Water/Wastewater Services Worker Assistant/I/II

Job Description:

Water/Wastewater Services Worker Assistant/I/II

Description

Description

WHAT WE OFFER
The County of Ventura offers an attractive compensation and benefits package that includes:

• Educational Incentive: An educational incentive of 2.5% for completion of an associate degree, 3.5% for completion of a bachelor's degree OR 5% for completion of a graduate degree.
• Bilingual Incentive: Based on agency need,proficiency levels by exam are $.69 per hour (Level I), $1.00 per hour (Level II) or $1.32 per hour (Level III).
• Flexible Workweek/Telework Schedule: We support work/life balance by offering compressed work (e.g., 9/80 or 4/10 workweek) and remote hybrid telework schedules for some positions subject to organizational needs and satisfactory performance.
• Vacation Accrual: New regular, full-time employees shall accrue approximately 14 days of vacation a year for the first 10,400 hours or 5 years of service; vacation accruals increase at 5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 20 years of service topping out at 26 days a year and 400 hours of vacation hours banked.
• Annual Leave Redemption: After 14,560 hours of continuous County service an employee may elect to "cash-in" or redeem up to 80 hours of vacation accrued in the same year after using 80 hours of vacation in the preceding 12 months.
• Sick Leave: Full-time regular employees accrue 3.08 hours of sick leave per bi-weekly pay period with an advance at hire of 40.04 hours which will be balanced at the completion of 13 bi-weekly pay periods.
• Deferred Compensation: Eligible to participate in the County's 401(k) Shared Savings Plan and/or the Section 457 Plan. This position is eligible for up to a 3.00% match on your 401(k) contributions.
• Health Plans: Full-time employees are afforded a flexible credit allowance for purchasing medical, dental, and/or vision insurance from a group of authorized plans: Tier One for employee only is $509 per biweekly pay period; Tier Two for employee plus one is $779 per biweekly pay period; and Tier Three for employee plus family is $983 per biweekly pay period.
• Flexible Spending Accounts: Pre-tax benefit towards eligible medical, dental and vision care and/or dependent care expenses.
• Pension Plan: Participation in the County's defined benefit pension plan, which has reciprocity with CalPERS.
• Holidays: 12 paid days per year which includes a scheduled floating holiday.
• Additional Benefits: Tuition Reimbursement, Disability Plans, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Wellness Program.

The PUBLIC WORKS AGENCY, Water and Sanitation Department is responsible for providing high-quality water supply to meet the community’s needs in the Ventura County Waterworks District; and collects, treats and disposes of wastewater safely and efficiently.

THE POSITIONS
Under immediate (Water/Wastewater Services Worker Assistant), general (Water/Wastewater Services Worker I) or limited (Water/Wastewater Services Worker II) supervision, learns to operate, maintain, and repair (WWSW Assist) or operates, maintains, and repairs (WWSW I/II) water or wastewater service systems, and/or learns to perform (WWSW Assist) or performs (WWSW I/II) customer service/meter reading activities throughout the Public Works Agency - Water and Sanitation Department service area/district; and performs other related duties as required.

• Water/Wastewater Services Worker Assistant (WWSW Assist) is the training-level classification in this series.
• Water/Wastewater Services Worker I (WWSW I) is the entry-level classification in this series, which allows trained incumbents to work more independently and to perform increasingly difficult tasks requiring greater knowledge, skills and abilities. In addition, this level requires incumbents to maintain appropriate state certification, as required for the area of assignment.
• Water/Wastewater Services Worker II (WWSW II) is the full journey-level classification in this series. In addition, this level requires incumbents to maintain appropriate state certification required for the area of assignment.

Employees in this classification series may be assigned to either Water Services or Wastewater Services.

Water Services: Responsibilities may include operating and maintaining the water treatment and production facilities to ensure water quality meets state permit requirements; installing, operating, maintaining and repairing the water distribution system; and/or customer service/meter reading, repair and installation functions.

Wastewater Services : Responsibilities may include operating, maintaining, and repairing equipment, ensuring the functionality of the wastewater treatment and reclaimed water treatment facilities to meet permit requirements; and operating and maintaining the sewer collection system and reclaimed water distribution system.

