Career Opportunity

Stationary Engineer, Sewage Plant - 7372

Recruitment: REF11272P

Published: June 02, 2022

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About:

THIS IS A CITYWIDE EXAM

This is a Citywide exam which means that multiple departments across the City will have the opportunity to hire candidates resulting from this recruitment.

• Application Opening:  Thursday, June 2, 2022
• Application Deadline: Interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as this announcement may close at any time after 5:00 PM on Friday, June 24, 2022.
• Compensation: $56.4625/hourly; $4,517/bi-weekly; $117,442/year
• Recruitment ID:  A00001

San Francisco is a vibrant and dynamic city, on the forefront of economic growth & innovation, urban development, arts & entertainment, as well as social issues & change.  This rich tapestry of culture and ideas is sustained by our City's commitment to heighten the quality of life for the diverse population of San Franciscans and residents of the greater Bay Area.  Our employees play an important role not only in making our City what it is today, but also in shaping the future of San Francisco.

Role description

Under general supervision, incumbents in this journey-level position function as plant operators and/or  plant mechanics and are responsible for operating and maintaining a wide variety of complex machinery and equipment in a sewage treatment plant.  Positions may be located at the San Francisco International Airport, North Point, Southeast or Oceanside plants, Treasure Island, and in Moccasin, California approximately 140 miles from San Francisco.

The essential functions of this classification include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Makes regular visual, audio, olfactory and tactile inspections and/or manual tests of all plant machinery and equipment, including auxiliary equipment, in an assigned area or pumping station, maintaining logs and records of required maintenance, completed maintenance, equipment and work order history by taking periodic readings of gauges and meters to ensure that sewage plant is working safely, efficiently and properly; and to provide an accurate record of maintenance, preventive maintenance, equipment, and work order history.

2. Performs a variety of manual tasks requiring the handling of equipment exposed to raw sewage; collects and performs simple assessments of raw sewage and chemical samples on prescribed schedule at specific locations by making chemical and physical assessments to assess the efficiency of the treatment processes and to ensure compliance with the NPDES Permit (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System, Permit).

3. Operates, inspects, maintains, overhauls and makes major and minor repairs to wide variety of pumping, heating, ventilating, process machinery and equipment in a wastewater treatment plant or pumping station, including pumps, bar racks, grit collectors, conveyors and washers, chlorinators, evaporators and storage tanks, sludge collectors, drive units, deodorizing equipment and a wide variety of metering and recording devices to assure the safety and efficiency of equipment and facilities; includes lubricating and greasing machinery and equipment; cleaning and maintaining machinery, equipment and facility to ensure safety and equipment reliability.

4. Inspects sewage pipe lines, tanks and gates to check for the condition of equipment, for infiltration and blockage of debris and build-up of mineral deposits, etc., by draining tanks, by monitoring pressure and flow indicators and by visual inspection to determine any problem areas to ensure proper operation.

5. Operates, inspects and maintains solids treatment and flocculating chemical systems by monitoring and adjusting flow indicators or controllers, by visual inspection and by analysis of samples to ensure optimum treatment.

6. Operates, inspects and maintains disinfection and dechlorination systems by performing tests and analyzing sample to determine proper chemical dosages to ensure that effluent or final discharge meets Regional and State pollution control requirement.

7. May assist in training and in supervising work of apprentices or other trainees by oral instruction and hands-on demonstration in the operation and maintenance of sewage treatment processes to ensure competent performance of required skills by apprentices and other trainees.

Nature of Work

Physical effort in the operation, maintenance and repair of plant machinery and equipment; driving vehicles; working in somewhat dirty, disagreeable and hazardous conditions, including the handling of raw sewage, confined space entry, and entry into tight crawl spaces; requires physical stamina to stand, stoop, lift, bend and climb ladders.  Employee may be required to work rotation shifts, nights, weekends, and holidays, including up to 12-hour shifts.

How to qualify

Verification: Applicants are required to attach verification documentation when submitting their application. 

1.  Four (4) years of verifiable journey-level Stationary Engineer, Plant Operator and/or Plant Mechanic experience in the operation, maintenance, and repair of a variety of mechanical and electrical pumping, heating, air-conditioning, ventilating, and related plant machinery of wastewater treatment plant; government establishment; hospital; industrial, production, or commercial building; OR

2.  Completion of a recognized four-year Stationary Engineer Apprenticeship Program; OR

3.  Graduation from a recognized four-year Maritime Academy with a degree in Engineering or Technology; OR

4.  Possession of at least a 3rd Assistant Marine Engineer's License of any unrestricted horsepower (experience as an Oiler or Firetender will not be accepted as qualifying); OR

5.  Possession of an FAA Airframe or Power Plant Certificate AND four (4) years of verifiable experience in an Airframe or Powerplant mechanic or maintenance technician capacity that utilizes the certificate; AND

6.  Possession of a valid driver's license.

Notes on Qualifying Experience and Education:

1. In addition to the above Minimum Qualifications, all positions in the Operations Division at the PUC will require at least a Grade Level 1 Wastewater Treatment Operator Certificate or an Operator-in-Training Certificate issued by the State of California Water Resources Control Board, https://www.waterboards.ca.gov, upon appointment to a position.

2.  If an operator is hired with an OIT (Operator-in-Training) Certificate, upon expiration of the OIT Certificate, the Operator must have a California Grade I Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certificate; within two (2) years of obtaining a California Grade I Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certificate, the Operator is required to obtain a California Grade II Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certificate. If an Operator is hired with a California Grade I Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certificate, within two (2) years of appointment, the Operator is required to obtain a California Grade II Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certificate.

