Please note: The 2025 Operator-in-Training program has already started. We do not have plans to start another cohort of Operators-in-Training this year and do not have a timeline for future cohorts. However, we will update this webpage and notify interested individuals by email when more information becomes available.
For updates on the Operator-in-Training program, please sign up for email notifications.
Receive Operator-in-Training Program Updates
A career in wastewater operations is in high demand, offering excellent employment prospects and job security. Qualified operators are needed in communities all around the country. This growing field presents many opportunities for career advancement and contributes to protecting public health and the environment.
About the Program
The Operator-in-Training program begins each fall with three operators-in-training hired into full-time, limited-duration employment positions with the City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services.
The program is designed to provide two years of wastewater operational training and experience to individuals with no industrial, wastewater, or other relevant work experience. Operators-in-training are the first pool of candidates interviewed to be hired into the Wastewater Operator II classification, which is the journey-level operator classification.
The two-year-long Operator-in-Training program is split into two parts: Wastewater Academy and On-the-Job Training. The Wastewater Academy is a six-month, immersive learning experience involving classroom and in-the-field learning. On-the-Job Training is an 18-month program designed to provide operators-in-training with real experience working various shifts in Oregon's largest wastewater treatment facility, the Columbia Boulevard Wastewater Treatment Plant.
By the end of the program, participants will have:
- knowledge of wastewater treatment plant equipment and processes;
- experience operating and troubleshooting complex treatment systems;
- professional certification through the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality;
- the potential to obtain full-time employment with Environmental Services as a journey-level wastewater operator.
Operator-in-Training Wages, Benefits, and Schedule
Wages: Operators-in-training receive a competitive hourly wage.
- Operator-in-Training position starting wage: $27.84/hour
- Operator-in-Training 6-month progression wage: $31.27/hour
- Operator-in-Training 12-month progression wage: $32.38/hour
- Wastewater Operator II wage range: $36.04/hour – $44.93/hour
The pay rates above are for the current fiscal year. The pay rates for represented classifications currently in negotiations are updated as each collective bargaining agreement is finalized.
Benefits: As full-time employees of the City of Portland, operators-in-training will have a comprehensive benefits package including:
- Health Care (medical, vision, and dental insurance) and Wellness
- Life Insurance
- Short-term and Long-term Disability Coverage
- Employee Assistance Plan
- Flexible Spending Account
- Family Medical Leave, City Paid Parental Leave, Paid Sick and Vacation Leave, and 11 City-Paid Holidays
To learn more about the benefits offered to City of Portland employees, visit the City's human resources page on benefit offerings.
Work Location:
Columbia Blvd Wastewater Treatment Plant
5001 N. Columbia Blvd
Portland, OR 97203
Schedule and Hours: Schedules are based on 40 hours/week.
- Wastewater Academy - Monday-Friday: 7 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.
- On-the-Job Training
- Rotation A - Monday-Friday: 7 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.
- Rotation B - Monday-Friday: 3 p.m. – 11:15 p.m.
- Rotation C - Monday-Friday: 11 p.m. – 7:15 a.m.
Apply To Be an Operator-In-Training
To apply, applicants must have a high school diploma or GED equivalent.
The application period for the Wastewater Operator-in-Training program is closed.
Interested in becoming an operator-in-training? Sign up for updates on the Operator-in-Training program.
Working in the Wastewater Industry
The Columbia Boulevard Wastewater Treatment Plant operates twenty-four hours a day, all year round. Operators are essential workers who work day, swing, or night shifts and through inclement weather or other emergencies to keep a system that every Portlander relies on every hour of every day operational.
Is the wastewater industry for you? Watch and read the resources below to learn more about this exciting and rewarding career field.
- Working for Environmental Services: Learn more about careers at Environmental Services and why it's a great place to work.
- About the Wastewater Treatment Process: Wastewater treatment recovers resources from the water we use in our homes, such as sinks and toilets. Recovering the resources from that "used" water helps keep our community's rivers healthy and creates renewable resources for energy and agriculture.
- Poop to Power: Environmental Services has been harvesting biogas – a byproduct of sewage treatment – for years, generating heat and electricity to power the plant while selling a portion to a local business.
- Secondary Treatment Expansion Program (STEP): STEP is the largest improvement project at the treatment plant since the 1970s. The improvements will increase the plant's resiliency, protect water quality, and provide healthier work environments for essential workers.
Explore More Ways to Get Started in Wastewater
The Operator-in-Training program is just one way to begin a career in the wastewater field. The links below offer great starting points for those looking for additional training, study resources, or certification information. These resources are not part of the Operator-in-Training program but can help you learn more about wastewater treatment and prepare for future opportunities in the industry.
- Clackamas Community College – Water and Environmental Technology Program - Offers an associate degree with hands-on training for water and wastewater treatment careers.
- Sacramento State Water Programs – Wastewater Courses - Online courses that cover a range of wastewater treatment topics for all experience levels.
- Water Environment Federation – Wastewater Treatment Fundamentals - Study materials and textbooks to build technical knowledge and prepare for certification.
- Oregon DEQ – Wastewater Operator Certification Program - Learn about the certification process for wastewater operators in Oregon, including licensing requirements and exam information.
- Wisconsin DNR – Wastewater Operator Study Guides - Study guides and reference materials used by operators preparing for certification.
- Wastewater System Operator's Manual - A comprehensive guide to core concepts and best practices in wastewater operations.
Have a Question?
Reach out to Environmental Services' Operator-in-Training program at pdx.oit@portlandoregon.gov
For updates on the Operator-in-Training program, please sign up for email notifications.