APPROXIMATE SALARIES
Water/Wastewater Services Worker Assistant: $23.96 - $31.15/hourly
Water/Wastewater Services Worker I: $27.86 - $36.22/hourly
Water/Wastewater Services Worker II: $32.04 - $41.65 /hourly

Examples Of Duties

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Water/Wastewater Services Worker Assistant

• Becomes familiar with water or reclaimed water/wastewater operations, maintenance, and construction; and/or becomes familiar with customer service/meter reading functions.
• Learns to perform construction methods and techniques and operate a variety of construction and maintenance equipment; learns to service equipment and keep related records.
• Learns about and/or uses a variety of hand and power tools.
• Satisfactorily completes all of the appropriate benchmarks to advance to Water/Wastewater Services Worker I.
• Learns about the mechanical operation of pumps, valves, motors, meters, and other equipment used by water or reclaimed water/wastewater systems.
• Learns to cut/prepare piping and fittings, link pipe, replace couplings, etc.
• Learns about safe work practices and procedures including but not limited to lockout/tag out, proper traffic control, and confined space entry rules and regulations.
• Learns about the department's various reports and records related to the operation and maintenance of water or reclaimed water/wastewater systems.
• Learns about department policies and procedures, system boundaries, water or reclaimed water/wastewater facilities, route maps, and work standards.
• Becomes familiar with the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA), which is a computer system used to monitor and control the water/wastewater systems.
• Performs unskilled and semi-skilled manual labor and facilities/grounds maintenance work.
• May learn to check oil, coolant, engine heater, belts, and fuel levels of vehicles or equipment.
• May learn to collect water or wastewater samples and perform routine chemical and biological analysis/testing.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Water/Wastewater Services Worker I/II

• Performs semi-skilled and skilled work in the operations and maintenance of water or reclaimed water/wastewater facilities and systems including, but not limited to, wastewater treatment plants, lift stations, water treatment facilities, filtration systems, wells, pump stations, turn-outs, pressure reducing stations, controls, grounds and reservoirs; may train new or lower-level workers.
• Operates and maintains the water production system, including related facilities and equipment.
• Operates, maintains, and ensures functionality of water reclamation/ wastewater systems; maintains and cleans collection system lines; performs basic wastewater treatment processes.
• Installs, operates, and maintains the water distribution system, including main and service lines, valves, air-vacs, fire hydrants and related equipment; performs system flushing, installs new piping, valves, and services, and locates and repairs service line leaks.
• Installs, maintains and repairs generators, compressors, pumps, chemical equipment, valves, motors, switching equipment, meters, etc.; makes regular inspections of facilities to identify maintenance and repair needs including alarm malfunctions.
• Calibrates and adjusts telemetry signals and records readings; enters confined spaces to check wells, motors, and pumps; maintains, repairs, and replaces hydraulic control valves and electrical controls and equipment.
• Collects and performs basic chemical tests on water or reclaimed water/wastewater samples; performs field tests for temperature, pH, and chlorine residual; inspects, transports and replaces chlorine cylinders.
• Performs skilled work in assembling, laying, and aligning water, reclaimed water/wastewater pipes; locates and repairs leaks in water or reclaimed water/wastewater lines.
• Performs water customer service functions, including responding to/handling customer service tasks and inquiries (i.e., high/low pressure, possible leaks, odor, etc.) and turning on/off water service.
• Manually reads meters and collects meter reads using an automated hand-held machine; inputs readings into an automated billing system; field tests customer meters for accuracy; removes, repairs and installs meters; performs basic meter digouts and trimming of vegetation to obtain meter readings; acts as field representative in service turn-ons, lock-outs, customer inquiries and complaints; installs and inspects fire hydrants; notifies customers in the event of system flushing.
• Performs manual labor and facilities/grounds maintenance work; performs construction work and operates trucks and a variety of construction and maintenance equipment; services equipment and keeps related records; requisitions materials, supplies and equipment.
• Checks and corrects system problems due to backflow or cross-connection; inspects and reports water conservation violations.
• Ensures compliance with all federal and state regulatory requirements including but not limited to, State Department of Health Services, California State Water Resources Control Board, etc.
• Reads maps and interprets diagrams, blueprints and schematics.
• Uses office automation to input and retrieve data, and the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA), which is a computer system used to monitor and control the water/wastewater systems.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Water/Wastewater Services Workers are represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and are eligible for overtime compensation.

Typical Qualifications

These are entrance requirements to the examination process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.

EDUCATION, TRAINING and EXPERIENCE
Water/Wastewater Services Worker Assistant
No specific experience is required.

Successful completion of college course work in water/wastewater, utility experience, public works construction experience; and/or experience operating, maintaining, and repairing water or wastewater systems and equipment; and/or f amiliarity with computer applications are highly desirable.

