ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Project Manager
Manager, Assistant, Engineering Services, Pipeline/Facilities
Manager, Assistant, NR Engineering
Manager, NR Engineering

POSITION SUMMARY

The Plant Engineer III is directly responsible to the Manager Assistant, Northern Region Engineering (NRE) for professional level engineering design and management work in the operations and maintenance function of water and wastewater treatment facilities at TRA. Primary responsibilities of this position are to perform engineering evaluations and designs, implement innovative improvements in support of daily operations and maintenance, and be involved in asset management activities for all TRA facilities. The Plant Engineer III will also support capital improvement projects, through fulfilling data requests, design milestone reviews, long-range master planning and contribute to the development of strategic initiatives to accommodate future growth and technological advancements for TRA Projects. Collaborating with cross-functional teams, the Plant Engineer III will engage with existing programs and initiatives to continuously improve the overall performance and environmental impact of TRA’s water and wastewater treatment processes. As a Plant Engineer III, your dedication to excellence and your experience and understanding of water and wastewater treatment engineering principles will be instrumental in maintaining the highest standards of safety, efficiency, and environmental stewardship in all aspects of water and wastewater treatment operations.

SALARY MINIMUM $93,058 MIDPOINT $124,077 Conmensurate with experience and skill set (includes an excellent benefit package with 24 days PTO, employer paid health & life insurance, pension plan, & more.)

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

A. TREATMENT PROCESS ENGINEER

As a Plant Engineer III specializing in Treatment and Process Engineering, the essential duties and responsibilities include:

1. Supervise and train treatment engineering staff including Interns, Graduate Engineers and Engineer-In-Training positions and reviewing their work and deliverables to ensure they meet industry and quality standards. 

2. Utilize expertise in water and wastewater treatment to verify and review designs and process calculations for both internal designs and responsibilities and for review support of capital improvements projects.

3. Assists in developing the NRE annual budget and maintains department cost controls in collaboration with the Assistant Managers.

4. Prepares presentations, reports, memoranda, activity logs and other communication materials related to engineering activities and projects.

5. Evaluates and audits systems to ensure relevant asset maintenance data is being collected and helps with facilitating corrective actions.

6. Designs modifications to new and existing systems and develops specifications for new systems and equipment purchases, assisting in long-range planning for facilities development.

7. Coordinates activities, meetings, and communication for projects between Authority plant departments, Northern Region staff, PDCA, and consultant engineers, thereby ensuring that plant staff input is timely and technically based. Reviews Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) to coordinate treatment process changes. Recommends strategic treatment plant process improvements.

8. Reviews plans, specifications and contract documents prepared by consulting engineer for proprietary, adequacy and accuracy; reviewing designs, use permits, and site plans to assure compliance with TRA standards and specifications; answer inquiries regarding project and other engineering matters.

9. Support the Assistant Manager in coordination with multiple departments at TRA related to ongoing capital improvements projects, operations and maintenance projects and other improvement initiative for all Northern Region facilities.

10. Provide leadership responsibility and direction in development, improvements and execution of TRA’s asset management program in collaboration with staff from various departments including Operations, Maintenance, and PDCA. Participate in the Authority’s computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) efforts. Engage in the development of policies, frameworks and methodologies to ensure a team-based approach for the asset management program. Serve as asset management coach and change agent.

11. Maintains and distributes project and asset record documents including record drawings and O&Ms.

12. Utilizes Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) principles and techniques to support the maintenance staff in optimizing the maintenance program.

13. Perform project management responsibilities for multiple concurrent projects in various stages of design and construction and keep the Assistant Manager updated on project status.

14. May assist with the management and/or data collection for process models/schematic for the Plant or pipelines.

15. Monitor legislation and federal, state and local rules impacting water and wastewater treatment.

16. Perform supervisory duties over Engineer-In-Training, Graduate Engineers and Interns.

17. Employees assigned to this position are classified as essential personnel. Essential personnel are required to report to work when scheduled during departmental and/or emergency situations including, but not limited to, extended periods of inclement weather when travel may be difficult. This position is essential because in the absence of sufficient personnel, the plant cannot operate safely.

B. SCADA/PCS ENGINEER

As a Plant Engineer III specializing in Water and Wastewater Treatment SCADA/PCS, the essential duties and responsibilities include: 

1. Supervise and train SCADA and PCS engineering staff including Interns, Graduate Engineers and Engineer-In-Training positions and reviewing their work and deliverables to ensure they meet industry and quality standards. 

2. The positions will support the efforts of Network architects, PCS Automation Analysts, Applications Admin and other IT support staff at all TRA Projects. 

3. This position is responsible for the operational interface of the physical, chemical, and biological treatment processes and instrumentation systems.

4. The individual also monitors treatment performance and recommends operational changes to Control Systems of the water / wastewater treatment plant. Oversees the training and activities related to process control operations, and exercises considerable latitude in using independent judgment. In addition, this position recommends process enhancements including SCADA security, evaluations and best practices for operations of liquids and solids treatment processes.

