About the Position
Under general supervision and the direction of the District’s Assistant Operations Manager, this position is a key member of the District’s Operations and Maintenance division. As part of the Operations team, the Process and Regulatory Performance Engineer is expected to provide technical support for the operation of the 50 million-gallon-per-day Nine Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant. The Process and Regulatory Performance Engineer is also responsible for ensuring that the District meets all requirements of its regulatory permits, reviews, and documentation. This will include monitoring and conducting water and air emissions reviews and inspections, and submitting required reports and notifications. This role is expected to remain up to date and current on new developments in the field of wastewater treatment and contribute that knowledge during planned expansions of the facilities, as well as during day-to-day operations. This position will collaborate with stakeholders and cross-functional teams to meet standards and guidelines, have a growth mindset in a multi-faceted and mission-driven operation, while having a focus on maintaining a positive work culture.
Who We Are
Established in 1930 to protect the lakes and streams of the upper Yahara watershed, the District is a wastewater collection and treatment utility serving about 435,000 people in 24 Madison-area owner communities covering about 190 square miles.
The District owns and operates 150 miles of pipe and 18 regional pumping stations that convey approximately 37 million gallons of wastewater to the Nine Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant daily. Through the treatment process, we recover valuable resources before returning clean water to the environment.
Our mission is to protect public health and the environment. We are dedicated to service, reliability, and sustainability, and our tradition of innovation has positioned us as a leader among clean water utilities.
Working at the District is more than just a paycheck—it is about taking care of our community and protecting one of our most valuable resources: water.
When you think about your career and what you want to accomplish in your lifetime, choose to do Work Worth Doing!
Please include a cover letter with your application that highlights your fit for the position and references your relevant experience. A cover letter and resume are required for consideration.
Applications will be reviewed beginning November 21, 2025. Applications received after this date may not be considered if enough qualified candidates have been identified during the first review period.
Duties
Success Factors
The successful Process and Regulatory Performance Engineer will have the following qualities:
- Collaborative: Displays teamwork. Has the ability to develop and maintain effective, trusting, collaborative relationships with other district personnel. Work towards common goals and supports the work of other groups.
- Technically skilled and detail oriented: Has the ability to identify problems, research and analyze information, develop and present recommendations, and provide solutions. Skilled at generating and utilizing complex information for technical analysis and decision-making.
- Self-Starter: Strong independent initiative to identify, analyze, and resolve issues in a timely manner. Flexible and open to new ideas, able to adjust and modify to fit the situation. Has the courage to make changes.
- Critical Thinker: Digs into questions and problems. Looks for omissions, errors, and misinterpretations in the work. Habitually asks a variety of questions and uses a variety of thinking techniques. Sees new perspectives and new ways forward. Helps others think critically.
- Effective Communicator: Able to clearly and concisely articulate complex information to a variety of audiences both internally and externally through written and verbal means.
- Mission Driven: Has a passion for sustainability, the environment , and protecting public health.
Essential Job duties
Performance of Process Engineering Duties (40%)
- Become familiar with the complex operation of the Nine Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant. This includes:
- Physical layout of the plant and physical assets.
- All processes and unit operations related to wastewater treatment.
- Process control algorithms and the means of automatically controlling treatment processes.
- Routine tasks performed by operators and maintenance staff.
- Manage small operations-related projects (i.e.digester cleaning, polymer trials, etc.). Prepare plans, specifications, and project documents as needed.
- Develop CIP business cases related to plant infrastructure as part of CIP planning.
- Be involved with consultants in planning, design, and construction activities related to improvements at the treatment plant. Design and manage small engineering projects as needed. Prepare plans, specifications, and bidding documents for small plant capital improvement projects.
- Remain current on new developments in wastewater treatment and other relevant areas.
Performance of Regulatory Engineering Duties (30%)
- Oversee the District’s air emissions control permit. Ensure that processes and controls are being operated correctly. Arrange for any required emissions testing.
- Ensure that all provisions of the District’s Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) Permit are being met.
- Ensure data and information necessary for regulatory reporting are collected and stored properly. Verify that these data are correct/accurate.
- Ensure all regulatory and compliance reports required by governing bodies, permits, and internal policies are prepared and submitted. This includes, but is not limited to, air permit reporting, WPDES reporting, violation events (air, TFO, SSO), lagoon superfund reporting, etc.
