Date Opened: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 12:00 AM

Close Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2026 12:00 AM

Department: Charlotte Water Department

Salary: $24.00 - $24.52 Commensurate with Experience

Welcome to the City of Charlotte

Charlotte is America’s Queen City, opening her arms to a diverse and inclusive community of residents, businesses and visitors alike. Here you will find a safe, family-oriented city where people work together to help everyone thrive. The mission of the City of Charlotte is to deliver quality public services and promote the safety, health, and quality of life for all residents.

Our guiding principles include:

• Attracting and retaining a skilled and diverse workforce

• Valuing teamwork, openness, accountability, productivity, and employee development

• Providing all customers with courteous, responsive, accessible, and seamless quality services

• Taking initiative to identify, analyze, and solve problems

• Collaborating with stakeholders to make informed decisions

SUMMARY

Charlotte’s local government, with more than 9,000 employees and a total budget of $3.65 billion budget, works hard to ensure that the community will be a winning city for everyone – a truly remarkable place to live, work, learn and play.

Charlotte Water is an enterprise department of the City of Charlotte and one of the largest public water and sewer service providers in the southeast with over 330,000 customer accounts and over 1100 employees. Our service area includes the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and the towns of Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Mint Hill, Matthews and Pineville. Charlotte Water’s FY 26 budget is $651 million and a five-year capital program of $2.2.28 billion. We enjoy the highest credit ratings from Moody’s and S&P Global as a result of sound financial planning and management and strong support from our City Council. We value competent, skilled candidates with a customer service focus to work in a team environment.

SALARY:

The salary for this position is $24.00 hourly.

WORK SCHEDULE & TRAINING

• This position will be on the Day Shift, often working 12-hour days from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. It will be a rotating schedule, which will require the Operator to work every other weekend and some holidays.

• New-hire training may occur on shifts other than the permanently assigned shift.

SUMMARY:

A Plant Operator will perform duties critical to the operation of a 13.1 million-gallon-a-day wastewater treatment plant. These duties include monitoring equipment and processes for proper operations, troubleshooting and resolving issues with plant equipment, conducting testing and analysis of samples, endeavoring to keep the wastewater plant operating at optimum levels, communicating any potential issues to supervisory staff, providing technical assistance to other employees, following safety rules and protocols, performing audits, and maintaining records.

 

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Observes/reports on facility conditions and operations.
• Uses biological/chemical parameters to analyze overall wastewater treatment plant operations, reports anomalies. 
• Performs process control activities by collecting, testing, and analyzing process control samples, inputting operational data into computer software, analyzing biological bacteria, conducting settleability tests, collecting composite samples, monitoring sludge blanket levels, calibrating and monitoring automatic samplers for permit compliance, and running additional tests as needed to ensure proper process control.
• Monitors SCADA computer workstations for plant equipment and process conditions.
• Maintains flows and loading by continuously monitoring dissolved oxygen, returns activated sludge rates, ammonia levels, suspended solids levels, alkalinity chemical levels, wasting rates, flows, digester temperatures and levels, chemical feed rates and tank levels, methane gas pressures and flows, and other process indicators.
• Performs laboratory analysis on wastewater samples to recommend/implement operational changes.
• Maintains facility equipment and housekeeping in assigned areas.
• Operates various types of pumping systems, clarifier equipment, aeration equipment, sand filters, and other plant equipment.
• Inspects a wide range of various wastewater equipment for noise, vibration, and any abnormal operating characteristics; performs minor maintenance and preventive maintenance tasks; and completes rounds and records operational data. 
• Briefs other operators at shift change; assists maintenance staff with shutdown and startup of equipment.
• Updates database information. Collects data and maintains records.
• Manages bulk chemicals onsite, communicates with chemical vendors, orders, and accepts chemical deliveries.
• Assists visitors and contractors.
• Conducts internal audits and assists with external audits for International Organization for Standardization (ISO) compliance.
• Conducts plant tours.
• Assists in training new employees.
• Performs other related job duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of the science of wastewater treatment, including biological and chemical processes.
• Skill in communicating, both verbally and in writing.
• Skill in basic math.
• Skill in using computers and job-related software.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATION:

