Plant Operator III

Plant Operator III

Salary

$63,732.03 - $111,531.06 Annually

Location

WASTEWATER TREATMENT DIV, 9399 RICHMOND HWY, LORTON (JP04), VA

Job Type

FT Hourly W BN

Job Number

26-01024

Department

DPWES Wastewater Management

Opening Date

07/11/2026

Closing Date

7/24/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Pay Grade

S22

Posting Type

Open to General Public

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Job Announcement

$2,500 Signing Bonus*

Are you looking to take your career to a new level? Do you care for the environment and want to make a difference?

Join Fairfax County's Department of Public Works and Environmental Services Wastewater Management Division, and do just that, working at the Noman M Cole Water Recycling Facility as a Plant Operator III. With us, you will be part of cleaning over 40 million gallons of water per day and advancing the community's sustainability goals.

As a Plant Operator III you'll work under the general supervision of the Plant Operations Supervisor, and, in addition to day-to-day duties, you'll participate in special projects as well as maintain effective relationships with plant personnel, citizens, and community groups. Day-to-Day duties include:

• Planning, assigning, and overseeing the work of Plant Operator Is and IIs during operations of the plant including monitoring the standby generator and power distribution centers.
• Providing daily instruction and training to Plant Operator Is and IIs at various duty stations around the plant.
• Operating plant equipment to ensure proper operating parameters, troubleshooting problems and recommending solutions. Assisting in corrective repairs and performing an ongoing preventive maintenance program of exercising and rotating various processes of equipment and machinery.
• Collecting and compositing samples for plant process testing and monitoring. Performing field laboratory testing. Reads meters, gauges, and other instruments and records observations and data operating log sheets and software.
• Preparing and maintaining records such as chemical inventory, entering work orders in Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). Creating online requisitions and submitting appropriate and timely reports utilizing Microsoft Excel and other software, such as FOCUS and SCADA.
• Monitoring alarms and troubleshooting pieces of equipment.
• Maintaining appropriate chemical levels and process conditions by adjusting system controls and/or adding, adjusting, and replacing chemicals in the treatment plant system, such as packing on pumps, gates, and other equipment.

The ideal candidate must have:

• Experience conducting formal and informal training of junior level operators
• Proven ability to solve operational problems as they arise, using strong troubleshooting skills and the ability to make decisions
• The ability to communicate clearly with engineers, electricians and mechanics to solve problems and come up with effective solutions.
• Proven ability to be flexible and change focus quickly while maintaining the overall treatment process while helping others solve problems.

Wastewater Management is part of the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES). Please visit us here to learn more about us. DPWES is a diverse, nationally accredited and award-winning public works agency with approximately 1,000 employees providing solid waste, capital facility development, wastewater, stormwater, urban forestry, and land acquisition management services for the most populous county in Virginia. Join our team to help us protect the environment and serve the people of Fairfax County by creating and preserving a sustainable community that is an ideal place to live, work, and play for everyone.

Why Fairfax County? We are committed to investing in our employees and providing:

• A defined-benefit retirement plan.
• Medical, dental, life, and disability insurance.
• Generous paid leave and tuition reimbursement.
• A LiveWell wellness program supporting holistic wellbeing.
• Career development opportunities in a large, supportive, and innovative public agency.

Through our LiveWell Program and the County Benefits Division, we endeavor to cultivate a culture of wellbeing that empowers, educates, and engages employees and retirees to make life-long choices that promote a holistic approach to their physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual, and financial wellness. Please review our awesome benefits:

• Benefits
• Retirement

Note: Emergency Personnel Designation: This position is considered emergency service personnel and is subject to 24/7 on-call status during weather events, facility emergencies, or other critical incidents.

Location: Noman M. Cole Jr. Water Recycling Facility, 9399 Richmond Highway, Lorton, VA 22079..

• A $2,500 signing bonus is available to new county employees hired in the Plant Operator III position.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Graduation from high school or a GED issued by a state department of education, and four years of experience as an operator in a Class I wastewater facility or higher.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:

• A valid drivers license.
• A Class II Wastewater Treatment Operators certification issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

Appointees within this classification are subject to a criminal background check, driving record check and pre-employment physical prior to employment to the satisfaction of the employer.

