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Some Good News!!

Dillon

Dillon

Well-Known Member
Hi there! So it’s been a bit since I’ve been on here but like to update how I’ve been doing. Things as of this month and a couple weeks before have been going good and better than the last few months. I am currently substitute teaching for now middle school biology and while it’s not a long term career I am loving it that teaching young students is pretty rewarding.
In the meantime this week I have a few job interviews I feel pretty prepared for. I have one as a watershed analyst with the city where I would inspect water quality permits from developers and municipalities operating activity within local watersheds to make sure they are in regulatory compliance. I have another interview with a state agency being a natural resource specialist where I basically just do data analysis on water quality data that’s been been collected on the field.
Then finally and I never knew about these positions until recently but I have another interview as a wastewater operator at a wastewater treatment plant. I hear it’s kind of a dirty job which I like being outdoors anyway being filthy but I hear it’s a rewarding career. Also if I get this job I would need a water operating license from the state that involve a state exam you have to pass within 6 months to a year of employment.
Has anyone ever worked in such a field in wastewater and if so what do employers generally look for skill and experience wise?

Nothing much to really add other than things have been a bit more positive lately than since July of this year and hopefully things get even better!
 
So which job are you most hopeful to get?
 
All of those positions sound like great opportunities. I trained to work in those sorts of jobs and ended up working municipal water and sewer. A wastewater plant really isn't that bad unless a pump breaks. For the most part it's just unpleasant smelling and you get used to it. And it is work that is of vital importance to the environment. I really hope one of those works out for you.
 
Dillon said:
I’m good with any of the jobs honestly whichever I get but the wastewater operator job seems more interesting.
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I worked at such a plant for six weeks after high school before heading to college. It was a summer program then for poor, disadvantaged youth. I am not sure if it could have lead to full time employment, or more training there or at a different facility, but at that time I just assumed the position for me was temporary.

Anyway, what I liked about the job was the very peaceful environment and the fact only two other workers were there, the supervisor and an adult laborer that did most of the dirty work. I was asked to regularly spray down the tanks with a firehouse, paint the tanks, mow the lawns there, and they were beginning to introduce me to taking samples of the wastewater. The two guys were nice there even though I barely talked and avoided them during breaks due to shyness.

It is a dirty job there, as sometimes I would get sludge on me, even though I was allowed and asked to wear boots and rain type coat material for some duties where that stuff could get on me. And regardless if any got on me, it took time for me to get adjusted to smelling those fumes at that place. They did have a private shower at that place, to use at the end of the day if the workers wanted to use it there before going home, so I was extra careful to not get dirty.

I do remember the supervisor fixing some boiler there, and taking a few to several days for that, and I remember the worker guy telling me stories of all the weird things they found in the tanks over the years. Overall, I would recommend such a place to those that are into health and science stuff, and those wanting a peaceful location to work without tons of duties and with many freedoms, as long as they are ok with working near smells. So, good luck @Dillon if you pursue this path!
 
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1ForAll said:
I worked at such a plant for six weeks after high school before heading to college. It was a summer program then for poor, disadvantaged youth. I am not sure if it could have lead to full time employment, or more training there or at a different facility, but at that time I just assumed the position for me was temporary.

Anyway, what I liked about the job was the very peaceful environment and the fact only two other workers were there, the supervisor and an adult laborer that did most of the dirty work. I was asked to regularly spray down the tanks with a firehouse, paint the tanks, mow the lawns there, and they were beginning to introduce me to taking samples of the wastewater. The two guys were nice there even though I barely talked and avoided them during breaks due to shyness.

It is a dirty job there, as sometimes I would get sludge on me, even though I was allowed and asked to wear boots and rain type coat material for some duties where that stuff could get on me. And regardless if any got on me, it took time for me to get adjusted to smelling those fumes at that place. They did have a private shower at that place, to use at the end of the day if the workers wanted to use it there before going home, so I was extra careful to not get dirty.

I do remember the supervisor fixing some boiler there, and taking a few to several days for that, and I remember the worker guy telling me stories of all the weird things they found in the tanks over the years. Overall, I would recommend such a place to those that are into health and science stuff, and those wanting a peaceful location to work without tons of duties and with many freedoms, as long as they are ok with working near smells. So, good luck @Dillon if you pursue this path!
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I am not the one who is solely interested in academia and research but I am more hands on with a science background. I typically like to fix things such as working on my car (I change my own oil and coolant) and I have worked in construction while in highschool for a cabinet company before decided I was going to college and get a bachelors and a masters in marine biology.
My point with that is an opportunity like the wastewater industry seems like an interdisciplinary field from having a biological background to mechanical work which I’ve done even as a grad student.