3.  Employees assigned to positions at the Maintenance Section of the PUC who do not fulfill the requirement in Note 2 above, will be required to obtain a California Water Environment Association Grade I Mechanical Technology Certificate within two (2) years of hire.

4.  Failure to meet the requirement set forth in Note 1 may be the basis for termination or dismissal from employment.

5.  Passing the exam to obtain a California Grade III Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certificate within six (6) years of appointment is highly encouraged.

6.  Upon appointment to employment, and then on an annual basis, employees will be required to pass a State-mandated Respirator Medical Examination and be clean-shaven as required for use, and at least annually for respirator and self-contained breathing apparatus fitting.

7.  For Operator positions, candidates are required to obtain six educational points as defined by State of California Water Resources Control Board. For details, please see attached link (Sections: 3685 – 3687).http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/operator_certification/docs/ocr_clean.pdf

Applicants must meet the minimum qualification by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

One year full-time employment is equivalent to 2,000 hours (2,000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40 hour work week). Any overtime hours that you work above 40 hours per week are not included in the calculation to determine full-time employment.

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements.

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

All work experience, education, training and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.

Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores.

Selection Procedure: 

Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire (Weight:  Qualifying)

Candidates will be prompted to complete a Supplemental Questionnaire as part of the online employment application.  This Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire is designed to obtain specific information regarding an applicant's experience in relation to the Minimum Qualifications for this position.  Applicants must also complete the official application.  It is essential that applicants provide complete information in identifying their education, experience and training.  The Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire will be used to evaluate if the applicant possesses the required minimum qualifications.

Sewage Plant Stationary Engineer Written Examination (Weight:  100%)

Candidates will be tested to determine their relative knowledge, skills, and abilities in job-related areas which may include but are not limited to:  Knowledge of boilers; Knowledge of Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Systems; Knowledge of Pumps and Compressors; Knowledge of Equipment Control Devices; Knowledge of Shop Practices and Safety Requirements; Knowledge of Sewage Treatment Processes; and Communication Skills.  This is a standardized examination and, therefore, test questions and answers are not available for public inspection or review.  Scores attained on the Sewage Plant Stationary Engineer Written Examination will be valid and 'banked' for three years, starting from the date of the examination.  This means that, during this three-year time period, you will not be required to take the Sewage Plant Stationary Written Examination.  The Sewage Plant Stationary Engineer Written Examination may be used to apply to future recruitments.  If the selection process for the future announcement is held within one year of the date of the examination and it includes the Written Examination, your score will be automatically applied to that announcement.  However, after one year, you have the option to either (a) apply your test score to the other announcement or (b) re-take the Sewage Plant Stationary Engineer.  Re-testing is permitted no sooner than one year from the date of the examination and only in association with your eligibility for another announcement for which the Sewage Plant Stationary Engineer Written Examination is used.  Please note that, should you re-test, your re-test score would become your official score since it is the most recent.  The department may administer additional selection procedures to make final hiring decisions.  This is a standardized examination and, therefore, test questions and answers are not available for public inspection or review.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Security Clearance:

Information About the Hiring Process | Department of Human Resources (sfdhr.org)

Customs Clearance:  

This position requires that the incumbent be qualified for unescorted access to the San Francisco International Airport U.S. Customs Security Area. An application for a U.S. Customs Access Seal may be submitted to Customs ONLY after employment has commenced.  Employment in this position requires that the incumbent submit an application for, successfully acquire and maintain a Customs Access Seal.  Per Civil Service Commission Rule 110.9.1, every applicant must possess and maintain the qualifications required by law and by the examination announcement for this examination.  Failure to acquire or maintain customs access, a requirement for this position, may be basis for examination from employment with the Airport Commission. Customs Access Seal requirements and procedures are located in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 19, Part 122, Sections 181 or 189.

Medical Examination:  Prior to appointment, candidates must successfully pass a medical examination to determine his/her ability to perform the essential functions of the job and/or the ability to meet the physical minimum requirements.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

What else should I know?

Eligible List/Score Report:

A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created, and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be six months, and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director. 

Terms of Announcement and Appeal Right: Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations. Clerical errors may be corrected by the posting the correction on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.smartrecruiters.com/CityAndCountyOfSanFrancisco1/ .
The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 111A.35.1. The standard for the review of such appeals is ‘abuse of discretion’ or ‘no rational basis’ for establishing the position description, the minimum qualifications and/or the certification rule. Appeals must include a written statement of the item(s) being contested and the specific reason(s) why the cited item(s) constitute(s) abuse of discretion by the Human Resources Director. Appeals must be submitted directly to the Executive Officer of the Civil Service Commission within five business days of the announcement issuance date.

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

• Information About The Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview  
• Equal Employment Opportunity 
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

HOW TO APPLY
Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit https://careers.smartrecruiters.com/CityAndCountyOfSanFrancisco1/ and begin the application process.
• Select the “I’m Interested” button and follow instructions on the screen

Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses (@sfgov.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com).
Applicants will receive a confirmation email that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.

Exam Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the exam analyst, Charlene Cun at Charlene.Cun@flysfo.com 

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT:  All City and County of San Francisco employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Someone is fully vaccinated when 14 days have passed since they received the final dose of a two-shot vaccine or a dose of a one-shot vaccine. Any new hire must present proof of full vaccination status to be appointed. Any new hire who will be routinely assigned or occasionally enter High-Risk Settings, must provide proof of having received a COVID-19 booster vaccine by March 1, 2022, or once eligible.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.