Howard County:
Conveniently located in the heart of central Maryland between Baltimore and Washington, Howard County offers the charm of a historic past mixed with the excitement of a cosmopolitan community.
Howard County Government:
Howard County Government is a leader in innovation, sustainability, and consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and work in the country. In 2025, Howard County Government received a record-breaking 83 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) – the highest number of annual NACo awards achieved in the history of the State of Maryland, and the highest number of awards out of any county in the State of Maryland which received a collective 136 awards. NACo is the leading organization representing county-level government operations. These awards recognize innovative and transformative programs that provide new services for county residents, improve existing programs, upgrade working conditions, and enhance citizen participation and public policymaking.
What are we looking for?
We are looking for outstanding individuals to join our team and contribute to excellence in Howard County operations.
What you'll like most about working at Howard County Government:
-
We are committed to workplace excellence in every area of County government.
-
We have a highly talented, diverse, and inclusive workplace. Your input will not only be heard, but it will be encouraged!
-
We offer competitive compensation and great benefits including medical, retirement, and wellness programs.
-
As a member of the Howard County Government team, you'll be helping drive our culture and directly impact what makes us an amazing place to work.
POSITION SUMMARY:
This is semiskilled midlevel work in the operation, preventive maintenance, and care of mechanical equipment in a water reclamation plant.
Work includes testing samples of wastewater, ?assisting in the operations of intake structures, pumps, valves, solids handling and other plant equipment. Due to the nature of the primary duties, this position requires in-person presence at the worksite. Employees in this position are expected to work shifts that may include evenings and/or weekends and are designated as “essential personnel,” requiring work during inclement weather, emergency situations, County holidays and on an on-call basis.
STARTING SALARY HIRING RANGE:
$26.05 - $42.24
$54,181 - $87,860
CLASS DESCRIPTION:
Work is performed with supervision from a technical superior until such time as the incumbent achieves proficiency in the assigned tasks. Assignments are stable in nature and are carried out in accordance with instructions and established plant routines and procedures. An employee in this class assists in the control and preventive maintenance operations of a wastewater treatment plant on an assigned shift.
*This is a Classified position, meaning that it is a part of the Howard County Classified Service upon completion of a probationary period of at least six (6) months.*
This role isdesignatedas safetysensitive; therefore, employeesare required toparticipatein mandatory random drug testing.
***Please note that this position falls within a collective bargaining unit and is represented by AFSCME Local 3085, Local 3888, or Local 1810. ***High School Diploma or GED or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, AND REGISTRATIONS:
Possession of a regular Class "5A" Operator's certificate issued by the Maryland State Board of Waterworks and Waste System Operators required prior to appointment and during tenure of employment. Applicants with appropriate experience and equivalent licensing from another state will be considered for appointment but will be required to obtain a Statement of Reciprocity from the Maryland State Board prior to appointment that should be included in your application.
A valid Maryland driver's license is required.
PREFERRED EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
-
Knowledge of elementary mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic principles.
-
Knowledge of safe work habits.
-
Knowledge of the operation of pumps, valves, gauges, and other equipment used in a wastewater treatment plant.
-
Knowledge of elementary lab and sample collection techniques.
-
Ability to perform minor maintenance such as adjust pumps, valves, gauges, or other equipment used in a wastewater treatment plant
-
Ability to maintain simple written records.
-
Ability to read gauges and meters accurately.
-
Ability to use basic hand tools.
-
Ability to recognize unusual or dangerous conditions or situations.
PHYSICAL DEMAND AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and smell. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts and outside weather conditions. The employee is frequently exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, and toxic or caustic chemicals. The employee is occasionally exposed to high, precarious places; risk of electrical shock; and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
LANGUAGE SKILLS, MATHEMATICAL SKILLS, AND REASONING ABILITY:
Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos.
Ability to write simple correspondences.
Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to other employees of the organization.
Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions.
Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.
