1

Power Plant Operation Jobs in Riverside, CA (NOW HIRING)

The Plant Manager must possess a thorough knowledge and understanding of power generation plant processes and operation and maintenance techniques. * The Plant Manager must have a thorough ...

Plant Director

Rancho Cucamonga, CA · On-site

$190K - $210K/yr

This position will report to the: VP of Operations * Travel Requirement: Up to 20% * Location ... And, SAMBAZON beverages bottle the superfruit power of açaí in juice and natural energy cans. The ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

Power Plant Operation information

See Riverside, CA salary details

$21

$46

$66

How much do power plant operation jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 27, 2026, the average hourly pay for power plant operation in Riverside, CA is $46.65, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $31.35 and $61.20 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Power Plant Operator, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Power Plant Operator, you need a solid background in mechanical and electrical systems, strong problem-solving abilities, and typically a high school diploma or equivalent, with some positions requiring technical training or certifications. Operators must be proficient with distributed control systems (DCS), SCADA systems, and safety protocols relevant to power generation. Attention to detail, teamwork, and the ability to remain calm under pressure are critical soft skills in this role. These competencies ensure the safe, efficient, and reliable operation of power generation facilities, which is essential for maintaining consistent energy supply.

What are power plant operators?

Power plant operators are professionals responsible for controlling, monitoring, and maintaining the equipment that generates electric power in facilities such as nuclear, coal, natural gas, or renewable energy plants. They ensure that the plant runs efficiently, safely, and within regulatory guidelines by adjusting controls, reading gauges, and performing routine checks. Operators may also respond to emergencies, perform minor repairs, and keep detailed records of plant operations. Their work is essential for providing consistent and reliable electricity to homes and businesses.

What are some common challenges faced by power plant operators, and how can they be managed effectively?

Power plant operators often encounter challenges such as managing unexpected equipment malfunctions, adapting to rapidly changing energy demands, and adhering to strict safety and environmental regulations. Effective management of these challenges involves thorough training, regular maintenance schedules, and strong communication within the operations team. Operators typically participate in ongoing learning and safety drills to stay prepared for emergencies and work closely with engineers and technicians to troubleshoot issues quickly, ensuring reliable and efficient plant performance.

What is the difference between Power Plant Operation vs Power Plant Maintenance?

AspectPower Plant OperationPower Plant Maintenance
Primary FocusMonitoring and controlling plant processes to ensure efficient power generationInspecting, repairing, and maintaining equipment to prevent failures
Required SkillsOperational procedures, control systems, safety protocolsMechanical, electrical, and troubleshooting skills
Work EnvironmentControl rooms, plant floors, outdoor sitesWorkshops, equipment rooms, on-site maintenance areas
CertificationsPower plant operation licenses, safety certificationsMechanical or electrical trade certifications, safety training

Power Plant Operation involves managing the daily functions of a power plant to ensure continuous and efficient power production, while Power Plant Maintenance focuses on keeping equipment in optimal condition through repairs and inspections. Both roles are essential for reliable power generation and often work closely together within the same industry environment.

What job categories do people searching Power Plant Operation jobs in Riverside, CA look for? The top searched job categories for Power Plant Operation jobs in Riverside, CA are:
What cities near Riverside, CA are hiring for Power Plant Operation jobs? Cities near Riverside, CA with the most Power Plant Operation job openings:
Infographic showing various Power Plant Operation job openings in Riverside, CA as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 54% Full Time, 8% Temporary, and 38% Contract. Highlights an 92% In-person, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $97,028 per year, or $46.6 per hour.

Power Plant Operations Manager (Renewable)

Anaergia

Bloomington, CA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 7 days ago


Job description

Salary: $80,0000.00 - $120,000.00

Company Description:

Anaergia is a global leader in the production of clean energy, fertilizer, and recycled water from virtually any waste stream, offering the widest range of maximizing resource recovery solutions for the municipal, industrial, commercial, and agricultural markets. Anaergia's integrated solutions create value for its customers in the form of renewable energy, quality fertilizers, and clean water, while dramatically reducing the cost of waste management. Anaergia delivers integrated solutions globally through established offices in North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, and its breakthrough technologies are in use at over a thousand resource recovery facilities worldwide, reducing greenhouse gas emissions while creating new revenue sources for its clients.


Facility Description

Anaergia's Rialto, California Bioenergy Facility is the largest organics waste diversion facility in North America. The facility converts organic waste streams into renewable electricity, renewable natural gas, and fertilizer products, which would otherwise be destined for landfill disposal. The facility will utilize Anaergia's proprietary organics polishing system, anaerobic digestion, digestate drying, pyrolysis, and biogas conditioning to supply renewable natural gas into the pipeline and also create quality fertilizers.The facility utilizes four combined heat and power engines to generate electricity for the site. The Rialto project reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 220,200 metric tons per year.


Job Description:

This role reports to the Facility Manager at Rialto. The Operations Manager has responsibility for managing aspects of the site, including safety, environmental, financial, HR, administration, legal, engineering, operations, maintenance, and project management. The Operations Manager will lead, manage, and coach a team of operations and plant support employees at the site. The Operations Manager, under the direction of the Facility Manager, has responsibility for establishing and maintaining world-class safety and environmental standards for the site while driving a strong culture of operational discipline. The Operations Manager has the responsibility to support the Facility Manager in meeting financial, operational, and performance goals for the facility and manage contractual matters for the site. The Operations Manager will develop, review, and implement procedures that improve operational efficiencies and increase revenues by using "Best Practices" while maintaining a high safety standard and compliance with all regulatory requirements. The Operations Manager will be responsible for developing and deploying lean, efficient production and executing strategy through operational excellence, quality improvement, customer and supplier engagement, enhanced equipment reliability, repair and maintenance practices, business process consulting, supply chain development, and alignment of the production line, to meet new product quality and developments.


