Industrial Pretreatment Manager

Metro Water Recovery in Denver, CO - a nationally recognized leader among clean water utilities, provides wastewater conveyance and treatment services for 2.2 million people in the Denver Metro area.

Description

Why It’s a Great Opportunity:
Joining Metro Water Recovery (Metro) offers a unique chance to be part of a growing organization that serves over 2.2 million people in the greater Denver metropolitan area.  As a wholesale wastewater treatment provider, Metro serves 65 local governments, including cities, sanitation districts and Corporate Connectors over approximately 805 square miles including Denver, Arvada, Aurora, Brighton, Lakewood, Thornton, Westminster and portions of Adams, Weld, Arapahoe, Douglas and Jefferson counties.
 
With a mission to “protect the region’s health and environment by cleaning water and recovering resources,” Metro is one of the leading public agencies in innovation and resource recovery.  Metro owns, maintains, operates major collection, treatment, and land application infrastructure including two major wastewater facilities: the Robert W. Hite Treatment Facility (Denver) and the Northern Treatment Plant (Brighton).  
 
As the greater Denver Metropolitan area continues to grow and our region’s limited water resources become more strained, this employment opportunity places you at the forefront of transformation.  As a manager in the Industrial Pretreatment Division, you’ll lead and mentor a team to protect public health and the environment by engaging with industrial users through routine compliance assistance and enforcement activities that include a combination of office and site activities.   In addition, your team will help craft pretreatment’s role in addressing emerging challenges like per-fluorinated compounds, investigating unusual observations identified within our system, and providing enhanced protections that enable direct potable reuse.  
 
Why It’s a Great Division:
Our industrial pretreatment team takes pride in providing the first line of defense for protection of the public health and the environment.  Our team works directly with industrial users throughout the entire service area to ensure the industrial discharges can be treated, protect worker health, and don’t harm critical infrastructure.  In addition, our team works with other departments throughout Metro to identify and solve challenges at the source.  
 
How to be Successful in the Role:
To succeed in this role, you will blend your technical understanding of domestic and industrial wastewater pollutants and treatment practices; your regulatory and policy knowledge, your managerial, team building, and leadership qualities; and your innovative approaches toward emerging issues.  Strong communication, collaborative approach, and change management skills are essential.   You will be responsible for motivating, mentoring, and guiding your team in coordination with other industrial pretreatment, regulatory, and Metro-wide teams.  Your ongoing success will stem from a self-driven commitment to continuous improvement.

Your Future in This Role:
In this role, you will be a key partner in advancing Metro Water Recovery’s mission, leading and managing a team that drives protection at the source.  Metro Water Recovery has a commitment to your professional growth, offering training and development opportunities that will sharpen your expertise and prepare you for expanded technical or leadership roles. You will build strong relationships across departments, with connector agencies, and with industries.  Your efforts will both support Metro’s strategic goals and make a lasting impact on our community and environment.  This role offers a pathway to a rewarding career where your skills and leadership will help shape a sustainable future for the region.

Industrial Pretreatment Manager ($86,091.20 - $125,174.40 Annually)

Performs professional-level technical and administrative activities in the day-to-day implementation of Metro’s Industrial Pretreatment Program (IPP). Works under the direction of the Senior Industrial Pretreatment Program Manager (SIPPM). Performs routine technical and administrative activities necessary for IPP implementation. Supervises Industrial Pretreatment Specialist I and II, Industrial Pretreatment Sector Control Investigator I and II and other staff as assigned.

Examples of Duties

1. Performs and supervises staff with IPP implementation activities including permit writing, report preparation, initial and annual compliance inspections, field investigations, review and processing of self-monitoring and other compliance reports, data entry and analysis and special projects as assigned. Ensures that these activities are conducted in accordance with the technical and regulatory framework, procedures, guidance, policies, templates and business processes set by the Director of Environmental Services, SIPPM, IPP Engineer and Senior Regulatory Affair Manager (SRAM).
2. Prepare draft enforcement orders, penalty calculations and supporting documentation and participate in enforcement actions against industrial users, where necessary.
3. Conduct research and investigate sources of pollutant discharges. Collect and review industrial waste discharge and process information and evaluate compliance with Metro’s Rules and Regulations (R&R) and with state and federal Industrial Pretreatment regulations.
4. Support Metro’s Authority Monitoring Program.  This may include but is not limited to the following: development and/or update of sampling protocols, Chain-of-Custody documentation, data entry and review and on-site assistance.
5. Provide support to the IPP Engineer and perform activities as necessary for implementation of Metro’s Industrial Waste Survey (IWS).
6. Provide technical support to connectors and industries, including notification and explanation of their responsibilities and actions required under Metro’s Industrial Pretreatment Program.
7. Stay informed of all applicable local, state, and federal regulations and guidance governing industrial waste discharges as well as monitoring and reporting requirements.  
8. Evaluate performance and skill levels of employees; support employee development, provide training, coaching, counseling, and discipline as needed.  Participate in the selection process for new personnel as assigned.
9. Perform other scientific and administrative tasks as assigned. 

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a related engineering discipline or science (e.g., environmental engineering, chemical engineering, chemistry, environmental science, biology), or other directly related field experience. A minimum of three years of experience performing work to implement IPP requirements such as permit writing and compliance inspections. The ability to identify, evaluate, interpret and explain environmental laws, rules and regulations pertaining to IPP implementation. The ability to meet deadlines, to plan and coordinate work, and to write complete and accurate reports. Proficiency with Microsoft Office software. Strong mathematical and data analysis skills. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with people of varying backgrounds, knowledge and experience.  Must be available to respond by email, phone and/or in-person to support regulatory needs of Metro outside of normal business hours and workdays. 

Desired Qualifications

A solid understanding of domestic wastewater treatment process theory and operations. Direct experience with NPDES sample collection. Knowledge of, proper sample handling and preservation methods and familiarity with 40 CFR 136. Experience with the development of technically-based local limits. Two or more years of supervisory experience that included responsibility for managing and planning the work being performed by others.

Working Conditions

Work Environment

While performing the duties of the job, the employee is exposed to work near moving mechanical parts; work in high, precarious places; wet or humid conditions (non-weather); fumes or airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals; and outdoor weather conditions less than 1/3 of the time.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.  

 

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of the job, the employee is required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear more than 2/3 of the time. The employee is required to stand; walk; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell less than 1/3 of the time.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Metro Water Recovery is an Equal Opportunity Employer.