Water Treatment Plant Operator

Summary

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Personnel of the DoD Workforce to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service. About the Position: This position operates a Water Plant that functions 24 hours a day on alternating shifts with full responsibility for operation of the plant while on shift.

Duties

• Examines logs and records of previous shift and discusses the status of operations with operator in charge being relieved to determine conditions that require attention or to become aware of special instructions for operation.
• Operates valves, pumps, gates, chlorinators, chemical feeders, flocculation chambers, filters, pumps, and other controls and equipment to move water through various stages of treatment.
• Actuates various equipment such as valves, worm gears, drags, weirs, and polymer feeders to facilitate the sludge removal process.
• Operates a diesel powered generator when required.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. There is no specific length of training or experience required. However, you must be able to demonstrate, through experience shown in your written application materials that you possess the sufficient knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the work of this position without more than normal supervision. Minimum Qualifications (Screen Out Element): Ability to do the work of a(n) Water Treatment Plant Operator ~ without more than normal supervision. The ability to perform common Water Treatment Plant Operator duties such as operate water pumping and water treating equipment used in the process of purifying water for personal consumption and industrial purposes; manually regulate valves to control flow of raw water from entities such as lakes through a water treatment plant; collect and weigh water samples to insure maintaining the correct pH in the dosed water. I work under normal supervision of a work leader or journey-level employee who observes tasks in progress and upon completion to make sure they are properly performed. Selective Placement Factors: Incumbent must possess prior to appointment (and be willing to maintain) a current State of Maryland Class 4 certification. (NOTE: Must submit a copy of the State of Maryland Class 4 certification with your application package.) Applicants will need to submit a copy of their licenses along with the application. Failure to attach license will result in an ineligible rating). PHYSICAL EFFORT: Moderate physical effort is used in prolonged walking, climbing steps and standing. Heavy physical effort is involved in loading chemicals into mixer hoppers; moving chlorine tanks into position; and assisting in unloading chemical shipments as required. WORKING CONDITIONS: Work is generally performed inside in adequately lighted, heated and ventilated areas. There is some contact with running motors, pumps and other machinery. Cuts, bruises, and broken bones could result from working around machinery or climbing around equipment. Exposed to possibility of skin, eye, and lung irritations while working with various chemicals used for treating or testing water. May be exposed to inclement weather when drawing water samples or checking machinery. This position requires the use of protective clothing and/or equipment to include mask, gloves, and rubber apron.

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/07/2026 to receive consideration To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13036031). Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. As a reminder, your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For additional information, refer to the 'Required Documents' section. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may be incomplete. It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan. Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/applicant/profile/dashboard/), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.