Wastewater Operator In Training Jobs in California

Salary : $93,809.00 - $125,392.00 Annually
Location : Laguna Treatment Plant-4300 Llano Road Santa Rosa, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 26-17-15ASM-O
Department: Water
Opening Date: 08/11/2026
Closing Date: 8/25/2026 12:00 AM Pacific
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Bargaining Unit: 07
The Position
The City of Santa Rosa is seeking highly qualified, detail oriented, and self-motivated individuals to join our professional team in operating the premier wastewater treatment facility in the North San Francisco Bay!
The City of Santa Rosa is committed to building a workforce reflective of our community and establishing a lasting culture of equity and belonging within our organization. Our collective talents and expertise contribute to high-quality public services that support a vibrant, resilient, inclusive City for our community and visitors. We celebrate a diverse workforce and welcome all qualified candidates to apply.
Wastewater Operator I : $93,809.00- $113,985.00Annually - For full job descriptions
Wastewater Operator II : $102,132.00- $125,392.00Annually - For full job descriptions
The Benefits of City Employment
In addition to offering a rewarding work environment, opportunity for career growth, and excellent salary, the City of Santa Rosa provides a generous suite of benefits, including retirement through CalPERS, a competitive leave accrual package, your choice of three health plans, and top of the line employer paid vision and dental coverage. More information regarding benefits associated with this position can be found on our .
THE BENEFITS OF CITY EMPLOYMENT:

• 12 paid holidays annually, plus 1 to 3 'floating holidays' per year, depending on start date and years of service
• Flexible schedule (9/80 or 5/8) with management approval
• $500 annually for wellness
• Unlimited free bus rides on CityBus and Sonoma County Transit
• The City is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) qualifying employer
• Paid Family Leave

ABOUT THE POSITION:
The City of Santa Rosa is looking for motivated individuals to join the team operating the premier water department in the North San Francisco Bay. The Wastewater Plant Operator is assigned to the Laguna Treatment Plant or Water Reuse sections of the Department and assists in the operation and maintenance of either system depending on assignment by performing a variety of skilled and semi-skilled tasks in the operation of either system. The Laguna Treatment Plant is a 21.3 MGD (66.9 MGD max) tertiary treatment plant serving 210,000 people, while the Water Reuse section operates a distribution system delivering water to agricultural customers and the Geysers Steam Field.
PLEASE NOTE: This is a 24-hour per day, 7-day per week operation and the ideal candidate is willing and able to work all shifts (day, swing, grave, relief), weekends, and holidays on a rotating schedule.
A Grade I certificate is required for appointment to Operator I; a Grade II certification is required for appointment to Operator II.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE:
The ideal candidate will:

• Exercise good judgment
• Be detail oriented and self-motivated
• Be hard-working and capable of working autonomously
• Capable of receiving instruction from supervisors and seeing to it that all tasks, both routine and unusual, are completed.
• Be a "team-player" and will establish and maintain effective working relationships with their co-workers, peers, and management.
• Consider safety an important priority and always perform their duties in a safe and responsible manner following established policies and procedures.
• Have one (1) or more years of experience in the operation and maintenance of Wastewater Treatment Facilities utilizing primary/secondary clarification, activated sludge with biological nutrient removal, filtration (Title 22), UV disinfection, anaerobic digestion, and thickening/dewatering and co-generation.

HOW TO APPLY:Please complete a thoughtful, thorough Supplemental Questionnaire submission. As part of the selection process, your responses to these questions will be scored using criteria specific to this position. Incomplete responses, or responses such as "See Resume" can result in disqualification from the selection process.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter.
THE SELECTION PROCESS:The selection process will include a minimum qualification assessment and may also include an application and supplemental questionnaire review, followed by department selection interviews.
For more information about this exciting opportunity, please contact Alberto Sanchez at asanchez@srcity.org
Examples of Duties and Responsibilities
Essential Duties:
The following duties are considered essential for this job classification:

• Monitor and operate wastewater treatment plant or wastewater disposal and irrigation system equipment such as pumps, valves, motors, blowers, and/or sludge dewatering equipment;
• adjust and make minor repairs to wastewater treatment plant or disposal and distribution system equipment;
• collect samples of sewage, sludge, and/or reclaimed and receiving water;
• and keep records.

For positions assigned to the Laguna Treatment Plant section, the following duties are also considered essential for this job classification:

• Adjust or alter chemical treatment of plant processes as required;
• respond to and control accidental releases of hazardous liquids and gases;
• perform confined space entries as required; and haul material on plant premises.

Additional Duties:
In addition to the duties listed in the Essential Duties section, each employee in this classification may perform the following duties. Any single position may not be assigned all duties listed below, nor do the examples cover all duties which may be assigned.