One thing I’m a little concern with is will having a masters make me over qualified for working in a wastewater industry? I know most people only have a highschool diploma or a bachelors degree. Yeah I have experience in biological sciences and environmental science on the field but I have no work experience working in a actual wastewater plant.
What would anyone here recommend just in general? Also did you happen to have a interview with them and what was it like?
 
Dillon said:
I am not the one who is solely interested in academia and research but I am more hands on with a science background. I typically like to fix things such as working on my car (I change my own oil and coolant) and I have worked in construction while in highschool for a cabinet company before decided I was going to college and get a bachelors and a masters in marine biology.
My point with that is an opportunity like the wastewater industry seems like an interdisciplinary field from having a biological background to mechanical work which I’ve done even as a grad student.

One thing I’m a little concern with is will having a masters make me over qualified for working in a wastewater industry? I know most people only have a highschool diploma or a bachelors degree. Yeah I have experience in biological sciences and environmental science on the field but I have no work experience working in a actual wastewater plant.
What would anyone here recommend just in general? Also did you happen to have a interview with them and what was it like?
Click to expand...
I was going to say, if you are into mechanical things too, that is a bonus. Repairs and checking equipment and connections, they would be duties for those who see this as a long term position. I think it will be relatively easy for you to get the job even if you seem overqualified in ways, and based on your background, if you tell them what attracts you to this field, like as you mentioned in posts.

To be upfront, they gave me the job with no questions asked, as I met the poverty, youth and other minimal criteria, and as I do not think there is a stampede of persons applying to these positions. In my case, it was just part of a community effort to get youth and disadvantaged into these fields. No experience was required, as it was on the job training. In your case, they should see your background as a fit.

The only question is would they pay you initially a salary that is enough based on your education and any expectations there, if they said they had to train you first, or would they start you in a higher position there, a higher salary based on your knowledge and academic background. You can also read books on this subject, if not already done so, to impress the interviewer there about your knowledge about this job, and to show your commitment and enthusiasm, to be your best and learn quickest.
 
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@Dillon You are such an unsuming guy, yet you have so many talents, and remain so optimistic, thank you for being at this forum. You lift my spirits.
 
It's great that you can work in watershed biology. Yesterday I was on a crew working with a conservation district to look at water quality by collecting aquatic macroinvertebrates in streams that are ID'd to family level and a biotic index calculated. I enjoy that work
 
Gerald Wilgus said:
It's great that you can work in watershed biology. Yesterday I was on a crew working with a conservation district to look at water quality by collecting aquatic macroinvertebrates in streams that are ID'd to family level and a biotic index calculated. I enjoy that work
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What training did you need?
 
Gerald Wilgus said:
It's great that you can work in watershed biology. Yesterday I was on a crew working with a conservation district to look at water quality by collecting aquatic macroinvertebrates in streams that are ID'd to family level and a biotic index calculated. I enjoy that work
Click to expand...
I always enjoyed the aquatic macroinvertebrates section of my college studies. It was so interesting being out in the streams assessing health based on the benthic species we were collecting and documenting. On a side note I still chuckle at the day we managed to get a classmate for $10 Cad to eat a dragonfly larvae. Just the thought of putting that muddy furry thing in my mouth gives me the shivers. But it was hilarious at the time. Mikes response "That really wasn't so bad, but I should have asked for 20". What he never found out is we would have collectively gone as high as $50 but he jumped on the first offer of $10.
 
FayetheAspie said:
What training did you need?
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I got a book of dichotomous keys from the University of Minnesota and taught myself the taxonomy. The only problem I have had is with Caddisflies where they may have very microscopic features except for the very obvious Helicopsychidae, Hydropsychidae, or Philopotamidae.

I have created a spreadsheet that automatically calculates the Hilsenhoff Biotic Index, and I am working on a Chi-squared automated test to be able to detect when there is a shift in tolerance at a site.
 
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Gerald Wilgus said:
I got a book of dichotomous keys from the University of Minnesota and taught myself the taxonomy. The only problem I have had is with Caddisflies where they may have very microscopic features except for the very obvious Helicopsychidae, Hydropsychidae, or Philopotamidae.

I have created a spreadsheet that automatically calculates the Hilsenhoff Biotic Index, and I am working on a Chi-squared automated test to be able to detect when there is a shift in tolerance at a site.
Click to expand...
So you were able to find employment in this field with no degree in it?
 
FayetheAspie said:
So you were able to find employment in this field with no degree in it?
Click to expand...
I am not employed in this. I volunteer with the Conservation districts to do the sampling and Identification. I have my own project on a river I love and put together a project plan. My training had been in molecular genetics/cell biology, but I enjoy taxonomy since that is the basis of biology.
 
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