Water Treatment Plant Operator/ Trainee

The Trainee position is unlicensed and responsible for performing basic and directed activities of monitoring water production and chemical levels, conducting basic lab tests, and performing assigned housekeeping activities. The Water Treatment Plant Operator position is licensed and responsible for monitoring gauges, making operational adjustments, conducting lab tests, and adding chemicals to adjust levels as necessary. This level is required to work alone and will be responsible for all types of problem solving and providing work direction to less experienced Operators. The incumbent does related work as required. Complete job descriptions are available from the office of the Civil Service Commission.

Trainee Level: Graduation from high school or possession of a high school equivalency diploma Operator Level: As stated above and 1 year of experience in a water treatment plant with facilities for filtration. Possession of a IIA certification issued by the NYS DOH at the time of appointment.

There will be a written test which you must pass with a score of 70 or higher in order to be considered for appointment. It will evaluate knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such areas as:
1. Mechanical Aptitude: These questions test your ability to identify and understand how basic mechanical instruments such as motors and gears work.
2. Safety Practices: These questions test your knowledge of basic safety practices.
3. Tools and Reading of Scales and Gauges: These questions test your ability to recognize or identify basic tools and their common uses and to make accurate readings of various types of dials, scales, and gauges.
4. Elementary Chemistry and General Science: These questions test your knowledge of basic processes and concepts in chemistry and general science.
5. Understanding and Interpreting Written Material: These questions test how well you comprehend written material.
6. Basic Mathematics: These questions test your ability to use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to solve basic arithmetic problems that might be encountered in water and wastewater treatment plant operations. Questions may also involve the use of fractions, decimals, averages, and percents.
CITY OF WATERTOWN, CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
245 Washington Street, Room 205 Watertown, New York 13601 www.watertown-ny.gov

There is no residency requirement for this examination. Preference in appointment may be given to successful candidates who are residents of the City of Watertown in accordance with Section 23.4(a) of the New York State Civil Service Law and Rule VII(1) of the Municipal Civil Service Rules for the City of Watertown. To be eligible for appointment, an applicant must be a resident of Jefferson County or a resident of a contiguous county.

The list will also be used to fill vacancies as they occur in the City of Watertown Water Treatment Plant