Operator

Requisition ID: 109872

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People are the heart of our business. As an American Water employee, you will be offered a competitive salary and health benefits package, along with opportunities to develop, grow, and evolve your career. Our benefits packages focus on key areas such as health & wellness, emotional & well-being, and savings for current & future goals.

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About American Water
American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886 and celebrating 140 years in 2026, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to approximately 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water’s approximately 7,000 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company’s national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.

For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.

Primary Role

Operator in Woodridge, Illinois

Posted Range:

$36.58/hour

This position may be eligible for annual incentive pay and contracted increases as determined by the collective bargaining agreement, and you will have the opportunity for continued salary growth.

In addition to compensation, you will be offered a comprehensive benefits package including 401(k), Defined Contribution Plan, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, medical, prescription, dental and vision coverage, plus disability, paid time off, life insurance, voluntary benefits, health and wellness programs and much more!

American Water is also proud to offer employees learning opportunities and work experiences to grow professionally!

Please be advised that there are two openings for a Wastewater Operator reporting to Illinois American Water’s Woodridge office.

The hours for this role will be 7:00am to 3:30pm and will have a workweek of either Sunday through Thursday or Tuesday through Saturday (dependent on management discretion and determined by need).

Consideration for this position shall be given to valid IEPA Certified Wastewater Operators (Class 1, 2, 3,or 4), those with current IEPA Operator in Training status, or those with EPA certification
through states other than Illinois (reciprocity with Illinois EPA will be a required attainment).
.
Consideration for this position may also be given to those that have previously attained IEPA Wastewater Operator certification(1, 2, 3, or 4).

Work Schedule

• 7am-3:30pm (Sunday-Thursday or Tuesday-Saturday)
• Overtime
• Opportunity to assist with water systems

Requirements

• Responsible for the safe operation of wastewater treatment plants and belt press.
• Follow all safety rules and operation procedures as established by the company.
• Responsible for proper sample collection and related laboratory tests or process tests.
• Mathematical aptitude to effectively perform calculations associated with the position.
• Mechanical aptitude to service, maintain, and repair a wide variety of machinery and equipment.
• Comply with all requirements to provide high quality wastewater treatment as established by the company and governmental regulatory and environmental agencies.
• The ability to learn and use computer programs such as Outlook, Microsoft Office, Waterly (Production Department’s data entry system), Teams, and MapCall.
• Familiarity with SCADA computer systems for utilities.
• Must be available for work after business hours and during emergencies.
• Physical capability to perform heavy manual labor in all types of weather.
• Must be reliable, responsible, organized, resourceful, and able to think and act promptly, all while most often working alone.
• Ability to cooperate/collaborate with other operators and laboratory personnel.
• Good written and verbal skills.
• Strong problem-solving and prioritizing skills.
• Other duties as assigned by management.

Minimum Qualifications

• Possession of a valid Illinois driver’s license at the class level required to operate fleet equipment associated with the job, as well as a safe driving record.
• Qualified candidates must possess a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Consideration for this position shall be given to valid IEPA Certified Wastewater Operators (Class 1, 2,3, or 4), those with current IEPA Operator in Training status, or those with EPA certification through states other than Illinois (reciprocity with Illinois EPA will be a required attainment).
• Consideration for this position may also be given to those who have previously attained IEPA Wastewater Operator certification (1, 2, 3, or 4).
• Any candidate not currently certified as a Class 2, 3, or 4 IEPA Wastewater Operator, or whose IEPA Wastewater Certificate has lapsed, will be required to agree in writing that he/she will work toward the attainment of a Class 1 IEPA Wastewater Certificate.
• If the successful bidder is already a Certified Wastewater Operator, they will be paid the wage that corresponds with their current certificate (as outlined in Appendix A of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between ILAWC and UFCW 1546).

Examples of Job Duties

• Perform a variety of process management tests (e.g. MLSS, Sludge Blanket Measurements, NH3 Screening,Cl2 Screening, etc.)
• Make process adjustments based on process data and operational skillsets.
• Collect treatment and equipment data (flow data, run times, etc.)
• Collect compliance samples.
• Adjust chemical feed systems and change chemical containers as needed.
• Maintain process and facility equipment.
• Maintain asset recordkeeping via MapCall.
• Belt Press operations
• General housekeeping of facilities and grounds.

Competencies

Champions safetyCollaboratesCultivates innovationCustomer obsessedDrives ResultsNimble learning

Join American Water...We Keep Life Flowing™

American Water is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based on his or her age, race, color, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, citizenship, or because they are an individual with a disability, protected veteran or other status protected by federal, state, and local laws.