Having one of the following certifications is preferred:

• NC Grade I Wastewater Operator Certification

• NC Grade II Wastewater Operator Certification

• NC Grade III Wastewater Operator Certification

• NC Grade IV Wastewater Operator Certification

• Desires NC Water Pollution Control System Operator Certification

• One to Four Years of related work experience in a Wastewater Treatment Plant environment.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

High School diploma or GED from an accredited school.

LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, OR REGISTRATIONS:

• Requires a valid North Carolina or South Carolina Driver's License.

• Must obtain and maintain a City Driver's Permit.

• NC Grade I Wastewater Operator Certification (or obtain within one year of hire)

• NC Grade II Wastewater Operator Certification (or obtain within two years of hire)

• NC Grade III Wastewater Operator Certification (or obtain within four years of hire)

• NC Grade IV Wastewater Operator Certification (or obtain within six years of hire)

SALARY:

NC Grade I WasteWater Operator Certification - $24 hourly - $49,920 annual

NC Grade II WasteWater Operator Certification - $25.55 hourly - $53,144 annual

NC Grade III WasteWater Operator Certification - $28.17 hourly - $58,593.60 annual

NC Grade IV WasteWater Operator Certification - $31.06 hourly - $64,604.80 annual

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The work is medium work and requires applying 30 pounds of force frequently and exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally to move objects. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required: balancing, climbing, crouching, feeling, manual dexterity, grasping, handling, perceiving sounds at normal speaking levels, distinguishing among sounds, hearing, kneeling, lifting, mental acuity, pulling, pushing, reaching, repetitive motion, speaking, standing, stooping, talking, expressing ideas by spoken word, shouting above noises, visual acuity in data/color/observations/equipment/inspections, and walking. The operation of small hand tools to perform light maintenance on equipment will occasionally be required.

 

WORK ENVIRONMENT:               

Work is performed in an industrial environment with heavy equipment and machinery that could result in bodily harm to co-workers or others.  Requires working indoors/outdoors during inclement weather, around chemicals, solvents, and dust in a plant treating and processing domestic wastewater. The Plant Operator will be expected to work weekends and holidays as assigned.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

The City’s Background Check Policy requires background checks to be conducted on final internal or external candidate(s) applying for any position with the City of Charlotte. The type of information that will be collected as part of a background check includes, but is not limited to: reference checks, social security verification, education verification, criminal conviction record check, and, if applicable, a credit history check, sex offender registry and motor vehicle records check.

Background checks must be in compliance with all federal and state statutes, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The checks must be consistent with the guidelines set forth by these laws requiring organizations to obtain a candidate’s written authorization before obtaining a criminal background report, motor vehicle records check or credit report; and to properly store and dispose of information derived from such reports.

Final candidates must pass a pre-employment drug-screening test and physical examination. During the selection process, candidates may be asked to take a skills test, and/or participate in other assessments.

The City of Charlotte is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or on the basis of actual or perceived gender as expressed through dress, appearance, or behavior.

Our culture is to serve the community honorably.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply online.

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job.

You are welcome to visit the City of Charlotte Human Resources Department lobby, where self-service application kiosks are available. They are located in our office at 700 East 4th Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28202. We are open Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (EST), excluding official City holidays.

For questions about your application or the hiring process, please email [email protected]

The City of Charlotte is committed to making our services and programs accessible to all. Upon request, auxiliary aids, written materials in alternate formats, language access, and other reasonable accommodations or modifications will be provided. To make a request, please fill out the Innovation & Technology ADA request form or call 704.336.4120.

BENEEFITS

The City of Charlotte provides a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees.

Click here to learn more about the City of Charlotte’s benefits.

The City of Charlotte is a drug and alcohol-free workplace.