Wastewater Treatment Plant Manager

Job Description Summary

Department - Regional Wastewater Reclamation

Job Description

OPEN UNTIL FILLED

Job Type: Classified

Job Classification: 5153 - Wastewater Treatment Plant Manager

Salary Grade: 18

Pay Range

Hiring Range: $96,200 - $132,267 Annually

Pay Range: $96,200 - $144,289 Annually 

Range Explanation:

• Hiring Range is an estimate of where you can receive an offer. The actual salary offer will carefully consider a wide range of factors, including your skills, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, training, and internal equity.
• Pay Range is the entire compensation range for the position.

The first review of applications will be on 11/20/2026.

Pima County’s Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department is seeking candidates for the position of Wastewater Treatment Plant Manager. This high-level position is responsible for overseeing the management, operations and maintenance of wastewater treatment facilities. This is a leadership role, and ideal candidates should possess an ADEQ Wastewater Treatment Grade 4 Certification and have ample operations and supervisory experience, preferably with direct technical and leadership experience and strong troubleshooting skills in the wastewater industry.

Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Wastewater Treatment Grade 4 Certification is required.

Essential Functions:

As defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, this classification may include any of the following tasks, knowledge, skills, and other characteristics. This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by incumbents of this class. Work assignments may vary depending on the department’s need and will be communicated to the applicant or incumbent by the supervisor.

• Administers the operations and maintenance of a Wastewater Treatment Group and associated facilities;
• Inspects assigned facilities and related systems for proper operation, maintenance, and adherence to standards and departmental requirements and directs staff actions to resolve discrepancies;
• Coordinates facility/system operations, maintenance, and modifications with departmental staff and contractors and assures that all work is in compliance with local, state and federal mandated requirements;
• Coordinates the implementation of special projects that may require a plant shutdown for the installation of new equipment or repair of existing equipment with operations, maintenance, and contractors;
• Ensures that all staff are properly trained in safety, health, and compliance regulations to create a safe workplace for all;
• Directs the collection, analysis and reporting of quality and quantities of effluents, biosolids, and other byproducts of the wastewater treatment processes;
• Plans and directs the implementation of information management and automated supervisory control systems and maintains comprehensive documentation of all operations, maintenance, and modification activities associated with assigned facilities;
• Directs the control authority requirements of the pre-treatment program;
• Develops and administers the wastewater Treatment Operating Group Operations & Maintenance (O&M) budget and assists in development of the departmental budget;
• Assists design and construction engineers by providing operations and maintenance input to wastewater facility and system development and implementation plans;
• Researches, develops, and submits routine, recurring and special reports to management and other agencies.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in civil or sanitary engineering, biological science, chemistry, environmental science or environmental engineering or a closely related field as determined by the department head at the time of recruitment AND five years of experience in the operation and maintenance of a major secondary wastewater treatment facility, INCLUDING two years which must have been in a supervisory or managerial capacity.

(Relevant experience and/or education from an accredited college or university may be substituted.)

OR:

Current Arizona registration as a Professional Engineer with proficiency in sanitary engineering AND four years of experience in the operation and maintenance of a major secondary wastewater treatment facility, INCLUDING two years which must have been in a supervisory or managerial capacity.

OR:

Four years of experience with Pima County as a Wastewater Technical Services Manager, Wastewater Maintenance Supervisor, Wastewater Treatment Plant Maintenance Manager, or Wastewater Operations Manager, or similar level position working in the operation and maintenance of a major secondary or advanced wastewater treatment facility.

Qualifying education and experience must be clearly documented in the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections of the application. Do not substitute a resume for your application or write "see resume" on your application. 
 
Preferred Qualifications: (Be specific in describing your experience in your application. Ensure the descriptions provided illustrate your competencies, specifically addressing the required and preferred qualifications.):

• Minimum ten (10) years of operational experience within wastewater treatment facilities.
• Minimum five (5) years of direct supervisory experience including: scheduling, discipline, and performance management.
• Minimum five (5) years experience with knowledge of mandated industrial safety rules, regulations, and procedures.
• Minimum five (5) years experience and involvement prioritizing improvement projects and maintenance activities in a fiscally responsible manner within the limits of an annual budget.