Job Requirements:

Education & Experience:Bachelor's degree from an accredited college in a business or technical field.Eight Years of progressive, relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of a degree.


Experience:Possesses a Minimum of 5 years of Operational Management (Administration, Operation, and Engineering) experience of similar facilities, including Anaerobic Digestion, Wastewater Treatment, Industrial Processes, Solid Waste, and/or Power Production.


Key Competencies:

The Operations Manager has the following skill sets:

  • Ability to motivate, engage, and manage a team to achieve goals, including safety, environmental, financial, and production goals
  • Ability to maintain and promote a safe work site for employees, contractors, vendors, and visitors.
  • Ability to operate the facility in compliance with all safety and environmental regulations and permits
  • Ability to support the Facility Manager with all contractual agreements with utilities, suppliers, customers, and contractors
  • Skilled in understanding technical drawings, documents, and specifications. Experienced intraining and coaching employees
  • Solid Waste/ Wastewater/ Biogas / Power Generation/ Industrial specific competences Hands-on, "roll-up sleeves" management style
  • Excellent interpersonal communication and cross-functional team management skills
  • Ability to coordinate staff and contractor efforts to solve problems and optimize plant operation.
  • Strong analytical, decision-making, and initiative capabilities
  • Ability to develop and utilize Standard Operating Procedures utilizing vendor manuals, instructions, and industry knowledge
  • Ability to analyze data and write reports
  • Ability to implement budgets and long-term plans
  • Ability to administer company policies and procedures and maintain a strong culture of operational discipline
  • Participate in public forums to support business development and community education.
  • Fluent in English

Goals

  • Safety-Develop and maintain a world-class culture of safety to be adhered to by all employees and contractors at the site.
  • Compliance- Maintain an immaculate compliance record with all regulatory and governmental agencies.
  • Championing company's policy frame work - Support the development of the Company's Vision Statement and the Company's strategy defining the Standards and code to be practiced, providing resources and implementing HR practices, site security and monitoring, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and Work Instruction (WI) around operations, maintenance, production, accounting, safety, environmental monitoring and reporting, documentation, and record keeping; Establish and implement facility policies, goals, objectives and procedures that are in line with the Company's Vision Statement and Strategy conferring with other management team members as appropriate.
  • Budget and Revenue -Meet the Facility's annual financial and commercial targets as set by the Managing Director. Meet the annual expected availability and profitability of the assets. Support reporting on monthly P&L and optimize profitability through operational and maintenance efficiencies and revenue enhancements that will result from market conditions.
  • Leadership -Abide by all internally established control systems and authorities; Lead by personal example and encourage all employees to conduct their activities in accordance with all applicable laws and the Company's standards and policies, including its safety, health, and environmental policies.
  • Human Resources -Implement performance incentive plan, keep high employee engagement and morale, minimize staff turnover, establish accountability expectations, develop leaders, support effective recruiting and staffing.
  • Reporting-Effective reporting to help the Facility Manager, Managing Director, and VP of Plant Operations draw conclusions, make inferences, and elicit crucial decisions.
  • Planning and Procedures -Develop sound planning, roles and responsibilities, procedures, and transparency in operations throughout the organization.


Role
Responsibilities


Safety - Deploy operational resources to ensure the safety and health of the workers and others who may be affected by activities at the facility, ensure compliance with the Company's Health and Safety program, and fulfill all legal, safety, and health requirements.

Environmental-Coordination with regulators and other government and non-government agencies and community stakeholders regarding environmental compliance.

Communication-Communicate effectively with employees, Government authorities, other stakeholders, and the public. This communication shall include the development and modifications of SOPs and Best Practices. Utilize interpersonal savvy to rally internal and external resources to meet long-term goals, encourage coordination and cooperation throughout the organization


Human Resources -Support Facility Manager's HR duties including recruiting and hiring of new staff, mitigation, and terminations; evaluate employee performance and motivate to achieve peak productivity; minimize absenteeism and overtime payments, maintain and update the O&M organizational structure.


Report -Provide support to the Facility Manager to ensure that the ERP system is kept up-to-date to track budget variance, inventory, sales report, monthly budget and cash flow forecast, safety and environmental compliance, departmental and individual long term and short-term targets; Schedule coordination meetings to ensure progress, analysis and corrective actions are documented and tracked; Complete month end, quarterly and yearly reports and results for the facility.

Construction -Provide feedback for the Company's contractors' activities for new facility construction. Identify the strategic spare parts required for the new facility and arrange for their procurement, develop, review and approve the receipt of acceptable O&M manuals, provideinputto add defects to the construction punch list, identification and rectification of defects during the guarantee period, issuance of final complete and performance certificate, manage operations staff during commissioning and takeover from EPC Contractor, etc.
Budget, Finance, and Cash - Management - Control all operational expenditures and ensure maintenance of all assets; Control finances to ensure funds for long- and short-term commitments, make confident financial decisions to meet business objectives.

Other- Undertake work as assigned from time to time by the Facility Manager.




As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Anaergia provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) toall persons
regardless ofage,color,nationalorigin,citizenship status,physicalormentaldisability,race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.In addition, Anaergia will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.


Source: Renewable Energy Plant Operations Manager