5. Provide technical support for evaluating and improving water/wastewater treatment processes, including physical, chemical, and biological processes. Conduct evaluations including peak high flow conditions, sustainability, power and chemical cost optimizations, and improvements to operations and maintenance.

6. QA/QC process control system data, utilizing iFix databases, WIMS, power monitoring control system databases, alarming data, and change management system.

7. Coordinates and provides oversight and guidance of modifications to the PLC and HMI programming, configuration and integration through in-house optimization of the process control system.

8. Coordinates troubleshooting, tuning, strategy modification, and training on use of the process control system.

9. Utilizes the treatment process and hydraulic models for plant optimization evaluations and troubleshooting variable loading events.

10. Monitors and assists operations and maintenance staff on items related to the process control system and provides feedback on the functionality. Provides oversight of the collection and evaluation of treatment process data.

11. Coordinates engineering and plant participation in the SCADA Control for Process and Telemetry Systems related to expansion and evaluations efforts as well as directs process control enhancements, documentation and training programs.

12. Interfaces with other Authority departments, Northern Region staff, and engineers, coordinating meetings and ensuring that plant staff input is timely, technically based, maintaining records and written correspondence between Trinity River Authority and consulting firms.

13. Participates in the development and review of plans and specifications related to the Authority’s process control system including engineering design projects related to treatment process expansion and evaluations. Provides capital improvement plan recommendations related to these treatment process improvements and evaluations.

14. Assists in developing the NRE annual budget and maintains department cost controls in collaboration with the Assistant Managers.

15. Prepares presentations, reports, memoranda, activity logs and other communication materials related to engineering activities and projects.

16. Support the Manager Assistant in coordinating with multiple departments at TRA related to ongoing capital improvements projects, operations and maintenance projects and other improvement initiative for all Northern Region facilities.

17. Coordinates activities, meetings, and communication for projects between Authority plant departments, Northern Region staff, PDCA, and consultant engineers, thereby ensuring that plant staff input is timely and technically based. Reviews Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) to coordinate treatment process changes. Recommends strategic treatment plant process improvements.

18. Perform project management responsibilities for multiple concurrent projects in various stages of design and construction and keep the Assistant Manager updated on project status.

19. Perform supervisory duties over Engineer-In-Training, Graduate Engineers and Interns 

20. Employees assigned to this position are classified as essential personnel. Essential personnel are required to report to work when scheduled during departmental and/or emergency situations including, but not limited to, extended periods of inclement weather when travel may be difficult. This position is essential because in the absence of sufficient personnel, the plant cannot operate safely.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position will provide work leadership and supervisory management to entry level Northern Region Engineering employees including Interns, Graduate Engineers and Engineer-In-Training positions. Other responsibilities include approving time, selection, discipline, grievances and formal performance evaluations for a position’s direct and indirect reports. May be assigned other duties by the Northern Region Engineering Manager.

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Calculates and recommends maintenance activities and associated budgets for both O&M and capital budget.

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

(required level of education)

Bachelor's degree in Engineering. Major preferred to be in environmental engineering, civil engineering and mechanical engineering. Specialty and focus on W/WW Treatment and/or Process engineering (A) or SCADA/PCS (B) is preferred.

EXPERIENCE

(minimum years and types of related experience required)

Seven (7) years of progressive project management experience responsibility in a related field with 4 years of design management and/or operations and maintenance in the water/wastewater industry.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Valid Texas driver's license. Possession of a Professional Engineer licensure for a minimum of five (5) years. Ability to obtain a C water or wastewater license within 2 years. (any specialized certifications licenses or registrations required by TRA or other authority in order to do the job, including those the incumbent must be able to obtain).

KNOWLEDGE

(Information or facts than employee must know in order to be able to perform the work)

Knowledge of water/wastewater operations. Knowledge of CMMS, AutoCAD and ArcGIS is preferred as well as plant human machine interface (HMI) and process controls. Knowledge in utilizing typical engineering software including but not limited to MS Office, Bluebeam/Revu, Maximo, PowerBI, Sharepoint, Projectmates and similar. 

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

(developed capability to use or apply knowledge effectively or dexterity/coordination in the performance of physical tasks)

Must be able to evaluate situations and analyze problems to make decisions necessary for corrective measures with little direction. May be called upon to make decisions regarding emergency situations at all hours.

GUIDANCE RECEIVED

Typically guided primarily by established priorities and policies, along with professional standards and best practices to guide decisions and any direction or advice given to others. Typically makes recommendations to assistant managers/managers on policy and process improvements after considering/analyzing various alternatives. Proactively addresses needed changes to policies, methods and procedures and obtains approval. Position requires the ability to think through issues

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

This position requires moderate physical exertion with lifting requirements generally under 10 pounds daily. General physical mobility is essential. 

WORKING CONDITIONS

Working conditions include exposure to weather, water and wastewater odors, chemical hazards, gases and dust.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED USE

Computer, treatment engineering software/programs, calculator, telephone, office equipment, laboratory equipment, and Authority vehicles.