Positions within this classification are considered essential to the maintenance and continuity of core county operations during the activation of an emergency or critical incident.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• 3 or more years of experience operating primary treatment, biological nutrient removal (BNR), enhanced nutrient removal (ENR), disinfection and solids processing including sewage sludge incinerators.
• 5 years of experience in a Class I Wastewater treatment facility.
• 1 year of experience in ordering and receiving chemicals.
• 2 years of experience supervising or leading a team.
• 1 year of experience using computers at work, to include Microsoft Excel and an electronic asset management (EAMS or CMMS) system).

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Ability to climb up to 35 ft., on ladders and scaffolding. Ability to lift and carry items weighing up to 75 lbs. Ability to communicate clearly, both verbally and in written form is crucial for engaging with colleagues and customers through phone calls, or face-to-face meetings. Must be able to operate keyboard driven equipment and use other automated technology to input, access and retrieve information from a laptop or desktop. Visual acuity is required to read data on computer monitors such as GIS maps. Must be able to physically negotiate rough terrain on uneven ground such as hills, wooded and marshy areas to make direct observation of work in progress including recognizing unforeseen hazards such as sharp objects, warning signs, slippery surfaces, steep depressions, tripping hazards. Must be able to push, pull, lift, bend, stoop, walk, climb/crouch, crawl, stand and reach to work in demanding and uncomfortable positions for extended durations. This is necessary to manipulate materials with manual dexterity, utilize hoses, and operate units that are up to 12 feet in height. Additionally, this includes setting up and performing maintenance access in authorized confined spaces, which involves entering and exiting catch basins and manholes. According to safety regulations, individuals who weigh 310 lbs. or more are prohibited from entering confined spaces. Must be physically fit to perform manual labor in all types of environments. This requires the ability to endure variable and extreme weather conditions such as hot, cold, during rain, noisy environments, etc., and the ability to work around and in contact with raw sewage. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

May be exposed to raw waste.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:

Panel interview and may include exercise.

BONUS ELIGIBILITY:

Positions within this classification that are general merit may be eligible for a one-time hiring incentive bonus for new county employees only. This bonus program requires a signed payback agreement between the department and employee.

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others.) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov EEO/AA/TTY.

#LI-JT1

Merit Positions

Fairfax County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:

• Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
• Group Term Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• LiveWell Program
• Flexible Spending Programs
• Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental, volunteer activity, and more!)
• Paid Holidays
• Contributory Retirement Plan
• Deferred Compensation
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employees Child Care Center
• Continuous Learning Opportunities

Please click here for a summary of our benefits.

NOTE: Fairfax County Government is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information about the PSLF program: Public Service Loan Forgiveness | Federal Student Aid

For additional details please visit the Countys benefits webpage.

Non-Merit Positions

• Non-Merit Benefit Eligible: scheduled to work a minimum 1,040 hours and no more than a maximum of 1,560 hours in a calendar year.

• Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage

• Flexible Spending Program

• Deferred Compensation

• Temporary: scheduled to work a maximum of 900 hours in a calendar year.

• No benefits

01

What is the highest level of education that you have completed?

• Less than 12th grade
• High school diploma or GED
• Some college
• Associates degree
• Bachelors degree
• Masters degree
• Doctorate degree

02

If you answered "Some college" for the highest level of education completed, please indicate the number of quarter or semester hours you have completed towards a related degree.

• Less than 45 quarter hours
• 45 to less than 90 quarter hours
• 90 to less than 135 quarter hours
• 135 to less than 180 quarter hours
• 180 or more quarter hours
• Less than 30 semester hours
• 30 to less than 60 semester hours
• 60 to less than 90 semester hours
• 90 to less than 120 semester hours
• 120 or more semester hours
• Not applicable

03

How many years of full-time equivalent experience working as an operator in a Class I wastewater facility do you possess?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five years or more

04

Do you currently possess a valid drivers license?

• Yes
• No

05

Do you have a valid Class II or higher Wastewater Treatment Operators certification issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia?

• Yes
• No

06

How many years of experience do you have supervising/training lower-level plant operators?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five years or more

07

Plant Operators are required to work 12-hour split shifts, are you willing and able to work these types of shifts?

• Yes
• No

08

This position is considered essential personnel for purposes of continuity of operations and may be required to respond during inclement weather or emergency situations. Are you willing and able to report to work during these situations?

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer Fairfax County

Address 12000 Government Center Pkwy. Suite 270

Fairfax, Virginia, 22035

Phone 703-324-3311

Website http://agency.governmentjobs.com/fairfaxcounty/default.cfm