Selection Procedure: 
Pima County Human Resources Department reserves the right to admit to the selection process only those candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. All applications will be assessed based on an evaluation of the listed education and experience. Candidates meeting the minimum qualifications may be further evaluated/scored against any advertised Preferred Qualifications. The hiring authority will interview and select the successful candidate from a referral list provided by Human Resources. Additional assessments/testing may be required as part of the selection process.

Supplemental Information:

Licenses and Certificates: Valid driver license is required at time of application. Valid AZ driver license is required at time of appointment. The successful applicant will be subject to a 39-month DOT Motor Vehicle Record review to determine applicant’s suitability to operate county vehicles in accordance with Pima County administrative procedures. Failure to obtain and maintain the required licenses and certifications shall be grounds for termination. Any offer of employment resulting from this recruitment is contingent upon Fleet Services’ review and approval of the candidate’s driving record. Operations positions in this class require an ADEQ WW Treatment Grade 4 certification at time of hire. If an applicant has an equivalent certification from another state, certification through reciprocity with ADEQ must be obtained within 3 months of hire or promotion.

Special Notice Items: Some positions may carry the risk of exposure to infectious disease, asbestos or wastewater and sewage products, therefore special medical screening prior to or during employment may be necessary to assure employee health and safety. The County requires pre-employment background checks. Successful candidates will receive a post-offer, pre-employment background screening to include verification of work history, education, and criminal conviction history. A prior criminal conviction will not automatically disqualify a candidate from employment with the County. Pima County determines whether a position is eligible for visa sponsorship at the time of recruitment. Eligibility is based on the requirements of the position and applicable laws and regulations. Not all positions with Pima County are eligible for visa sponsorship. This position will require a post-job offer physical and/or drug screen. 

Physical/Sensory Requirements: All positions require sufficient body flexibility, mobility, stamina, and balance to allow for standing, walking, sitting, grasping and manipulation of work objects, frequent bending, stooping, reaching, and climbing stairs and ladders. All positions require regular or occasional crawling, kneeling, squatting, lifting/carrying objects up to fifty pounds, pushing and pulling objects up to seventy-five pounds, and the ability to properly don and doff fall protection to enter and work in confined spaces. Essential to this position is corrected or sufficient vision; the ability to see, read and interpret written information, manuals, gauges, etc., including distinguishing various colors. Also essential to this position is corrected or sufficient hearing; the ability to hear and comprehend voice communications in-person, over a radio and phone, and to hear operating equipment. Movement - bending, climbing, climbing stairs, climbing ladders, foot controls, hand controls, standing, walking, simple grasping; Audio/Hearing - working in noisy areas, on the phone, behind themselves, exposure to high-pitched noises, speaking in person; Mental Effort - analytical thinking, verbal communications kills, handling stress and emotions, remember names, examine and observing details, remember details, making decision, adjusting to change, staying organized, using math/calculations, problem solving, multitasking, making connections between facts, calibrating precises measurements; Performance Requirements - working as scheduled, arriving on time, maintaining stamina during the day, meeting deadlines, attending work related meetings, working effective with coworkers, customers/clients, working with other teams, working alone, directing others, writing, keyboarding/typing, answering the phone, operating office equipment and/or copier; Potential exposures - direct sunlight, operating a motor vehicle, working in dusty/dirty areas, indoors, flammables, fumes/vapors, gases. Frequently required to lift, push or pull objects weighing up to 50 pounds.

Working Conditions: All positions require the operation of machinery, powered industrial equipment and motor vehicles. All positions require outdoor work, including during inclement and hot weather, and exposure to waterborne pathogens/agents, hazardous materials and gases, water hazards and wet/slippery surfaces, odors, fumes, humidity, dirt, dust, traffic hazards, venomous pests, uneven surfaces, and electric arc flash potential.

EEO Information: Pima County Government is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We are committed to an inclusive and diverse workforce and will not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, kinship, political interest, or any other characteristic protected by law.