- Work with other District Staff to ensure that other regulatory requirements, such as general stormwater permitting, CMOM, and CMAR, are being met.
- Provide assistance with:
- Development and implementation of regulatory strategies.
- Staff training on regulatory requirements and best practices.
- Review of promotional and advertising materials for compliance.
- Facilitation of regulatory inspections.
Operational Oversight (20%)
- Troubleshoot problems with the treatment processes and provide solutions as needed.
- Work closely with the Operator Supervisor and Operations Section staff to maintain and improve treatment performance. Coordinate activities with the Operator Supervisor, Lead Operator, and Operators on a daily basis.
- Contribute to meeting the requirements of the District’s discharge permit. This may require responding to requests for information, troubleshooting assistance, or general advice outside of normal business hours.
- Perform On-call duties on a rotational basis.
- In the absence of both the Operations Manager and Assistant Operations Manager, may temporarily fulfill the duties of those roles as assigned.
- May be required to assist in the Facilitation of regulatory meetings in emergency response situations which could require working evenings, nights, or weekends.
Self-Improvement/Professional Development (5%)
- Pursue additional learning opportunities to improve technical skills, networking, and professional development. This includes—but is not limited to—conferences and training events (such as seminars, webinars, etc.)
- Participate as an active member of relevant professional organizations.
- Reflect on and share takeaways from professional development with other staff and the professional community at large.
- Complete any and all district-required trainings.
- Build collaborative relationships with business partners.
Other duties as assigned (5%)
- Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor, department leadership, or Executive Director.
Requirements
- Education and Experience
- Required:
- Bachelor's degree in Civil or Environmental Engineering or a closely related engineering field.
- A minimum of three years of professional experience related to wastewater treatment and process control or air emissions control. A Master’s Degree in civil or environmental engineering or a closely related field may substitute for experience.
- Basic proficiency and understanding of mechanical and/or electrical systems.
- Preferred:
- Possess a valid Professional Engineering (PE) registration in Wisconsin or another state.
- Possess a valid State of Wisconsin basic or advanced wastewater operator certification for the processes at the Nine Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant, or similar certification from another state.
- Experience with creating engineering technical documents (e.g.SOPs, work plans, engineering plans, PIDs, etc.)
- Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize, and manage multiple tasks simultaneously, and adhere to deadlines.
- Ability to set and execute priorities.
- Organized, self-managed, and self-motivated.
- Capable of initiating and seeing through projects, programs, and plans with little supervision.
- Independent initiative and leadership skills.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities with a keen attention to detail.
- Strong and effective verbal and written communication(especially technical writing)skills.
- Ability to adapt and be agile.
- Proficient user of computers and software, including Microsoft Office products, data management platforms, process control systems, and document management systems.
- Possess a valid certification of registration as a Professional Engineer in the State of Wisconsin or be able to obtain certification when eligible to do so.
- Must have or be able to obtain within two years a State of Wisconsin basic wastewater operator certification for the processes at the Nine Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant.
- Must possess a valid Wisconsin driver’s license or be able to legally drive in the State of Wisconsin.
- Ability to obtain the following within the first year of employment;
- Certified in First Aid/CPR/AED
- FEMA Introduction to the Incident Command System (ICS-100)
- ENV SP credential from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure
- Ability to comply with all safety rules and regulations, and report unsafe conditions.
Physical Demands & Work Environment
Work is performed in a combination of environments ranging from a standard office environment to field sites, tunnels, pumping stations, etc. This will require walking, bending, climbing stairs, standing. Must be able to safely use computer equipment for extended periods of time. Requires sufficient hand, arm, and finger dexterity to operate a computer and keyboard or other office equipment. Requires visual acuity to read and write words and numbers. Requires speaking and hearing abilities sufficient to communicate in person, publicly or over the phone. Must be able to lift up to 40 pounds occasionally. The noise level varies from quiet to loud.
Work may occasionally require exposure to hazardous conditions and noxious chemicals. Work may require the performance of tasks outdoors under varying climatic conditions. Work may occasionally require the performance of tasks at elevated levels. Work may occasionally require the performance of tasks in confined areas. Additional requirements may be specified depending on needs of department and/or tasks required to complete work efforts.
