procedures, include (but not limited to):
- Green patch safety shoes
- SCBA: persons using positive pressure or negative pressure respirators shall be clean shaven where the face-piece seals to the skin
- Cartridge masks, dust masks and/or half masks
- Hearing protection
- Safety glasses
- Face shield
- Hard hat
- Gloves, gauntlets
- PPE as required by Arc Flash Program
- Flotation device
- Regular lifting of materials and equipment weighting 4 to 9 kg (10 to 20 lbs).
- Frequent standing for prolonged periods of time.
- Regular walking and climbing of stairs and ladders.
- Work in confined spaces, such as sewer pumping stations.
- Reach above shoulder level to perform operational and maintenance duties.
Benefits
This permanent full-time position has an hourly wage range from $30.81 to $40.63. Based on experience and certifications, successful candidates may be placed in a progression step between the minimum wage rate ($30.81) and the job rate ($40.63). The position also receives benefits including participation in the OMERS pension plan (mandatory), vacation entitlement and a comprehensive group benefits package, following the successful completion of a 3-month waiting period.
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The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is an equal opportunity employer, committed to fair and accessible employment practices that attract and retain talented employees in a workplace that is inclusive, supportive, and reflective of the diverse community we serve.
Should you require accommodations during the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources & Organizational Development (HROD) at 519-360-1998. Applicant information is collected under the authority of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Privacy legislation and will be used strictly for the purpose of candidate selection.
