Chief Plant Operator

Our Roots

Sharyland Water Supply Corporation was established in May of 1968 for the purpose of providing safe, affordable drinking water to the rural communities in and around Mission, McAllen, and Edinburg. We continue to strive in that endeavor.

Sharyland Water Supply Corporation was created by a group of determined, community-minded men in the 1960's. With the help of Farmers Home Administration, a loan was acquired and construction began to build a rural water system. Initially, 700 property owners committed to take water service once construction was complete. Today, more than 50 years later, there are over 19,000 water connections on the system.

The Corporation has approximately 100 square miles of Certified Area, 800 miles of water lines, three water plants, four elevated storage tanks and plans for additional water system improvements in the works.

The Corporation has over 100 employees and a 7 person Board of Directors, all of whom are dedicated to the job required to ensure that Sharyland Water Supply Corporation continues to be the best it can be.

Scope of the Role

As Chief Plant Operator, you provide senior-level ownership of treatment performance and regulatory compliance—ensuring finished water consistently meets state and federal standards while driving outcomes across people, process, and equipment.

Key responsibilities include leading and developing plant operations staff; optimizing treatment processes using operational data; coordinating maintenance and improvement work with internal teams and external vendors/contractors; overseeing SCADA-based operations for pumps, clarifiers, chemical feed, storage, and chlorination systems; managing required reporting (e.g., MOR) and recordkeeping; supporting capital planning feedback, AMP execution, SOP development, budgeting, and safety/environmental programs (SPCC, RMP, ERP).

Required qualifications/skills:

• Strong command of municipal water treatment practices, equipment, and mechanical systems
• Working knowledge of TCEQ/EPA rules and reporting; ability to apply TAC/CFR
• Math skills for flow, volume, dosage, and process calculations
• SCADA proficiency; Microsoft Office (Excel/Word)
• Clear English communication; on-call availability as needed

If you’re ready to lead and shape plant operations with strategic impact, apply today.

Total Rewards

We offer a competitive total compensation package that includes Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage; Life Insurance; Paid Time Off; a Pension plan; and a Competitive Salary.

A Typical Shift

Your day starts with a quick review of overnight trends and alarms, then a walk-through of critical assets and dashboards to confirm the system is stable. You spend focused time validating logs and lab results, tightening operating targets, and checking that documentation is audit-ready.

Midday often includes coordinating schedules—aligning maintenance windows, contractor access, and parts needs—while mentoring operators through complex scenarios and reinforcing safe work practices. You’ll join brief touchpoints with management or consultants to pressure-test design decisions and keep projects moving.

As demand shifts, you adjust pumping and treatment settings with an eye on cost, risk, and reliability. Before wrap-up, you confirm reports and records are complete, leave clear turnover notes, and stay available for after-hours needs when business requires.