Industrial Wastewater Plant Manager

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Industrial Wastewater Plant Manager to oversee the daily operations, optimization, and compliance of our on-site biological wastewater treatment facility. Food processing generates high-strength wastewater with highly variable organic loads, nitrogen, phosphorus, and fats, oils, and greases (FOG). This role is responsible for maintaining a resilient biological system to pretreat our process water and ensure strict compliance with our Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) industrial user permit. The ideal candidate will focus on minimizing city surcharge fees, preventing permit exceedances, and coordinating closely with municipal authorities.

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Key Responsibilities

Process Optimization & Surcharge Management

· Manage and stabilize biological systems (e.g., anaerobic digesters, activated sludge, SBRs, or MBRs) designed to reduce high Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) before municipal discharge.

· Optimize industrial pretreatment systems (such as Dissolved Air Flotation - DAF units and screening) to aggressively remove FOG and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) to minimize city sewer surcharge penalties.

· Proactively manage process chemistry (pH neutralization, coagulants, and polymers) to protect the city's downstream collection system and treatment plant from corrosive or disruptive chemical shocks.

· Mitigate the impacts of production sanitation cycles, controlling the release of clean-in-place (CIP) chemicals and hydraulic surges to maintain biological balance.

POTW Compliance & Municipal Relations

· Ensure 100% compliance with all local POTW industrial pretreatment permit limits, including local limits for pH, temperature, heavy metals, and organic loading.

· Serve as the primary liaison with city sewer inspectors, municipal engineers, and regulatory auditors during facility inspections and sampling events.

· Oversee mandatory self-monitoring, sampling, and reporting programs required by the POTW, verifying accurate flow-meter calibrations and chain-of-custody protocols.

· Collaborate with production leadership to schedule high-strength waste discharges during off-peak sewer hours when necessary.

Team Leadership & Plant Safety

· Supervise, train, and schedule wastewater operators, maintenance technicians, and sampling personnel.

· Enforce a strict safety culture, emphasizing OSHA compliance, lockout/tagout (LOTO), confined space entry, and proper PPE for handling chemical and biological hazards.

· Manage the wastewater facility's operational budget, tracking municipal sewer fees and identifying operational cost savings through enhanced pretreatment efficiency.

Maintenance & Asset Management

· Oversee preventive and corrective maintenance on specialized industrial equipment including pumps, blowers, clarifiers, dewatering presses, and automated flow-monitoring meters.

· Utilize a CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) to track equipment life cycles, minimize downtime, and maintain spare parts inventory.

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Required Qualifications & Skills

Education & Experience

· Education: Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, or a related science field preferred. Equivalent of education and relevant work experience accepted.

· Certification: Minimum of a Grade 2 certificate in good standing with NC WPCSOCC

· Experience: Minimum 5 years of experience in industrial wastewater treatment, with a strict preference for the Food & Beverage industry (e.g., dairy, meat processing, bakery, beverage, or brewery).

· Leadership: Minimum 2–3 years in a direct supervisory or management capacity.

· Licensing: Possession of a state Industrial Wastewater Operator License (or Municipal equivalent recognized by local regulations for pretreatment management).

Technical Knowledge

· Expert knowledge of industrial pretreatment standards, local POTW compliance limits, and sewer surcharge frameworks.

· Deep understanding of biological nutrient removal (BNR), nitrification, anaerobic treatment, and FOG encapsulation.

· High proficiency operating SCADA systems, automated composite samplers, and inline continuous flow-monitoring equipment.