St. James Parish Government is hiring for the position of Water Plant Operator III in the Operations Department.

JOB
FUNCTION: Controls treatment plant machines and equipment to filter and
clarify water for human consumption and industrial use.  This position is classified as essential
during declared emergencies or natural disasters.  This is a nonexempt position, working a
rotating shift.  This position is “Safety
Sensitive” and subject to random drug testing as per the St. James Parish Government Employee Handbook.  Individuals
in this class are able to complete the majority of their work with a minimum
amount of supervision.  Normally works a
rotating shift. 

ESSENTIAL
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 
Includes any combination of the following illustrative examples of
duties and responsibilities including but not limited to:

 ·        
Operates and controls electric motors, pumps, and valve(s) to
regulate the flow of raw water into treatment plant

·        
Dumps specified amounts of chemicals such as chlorine, ammonia,
and lime into water; or adjust automatic devices that admit specified amounts
of chemicals into tanks to disinfect, deodorize, and clarify water

·        
Starts agitators to mix chemicals and allows impurities to settle
to bottom of tank(s)

·        
Turns valve(s) to regulate water through filter beds to remove
impurities

·        
Pumps filtered water into water mains

·        
Monitor panel board and adjusts controls to regulate flow rates,
loss of head pressure and water elevation, and distribution of water

·        
Cleans tanks and filter beds using backwashing

·        
Performs routine maintenance on machines and equipment

·        
Tests water samples to determine acidity, color, and impurities

·        
Adds chemicals such as alum into tanks to coagulate impurities and
reduce acidity

·        
Records data such as residual content of chemicals, water
turbidity, and water pressure

·        
Maintains daily and monthly logs

·        
Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATION
REQUIREMENTS:  To perform this job
successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty
satisfactorily.  The requirements listed
below are representative of knowledge, skills and/or ability required.  St. James Parish Government is an equal
opportunity employer. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable
individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.               

EDUCATION
and/or EXPERIENCE:  High School diploma or
general education diploma (GED) with 1 year of experience as a Water Plant
Operator Trainee.

MATHEMATICAL
SKILLS:  Ability to work with
mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference and
fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry.  Ability to apply concepts such as fractions,
percentages, ratios, and, proportions to practical situations.

REASONING
ABILITY:  Ability to define common
sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral,
diagram or schedule form.  Ability to
solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in
situations where only limited standardization exists.

CERTIFICATES,
LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:  Must possess a valid
Louisiana Driver’s License, (class “E”) with an acceptable driving record. Must
possess a Water Treatment Operator Class I and Distribution Class I
Certification or state temporary certificates.

OTHER
SKILLS AND ABILITIES: 

·        
General knowledge of the hazards and applicable safety rules and
regulations in equipment operation

·        
Ability to perform physical labor required of the position

·        
Ability to perform daily housekeeping duties

·        
Have some knowledge of computer systems

PHYSICAL
DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representatives of those
that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions
of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with
disabilities to perform the essential functions.     

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly
required to reach with hands and arms, and talk or hear.  The employee frequently is required to use
hands to finger, handle, feel objects, tools, controls, and climb or
balance.  The employee is occasionally
required to sit, stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 100
pounds.  Specific vision abilities
required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision,
peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK
ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are
representatives of those that an employee encounters while performing the
essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly
works in conditions of, extreme heat and cold, near moving mechanical parts,
and is frequently exposed to toxic or caustic chemicals.  The employee frequently works in high,
precarious places and is regularly exposed to wet and/or humid conditions,
fumes or airborne particles.

The noise level in the work environment is usually very loud.