Water Treatment Plant Operator — Afternoon Shift
Lake Charter Township Water Department | Bridgman, MI
Lake Charter Township is hiring a full-time afternoon-shift operator to help run one of southwest Michigan’s most advanced water treatment plants. We draw directly from Lake Michigan and treat it through an ultrafiltration (UF) membrane facility alongside a conventional system now getting a $10 million upgrade, coming online spring 2027. This is a hands-on role with real responsibility, a team that invests in operator development, and a clear path to advance through F-3, F-2, and F-1.
The Offer
Pay: $27.69 – $33.22/hour depending on license and experience, plus an afternoon-shift premium.
Overtime: 8 hours of overtime built into every pay period — not optional, it’s in the schedule.
Schedule: 10 days on, then 4 days off — including a full Friday-through-Monday four-day weekend every other week. Weekday shifts run 4:00 PM to midnight; scheduled weekend shifts run noon to midnight.
Benefits: Health, dental, and vision insurance, Health Savings Account (HSA), 401(k)/retirement, paid time off, and paid holidays.
Growth: We actively support certification — exam prep and advancement help through the F-series.
License
Michigan EGLE F-4 (or higher) water operator license strongly preferred. We’re equally glad to hear from mechanically inclined people ready to earn an F-4 within two test cycles of hire — we’ll support the exam prep. High school diploma or GED and a valid Michigan driver’s license required.
What You’ll Do
On the afternoon shift, you’re the operator on duty running the plant:
- Monitor and adjust operations through SCADA — pressures, tank levels, flow rates, finished-water quality.
- Operate high and low service pumps and make real-time calls to keep the distribution system stable.
- Run chemical and bacteriological tests (pH, chlorine residual, turbidity, hardness, alkalinity) and adjust treatment.
- Backwash filters, tend chemical feed equipment, and troubleshoot mechanical and electrical issues.
- Keep shift logs and contribute to daily and monthly compliance reporting.
Who We’re Looking For
- Dependable, able to work largely independently on an off-shift, with sound judgment when things don’t go to plan.
- Mechanically inclined, comfortable with SCADA and computers, and willing to learn the chemistry side.
- Honest about what you know and don’t — we’d rather train someone who asks good questions than fix guesswork.
How to Apply
Download and fill out our Employment Application at www.lakechartertownshipwater.org/job-postings. Email your resume and completed application to Toby Riley, Water System Superintendent, at [email protected]. In your note, tell us:
- Your current license status (or your plan to obtain F-4 certification).
- Any hands-on experience with water/wastewater treatment, SCADA, pumps, or chemical feed systems.
- Your availability for the rotating 10-on / 4-off schedule.
Applications reviewed as received. Lake Charter Township is an equal opportunity employer.
