Senior Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator

Take the lead in maintaining vital community infrastructure, protecting public health and our environment —this role coordinates staff and resources to ensure the efficient operation of Council’s Wastewater Treatment Facilities, with a strong focus on compliance and operational excellence.

About the role:

• Oversee the daily operations and maintenance of up to three of Council’s 8 Wastewater Treatment Facilities, ensuring efficient and compliant performance.
• Liaise with supervisors and engineering staff for technical guidance and operational resources and support.
• Monitor plant processes and supervise staff to maintain optimal performance, trouble shoot problems and achieve high-quality treated water standards.
• Provide technical advice and implement operational improvements to improve plant efficiency and reliability.
• Participate in the Unit’s on-call roster to deliver weekend and after-hours operational services as required.

What's on offer:

• A great opportunity to lead a small team on the front line in protecting public health and the environment
• Diversity of work, including outdoor, office, laboratory environments, combining computer-based and active work activities
• a base salary ranging from $74.572 per annum with competency-based increments up to $87.551 per annum, plus 12% super
• 76-hour, 9-day fortnight
• training and development opportunities
• flexible work options for a healthy work/life balance
• generous employment conditions (we have too many to list - click here for more).

We are seeking:

• Someone with a passion for public health and the environment.
• A Certificate III in Water Operations - Wastewater Treatment or equivalent qualification, with extensive hands-on experience in operating and maintaining treatment plants.
• Strong technical knowledge of various wastewater treatment processes, including chemical dosing, SCADA systems, and mechanical operations.
• Proven ability to manage plant operations independently across multiple treatment plants, respond to alarms or emergencies responsibly, and adapt to changing conditions.
• Sound understanding of Occupational Health and Safety and Environmental legislation, including compliance with Environmental Protection Licences.
• Effective communication and leadership skills, with the capacity to motivate and supervise a small team as well as collaborate with engineering and supervisory staff.
• Competency and availability to participate in a 24-hour on-call emergency service roster, with the requirement to reside within approximately 30 minutes of Banora Point, Murwillumbah, and Kingscliff Wastewater Treatment Plants to ensure timely response to call-outs.

About us:

• Located on the picturesque far North Coast of NSW, bordering the Gold Coast.
• The Tweed is a vibrant, diverse location offering a lifestyle near the water, in a rainforest or on a farm.  
• Tweed Shire Council is committed to employment equity and diversity and encourages applications from people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds in both traditional and non-traditional roles.  We provide workplace adjustments for people with disability, and access to flexible work options. 
• Join an employer of choice. Professionals Australia (Local Government Engineers’ Association) has named Council the 2021 Employer of Choice for our great employment practices within NSW local government. 

Where it's located:

This position will be based in Kingscliff, Murwillumbah or Banora Point and can be directed to work from any Council work site.

Position closes: 

Friday 07 November 2025 at 12 noon sharp (NSW time).  Late applications will not be permitted.

Click here to view the Position Description 

TIPS for Addressing the Selection Criteria

Click here for more information on the Recruitment Process

Click here to view our Values

Pre-Employment Screening:

Tweed Shire Council conducts pre-employment assessments as part of its recruitment process. 

Job offers are not made until screening has been completed. Tweed Shire Council uses third-party providers to undertake:

• Pre-employment medical – some roles require a functional (physical) assessment, and all positions are subject to drug and alcohol screening (a positive test result means the recruitment process ends and your application will not be considered).
• Background screening - verifies that the information you have provided throughout the recruitment process is true and correct.  Click here for more information.

Reference Checks are undertaken by the panel. Your 2 referees should ideally be your current and most recent supervisors.  Your referees are not contacted unless you’ve been interviewed and are a preferred candidate.

How To Apply:

You must use your own email address, and not one used previously by another person that has applied for a position with council.

Once you start your online application, you cannot save and return to it later. 

1. Have your Resume document ready to go.
2. Fill out all questions below. Click 'Next'. 
3. You'll then be prompted to attach your resume and other documents (if applicable). Click 'Next'.
4. Review your application to confirm everything is correct. Click 'Confirm' to submit your application.

If you'd like to COPY and PASTE question fields into a separate Word document to work on over time, please find them listed below:

1. Why are you interested in working at Tweed Shire Council, and what excites you most about this particular opportunity?
2. This role requires a Certificate III in Water Operations -Wastewater Treatment (or equivalent). Please confirm you hold this qualification and briefly describe how it has supported your work in treatment plant operations. 
3. Tell us about your experience operating different types of wastewater treatment plants. What specific responsibilities have you held, and how have you contributed to plant performance at various plants? 
4. Provide an example of a time you managed problematic plant operations.
5. Please describe your experience in leading and supervising small operational teams?
6. Can you provide an example of how you’ve applied your knowledge of Occupational Health and Safety and Environmental legislation in a water or wastewater treatment setting? Please include how you ensured compliance with regulatory requirements.
7.  Describe your experience using SCADA systems and Microsoft Excel. How have these tools supported your system monitoring and reporting responsibilities? 
8. Have you previously participated in an on-call emergency roster for water or wastewater operations? Please describe your experience and confirm that you reside within approximately 30 minutes of Banora Point, Murwillumbah, and Kingscliff Wastewater Treatment Plants. 

SK97188A