Water/Wastewater Services Worker I
Requires one (1) year of experience equivalent to that of a Water/Wastewater Services Worker Assistant AND/OR completion of established WWSW Assistant performance benchmarks; OR
Completion of twelve (12) semester units of college course work in water or wastewater curriculum AND six (6) months of directly-related experience in the water or wastewater field; OR
Possession of the required state certification for WWSW II AND six (6) months of directly-related experience in the water or wastewater field.

Water/Wastewater Services Worker II
Requires two (2) years of experience equivalent to that of a Water/Wastewater Services Worker (WWSW) I AND/OR completion of established WWSW I performance benchmarks; OR
Completion of fifteen (15) semester units of college course work in water or wastewater curriculum and two (2) years of directly-related experience in the water or wastewater field; OR
Possession of the required state certification for Senior WWSW and two (2) years of directly-related experience in the water or wastewater field.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Requires graduation from high school or equivalent;
• Must possess and maintain a valid Class C California driver's license;
• Requires the ability to stand, walk on uneven terrain, kneel, crouch, climb, work at heights and depths, stoop, twist, and lift and move heavy objects weighing fifty (50) pounds or more; respond to emergency situations; use proper work safety precautions/procedures, as assignments may involve exposure to various weather and environmental conditions, vibration, confined spaces, chemicals, infectious materials, hazardous gases, mechanical and electrical hazards, raw sewage, and water/wastewater effluents; and travel to different work sites over a large geographic area;
• Must meet requirements for the Cal/OSHA Respiratory Fit Program;
• WWSW I I must possess and maintain a valid Class A California driver's license with applicable endorsements. Employees who are required to possess a commercial driver's license are subject to the United States Department of Transportation Drug and Alcohol Random Testing Program; and
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal. Skills must be demonstrated in the completion of the employment application and supplemental questionnaire.

Water Services
WWSW Assistants assigned to water services are required to obtain a Water Distribution Operator Grade D1 certificate issued by the California State Water Resources Control Board within twelve (12) months of appointment.

WWSW I e mployees are required to possess and maintain a Water Distribution Operator Grade D1 certificate AND a Water Treatment Operator Grade T1 certificate issued by the California State Water Resources Control Board.

WWSW II employees are required to possess and maintain a Water Distribution Operator Grade D2 certificate AND a Water Treatment Operator Grade T1 certificate issued by the California State Water Resources Control Board. Wastewater Services
WWSW Assistants assigned to wastewater services are required to apply for and obtain an Operator-In-Training certificate for Wastewater, issued by the California State Water Resources Control Board within three (3) months of appointment; AND required to obtain a Wastewater Treatment Operator Grade I certificate issued by the California State Water Resources Control Board within eighteen (18) months of appointment OR a Collection System Maintenance Grade 1 certificate issued by the California Water Environment Association.

WWSW I employees assigned to wastewater treatment services are required to possess and maintain a Wastewater Treatment Operator Grade 1 certificate issued by the California State Water Resources Control Board. WWSW I employees assigned to wastewater collections services are required to possess and maintain a Collection System Maintenance Grade 1 certificate by California Water Environment Association.

WWSW II employees assigned to wastewater treatment services are required to possess and maintain a Wastewater Treatment Operator Grade 2 certificate issued by the California State Water Resources Control Board. WWSW II employees assigned to wastewater collections services are required to possess and maintain a Collections System Maintenance Grade 2 certificate issued by California Water Environment Association.

KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS and ABILITIES
Water/Wastewater Services Worker Assistant
Ability to: learn about water or reclaimed water/wastewater systems (depending on area of assignment) and how to operate and maintain them; perform unskilled to semi-skilled maintenance and repair tasks as directed; work shifts, overtime, weekends, holidays, and respond to emergencies as required under direct lead or full supervision; learn about treatment plants, pump stations, pressure reducing stations, wells, turnouts, collection systems, distribution systems, reservoirs, ponds, and system boundaries pertaining to area of assignment; learn the federal and state regulatory requirements applicable to assigned area; become familiar with and learn to utilize computer software and web-based applications; learn about the use of hand tools and computerized meter reading equipment (depending on assignment) leading to the ability to use tools and operate minor equipment in a trainee capacity; keep records and gather and interpret data and information; learn to interpret maps; learn safe work practices and procedures; establish and maintain good rapport and effective working relationship with customers, the public, co-workers, contractors, and management; and communicate effectively in oral and written form; and follow written and verbal instructions.