• Perform daily and weekly field analyses;
• oil, grease, and clean equipment; perform physical materials inventories; perform heavy manual labor and grounds maintenance work;
• haul material;
• deliver or collect samples from remote areas;
• read and interpret maps, aerial photos and blueprints;
• perform related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications
Knowledge of: Operation and maintenance of equipment commonly found in a wastewater treatment plant or in a wastewater disposal and irrigation system; safe work practices. Positions assigned to the Laguna Plant Treatment section must also have knowledge of the operation of activated sludge, anaerobic digestion, and sludge dewatering processes; proper sewage and sludge sampling techniques; chemical treatment processes used in wastewater treatment plants; and emergency chemical spill response procedures. Positions assigned to the Wastewater Reclamation section must also have knowledge of proper reclaimed water, river, and stream sampling techniques.
Ability to: Operate the full range of equipment used in a wastewater treatment plant or a wastewater disposal and irrigation system; communicate clearly and concisely, orally and in writing; conduct field analyses; learn through oral instruction in an on-the-job setting; comprehend and make inferences from written material and instructions; monitor and interpret gauges, digital displays, and recording devices to ensure compliance with prescribed safety or operational guidelines; respond to deviations from operational objectives according to prescribed guidelines. Positions assigned to the Wastewater Reclamation section must also have the ability to apply laws, rules, and regulations relevant to wastewater disposal and irrigation; and interpret maps, blueprints, and aerial photos.
Experience and Education: Any combination equivalent to experience and education that could likely provide the required knowledge and abilities would be qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
Education - Equivalent to completion of the 12th grade.
Experience - Wastewater Operator I- Sufficient wastewater treatment or reclaimed water irrigation experience to demonstrate possession of the knowledge and abilities listed above; Wastewater Operator II- One year of experience performing duties comparable to those of a Wastewater Operator I for the City of Santa Rosa.
License or Certificate: Both classifications require the use of a City vehicle while conducting City business. In order to drive, individuals must be physically capable of operating the vehicles safely and must possess an appropriate valid California motor vehicle operator's license.
A Grade I certificate is required for appointment to Operator I; a Grade II certification is required for appointment to Operator II.
Additional Information
Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: Incumbents in this classification may be required to work on a shift schedule, including evenings (swing shift), nights (graveyard shift), weekends and/or holidays, and outdoors in a variety of extreme weather conditions. Observation of pump and motor operation and other routine monitoring of equipment requires climbing of steps and stairs, repeated bending and stooping, and observation of dials and digital displays. Regular daily sampling involves carrying full sample bottles weighing up to 42 pounds. Occasionally, in response to emergency situations, operators will carry portable pumps and hoses weighing more than 50 pounds for long distances and across rough terrain. Personal safety and chemical spill response requires that operators be able to hear sirens, gas detector alarms, and other auditory devices. Daily record-keeping entails writing concise and proper entries into a logbook.
For positions assigned to the Laguna Plant Treatment section, operators may climb ladders to inspect equipment on roof-tops or to operate overhead valves. Operating computer controls of plant equipment requires an operator to make fine adjustments to dial, button, and stick controllers.
For positions assigned to the Wastewater Reclamation section, operators communicate with clients and the public orally face-to-face and using a telephone. While monitoring the irrigation or disposal system, operators drive pick-up trucks, walk over uneven ground, and climb steps and ladders. Daily record-keeping involves writing in a notebook and entering data into a computer. Reclamation operators use mowers, tractors, shovels and other hand tools while performing a broad range of maintenance duties such as fence mending and weed control.
Santa Rosa - A Wonderful Place to Call Home: The City of Santa Rosa is located just 55 miles north of San Francisco and 30 miles east of the Pacific Ocean with a population of approximately 180,000. Santa Rosa is the seat of Sonoma County and the center of trade, government, commerce, and medical facilities for the North Bay. The surrounding area is home to over a hundred wineries and vineyards and many beautiful parks and recreational facilities, including golf courses. Santa Rosa is in the center of a nationally recognized cycling area. We boast many attractions associated with large cities, including a symphony, performing arts center, theater productions and internationally recognized restaurants, yet still retain the warmth and small town feel of decades past. Santa Rosa has been named one of the 50 greenest cities in the United States with one of the top five mid-sized downtowns in California.
The City of Santa Rosa is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.
The City does not discriminate on the basis of disability in employment. Requests for reasonable accommodations needed to participate in the recruitment process may be made by submitting a Request for Reasonable Accommodation Form within five (5) business days of being noticed that an event requiring accommodation is occurring. You may also contact the Human Resources Department at (707) 543-3060 or jobs@srcity.org.
In addition to offering a challenging, rewarding work environment and excellent salary, the City of Santa Rosa provides a generous suite of benefits.
This job classification is in Miscellaneous Unit 7, Technical. Please click to be redirected to the City's benefits information page.
01
The answers you provide to the supplemental questions will be used to evaluate your qualifications for this position and whether you will continue in the selection process. Incomplete responses, generic responses, or responses such as "see resume" can result in disqualification from the selection process. Specific work experience you claim in response to these questions must be clearly supported and described in the work history and education portion of your application. Do you accept these conditions?

• Yes
• No

02
Please indicate which position you are applying for:

• Wastewater Operator I
• Wastewater Operator II

03
Are you currently certified by the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) as a Grade I or above Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator, or, if you reside out of state, do you have written verification from the California SWRCB that your states license has reciprocity with California at the Grade I (or higher) level?

• Yes
• No

04
If yes, indicate your certificate level, number and expiration date. Please attach a copy of your certificate to your application. If residing out of state, please attach written verification from the SWRCB of license reciprocity at the Grade I (or higher) level. If no, wr