Plant Operator

Description

Job Purpose

The Plant Operator works independently and with other plant personnel to meet target quality and yield of rendered UCO from raw UCO in stakes and manages sludge and solids dispatch and disposal. This team member performs safely and in a manner that optimizes plant and equipment efficiencies while minimizing energy consumption and operating costs.

Duties and Responsibilities

Housekeeping:

• Maintains a clean and orderly work area.

• Performs routine and consistently assigned housekeeping tasks in the plant and laboratory areas.

Quality Testing & Assurance:

• Performs in-process quality testing to ensure process quality conformance.

• Conducts finished product testing for input into Certificates of Analysis (COA).

• Minimizes process non-conformances via adherence to best practices, established protocols, and standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Ancillary Functions:

• Troubleshoots and performs minor maintenance as necessary and as qualified as well as scheduled inspections and preventative maintenance activities.

• Maintains required environmental standards and completes regular observation and reporting documentation.

• Operates, monitors troubleshoots, and maintains utility systems such as heaters, and air compressors as needed.

Shipping and Receiving:

• Performs load-out of finished products and by-products while adhering to set sample retention procedures.

• Performs load-in of raw UCO while ensuring sufficient space is available for incoming trucks and no overflows occur.

Documentation and Communication:

• Production – Completes all required data on processing, inventory and compliance reports and notes any unusual characteristics during the process.

• Quality Control – Records all necessary product, and chemical testing information.

• Shipping and Receiving – Fills in all required data on BOLs, meter tickets, and sample tags.

• Plant status – Completes all logs and reports about issues during shift.

• Safety and common sense – Reports anything unsafe or out of the ordinary to the next shift.

Ability to Follow Instructions:

• Consistently follows all written SOPs and verbal and written instructions.

• Ensures complete knowledge of written SOPs.

• Ensures complete understanding of written and verbal instructions.

Accuracy and Awareness:

• Minimizes errors via complete understanding of all job requirements and proper time and workflow management and remains aware of the process at all times.

• Minimizes fuel losses via proper work practices and undivided attention to the process.

• Avoids spills of any kind.

• Minimizes plant downtime by paying complete attention to the process and fully optimizing all process steps.

Troubleshooting:

• Minimizes night calls by developing acute troubleshooting ability.

• Resolves problems independently.

• Arrives at accurate assessments of process issues and avoids misdiagnosis of the problem.

• Maintains proper communication during troubleshooting activities to identify the best and most expedient resolution.

Daily Job Duties: 

1. Inspects, monitors, troubleshoots, performs tests and documents plant processes by reading plant equipment gauges, dials, graphs, online analyzers, computer screens, meters, SCADA systems, and other instrumentation.

2. Operates waste vegetable oil filtration equipment, including augers, screeners, and decanting system.

3. Maintains, compiles, and updates plant operations logs and reports; performs and records mathematical calculations related to plant operational activities.

4. Operates, cleans, and recharges filter screens.

5. Uses any/all transfer pumps and hoses and connectors to move materials to desired locations within the plant.

6. Operates vacuum trucks and pumps when needed.

7. Safely operates fork trucks.

8. Performs load-in / load-out duties when required.

9. Performs general housekeeping duties when requested or necessary.

10. Performs equipment maintenance when needed if qualified.

Requirements

Qualifications

• 2+ years relevant verifiable heavy industrial processing work experience.

• 1 + years data and documentation experience.

• Must have general understanding of industrial processing equipment.

• Must have strong multitasking abilities.

• Proficient computer skills.

• Proficient at basic math.

• Able to learn and retain daily duty changes.

• Able to operate a fork truck.

• Valid driver’s license and able to operate manual transmission vehicles.

Working Conditions

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to work near moving mechanical parts.

• The employee is regularly exposed to high noise environments.

• The employee is regularly exposed to outside weather in all conditions.

• The employee will regularly be exposed to chemicals used in the process.

• Ability to wear protective equipment on the head, hands, face, feet.

Physical Requirements

Sufficient physical ability to perform moderate to heavy lifting (up to 60lbs); standing and walking for prolonged periods of time; climbing stairs or ladders, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching and operating motorized equipment.