Water/Wastewater Services Worker I/II
Working (I) to considerable (II) knowledge of: principles and practices of water or reclaimed water/wastewater systems operations; repair, maintenance and adjustments for water or reclaimed water/wastewater systems/equipment, including treatment plants, pump/lift stations, pressure reducing stations, wells, reservoirs, ponds, collection systems, distribution systems, etc.; sample collection and basic laboratory testing procedures; methods, tools, and equipment used in plant maintenance repair and operations; federal and state regulatory requirements applicable to assigned area;computer software and web-based applications; and computerized/manual meter reading methods and equipment.

Ability to: performoperations, repairs, and maintenance work on water or reclaimed water/wastewater systems, equipment and facilities;perform meter installation, reading, testing, and repair; read and interpret gauges, recording devices and other monitoring equipment; maintain logs, records, reports, and charts; take samples and perform on-site laboratory tests; read and interpret schematic diagrams, blueprints and maps; interpret and explain operating policies and procedure to other workers/customers; effectively represent the department in customer service relations; analyze operational problems and determine corrective action; work safely within established safety policies and procedures; utilize basic computer applications including standard software, SCADA system, etc.; work shifts, overtime, weekends, and holidays, and respond to emergencies as required; establish and maintain good rapport and effective working relationships with customers; the public, co-workers, contractors and management; communicate effectively in oral and written form; and follow written and verbal instructions.

Recruitment Process

FINAL FILING DATE: Your application must be received by the County of Ventura, Human Resources no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 20, 2025.

To apply online, please refer to our web site at www.ventura.org/jobs. A paper application can be obtained by calling (805) 654-5129. Our address is County of Ventura Human Resources Division, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA 93009.

Applicants must provide sufficient information under the Education/Work experience portion of the application and supplemental questionnaire to thoroughly and accurately demonstrate your qualifications in order to determine eligibility. A resume may be attached to supplement your responses in the above-referenced sections; however, it may not be submitted in lieu of the application.

NOTE: If presently permanently employed in another "merit" or "civil service" public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar position as is advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a "merit" or "civil service" style examination, then appointment by "Lateral Transfer" may be possible. If interested, please click here for additional information.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE - qualifying: All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this exam at the time of filing. This questionnaire may be used throughout the examination process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in removal of the application from further consideration.

APPLICATION EVALUATION - qualifying: All applications will be reviewed to determine whether the stated requirements are met. Applicants meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the recruitment process.

WRITTEN EXAMINATION - 100% An un-proctored, internet-based, job-related written examination will be conducted to test applicants' knowledge of construction maintenance and repair, tools and equipment, safety, following written instructions, name and number comparison and interpersonal relations . Examinees must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list.

Candidates successfully completing the examination process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of six months (6) months. The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future regular (including temporary and fixed-term), intermittent and extra-help vacancies. There is currently one (1) Regular vacancy.

Note: If appointed at the lower level, incumbents may be promoted to the higher level without further examination upon meeting the minimum requirements, demonstrating satisfactory performance, and in accordance with business needs of the department.

VALIDATING PROCTORED WRITTEN EXAM - Offers of employment may be conditional to the candidate taking and passing an on-site, proctored exam similar to the un-proctored, internet-based exam.

VETERAN’S POINTS: The Water/Wastewater Services Worker Assistant is a training-level classification, and Veteran’s Points may apply to eligible applicants. Documentation of military service must be submitted with your application prior to close of recruitment in order to receive points.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A thorough pre-employment, post-offer background investigation which may include inquiry into past employment, education, criminal background information, and driving record may be required for this position. For those classifications that are subject to Department of Transportation drug and alcohol testing regulations, incumbents will be tested prior to driving a commercial vehicle and may be randomly tested thereafter.

For further information regarding this recruitment, please contact Kelli Fitzgerald by email at kelli.fitzgerald@ventura.org .

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

YOUR BENEFITS AS A COUNTY OF VENTURA EMPLOYEE

Service Employees International Union (LOCAL 721)

(SEIU)

To learn more about Benefits, Retirement, and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), see links below.

• Benefits website or you may call (805) 654-2570.
• Retirement FAQ's
• Memorandum of Agreement

Union Codes: UPA, UPC, UPE, UPH, UPI, UPJ, UPT, UWS

Closing Date/Time: 8/20/2025 5:00 PM Pacific

Salary:

$49,832.02 - $86,637.90 Annually