Instrument Specialist Manager, Northern Treatment Plant

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.

At Metro, we help you be your best so we can do our best. You will join a team that offers stability, flexibility, and the opportunity to make a difference. We take pride in being part of an industry-leading team who serves the community by protecting the region’s health and environment.

Description

Manages and coordinates a variety of activities involving planning, research, design, implementation, operation, maintenance, and optimization of the analytical instrumentation used for monitoring wastewater treatment processes. Devises new approaches to problems encountered. Independently performs assignments based on information received from the Senior Instrument Solutions Manager. Directs and supervisors the work of the Instrument Specialist.

Examples of Duties

1. Supervises and plans preventive maintenance and calibration schedule, and ensures work is performed in accordance with standard operating procedures and best practices.   Performs advanced troubleshooting and field activities as needed.  
2. Directs the acquisition of samples, benchtop laboratory analyses, utilization of portable analytical instruments, and coordination sample analysis with the MWR laboratory.  Provides oversight of QA/QC tasks performed by all specialists and ensures best practices are followed.
3. Develops and reviews reports that communicate instrument data quality, explains troubleshooting events, and quality control issues.    Performs record keeping and data entry into databases and spreadsheets and reviews group records for accuracy. 
4. Oversees and plans the instrument installation, configuration settings setup, communications settings setup, and signal validation of newly commissioned instruments and instruments that need to be moved to a new location.  Assists and provide guidance to Associate, Staff, and Senior Instrument Specialists as needed.  
5. Responsible for the development, review, and use of standard operating procedures and business workflows.
6. Accountable for Instrument Solutions Program administrative efforts such as instrument inventory, chemical inventory, QA/QC efforts, procurement, and committee assignments.   
7. Performs validation and testing of new analytical instrument performance, technologies and sampling systems.  Responsible for compiling findings into an organized final report.
8. Supports Engineering efforts, PAR projects, and capital and fixed asset improvement projects.   Provides instrumentation technical support and expertise as needed.    
9. Participates in internal and external outreach by giving presentations and attending industry engagements.  
10. Performs data analysis and review.  Looks for correctness of data entry, validates instrument calibrations, and implements changes aimed at continuous improvement.    
11. Responsible for the training of Associate, Staff, and Senior Instrument Specialists.  
12. Responsible for the documentation of Instruments in GIS program, Process Flow Diagrams and PIDs.  
13. Performs other technical and administrative duties, as needed.

Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• Expert understanding of analytical instrumentation maintenance, calibration quantitative analysis, and troubleshooting methods
• Strong sampling and benchtop analysis techniques
• Instrument commissioning and validation with multiple instrument manufacturers at an expert level
• Analytical instrumentation selection and validation procedures, statistical analysis, and coordination with manufacturers
• Data validation and statistical analysis techniques
• Technical documentation
• Processes and practices of effective leadership and supervision
• Wastewater treatment processes
• NPDES permit regulations and requirements
• General office processes and procedures
• MS Office software

 Skilled:

• Skilled at teaching good sampling and benchtop analysis techniques
• Wastewater treatment process control analyses
• QA/QC principles and laboratory best management practices
• Troubleshooting analytical analyses and analytical QA/QC procedures
• Working in a laboratory in an environmental science or technology field
• Analytical, technical and recordkeeping work
• Good written and oral communication
• Project management
• Process Improvement
• Developing effective workflows
• Program administration and oversees development of new programs
• Utilizing technology to seek and share resources and information
• Managing disagreements, de-escalating conflict and negotiating win-win solutions
• Working on cross-department teams and initiatives

 Ability to:

• Diagnose instrument accuracy, precision, and reliability issues through data analysis
• Generate procedures and best management practices and complete tasks independently
• Organize instrument maintenance, calibration, and sampling efforts
• Create reports that clearly and concisely communicate instrument data quality and performance
• Align work group efforts towards strategic initiatives
• Implement efficiencies in line with Metro’s continuous improvement programs
• Multitask and complete work in a timely manner
• Assist and train junior scientist on validation methods
• Work in interdepartmental teams to achieve complex objectives
• Examine, summarize and effectively present data to a diverse audience including board members and outside customers
• Assists in the development of training initiatives and programs directly aligned with Instrumentation 
• Setting internal performance
• Perform training for new specialists and follow-up training
• Generate and modify documents
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees and the public.
• Direct, persuade and motivate others 
• Generate and modify technical documents
• Perform new and refresher training for instrumentation specialist
• Perform effectively in a collaborative team environment
• Think and act strategically in an organizational ”Big Picture” context
• Identify problems, craft effective solutions, act decisively and demonstrate good judgement
• Deliver feedback in an effective manner

Education

 Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Biology, Engineering, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, or related.  

Working Conditions

Typical Work Environment   
Variety of floor surfaces including concrete, gravel, asphalt, dirt, tile, loose stones, uneven surfaces, slippery surfaces, and wet surfaces; Inside environment; Outside environment all year in all weather conditions and temperatures;  Residential and commercial wastewater/Biosolids; Chemicals;   Lighting conditions including natural light, fluorescent, incandescent, and low light;  Vibration; Moving equipment
 
Body Position Demands
Standing; Walking; Climbing stairs; Climbing ladders; Reaching forward and overhead; Balancing; Object handling; Simple hand/ Firm hand grasping; Operating controls; Sitting; Stooping; Kneeling; Crouching; Typing; Fine hand coordination
 
Physical Demands (max forces are expected to be infrequent)
Max Weight Lifted: 80 lbs
Max Weight Carried: 45 lbs
Max Force Pushed: 54 lbs
Max Force Pulled: 6 lbs
 
Sensory Requirements
Wide field of view; Vision - Near; Depth perception; Color discrimination; Perception - spatial and form; Feeling without seeing; Speaking; Vision - near and far

Benefits

Metro Water Recovery offers a wide range of employee benefits including:
* Medical
* Dental
* Vision
* Life Insurance
* Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
* Retirement
* Leave Time (Vacation, Sick Leave, Personal Leave, & Holiday)
* Additional Voluntary Benefits

Metro Water Recovery is an Equal Opportunity Employer.