DPW Water & Plumbing Operations Manager

JOB SUMMARY

The Department of Public Works (DPW) Water & Plumbing Operations Manager will plan and oversee all aspects of the Water & Plumbing Operations including management of department requests, inventory and ordering, hiring, and crew management. For infrastructure they will pre-approve client potable water systems, oversee the scheduling of water deliveries, and ensure the timely accurate data collection and reconciliation. For participants they will oversee the review of Civic Water Program applications by the DPW Waterworks Program & Dispatch Assistant Manager, and the scheduling of water deliveries for Art Projects and Theme Camps. 

The DPW Water & Plumbing Operations Manager will communicate with the DPW Utilities Superintendent about the needs in regards to the Water Vendor so that equipment can be scheduled. This position also manages the design, installation, and maintenance of all plumbing systems for Black Rock City. They are responsible for staff adherence to required safety standards and inspections on site, and will make efficient and reasonable staffing and water delivery schedules.

 This temporary, ineligible for benefits role is: 

• From April - July:  Part-Time 5 hours per week, Non-Exempt, based fully remote. 
• From August - September: Full-Time, Exempt, based on-site out of Black Rock City, Nevada. 

The deadline to apply for this role is 5:00pm PST on March 6, 2026

DUTIES & ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Advance Planning (15%)

• Manage the hiring of the Water & Plumbing team, including interviews, volunteer recruiting, and forwarding candidates to the DPW Utilities Superintendent for final approval.
• Oversee the schedule and planning for the distribution of water to infrastructure locations, and for the Civic Water Program.
• Review & approve water requests from groups supported on the infrastructure grids, determine the deployment timeline, work with DPW Utilities Superintendent and the Water Vendor to determine the vendor equipment list and delivery schedule.
• Determine any supply needs and request necessary pre-playa purchase orders.
• Plan and design the logistics, installation, maintenance, and removal of plumbing systems necessary for On-Playa Operations.

Daily Operations & Maintenance (30%)

• Oversee the logistics and day-to-day operations of the Water & Plumbing department.
• Manage all aspects of Plumbing logistics. 
  • Manage the timely installation and sanitation of potable water systems for all BRC Operations. 
  • Assess, troubleshoot, and rectify any problems associated with plumbing systems in an efficient and timely manner.
  • Maintain and delegate 24 hour, on-call operations throughout the on playa construction and event season; be prepared and willing to solve for unanticipated challenges at all hours.
• Manage the receipt and distribution of potable water for the duration of DPW Operations regulating efficiency and expectations according to OSHA and DPW safety guidelines.
• Ensure the timely installation and maintain functionality and sanitation of potable water systems for all BRC Infrastructure Operations. 
• Maintain and delegate 24 hour, on-call operations throughout the on playa construction and event season; be prepared and willing to solve for unanticipated challenges at all hours.
• Collaborate and communicate daily with relevant Burning Man Departments, Crew Managers and Vendors.
• Maintain daily communication with Water Vendors. Update the office map and online map with water delivery assets in the city.

Team Management and Leadership (30%)

• Tactfully manage a team of volunteer and paid staff, reassign and redirect workflow using education, empowerment, and delegation when appropriate or necessary, monitoring team morale and setting manageable work expectations.
• Review and teach the BRC Rain Contingency Plan, emergency response plans and the Burning Man Integrated Plan and when to execute each with your team.
• Support and maintain clear communication with the Water & Plumbing team.
• Create and actively manage staff work schedules, and log and report crew work hours by established deadlines on a weekly basis.
• Schedule, attend, and support crew attendance to Team Meetings and DPW Morning Meetings.
• Create educational materials for crew, and provide training on-playa.

Documentation & Tracking (20%)

• Maintain continuity in documentation, reports and tracking standards outlined by the DPW Utilities Superintendent.
• Work with Google products (Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Drive), Microsoft Word and Excel, and any additional online tools, technology or applications specific to this role as required.
• Commit to improving and updating Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for this role and crew operations throughout the season for accuracy. 

Other Functions & Responsibilities (5%)

• Maintain clear and respectful communication with the DPW Water & Plumbing team, BRC Departments, Vendors, Participants, and Artists. 
• Work with the Water & Plumbing team to plan and execute LNT and Waste disposal plans.
• Help to establish and oversee the maintenance of a clean and safe worksite; ensure that all team members are provided with the necessary OSHA approved safety equipment.
• Read, understand, and abide by the rules and codes of conduct according to the Burning man Staff policies, protocols and behavioral standards. 
• Monitor personal well-being, be aware of work expectations while also setting realistic boundaries, and proactively address any concerns with management
• Perform various other duties as assigned by DPW Management.

Additional On-playa Duties and Responsibilities 

• Exercise discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance within the department.

LEARNING AND TEACHING

• Documentation - Drives the creation, publishing, and maintenance of process documentation related to assigned duties.
• Teaching – Takes a leadership role in the acculturation and training of staff. Teaches live or e-learning classes, as requested. Promotes a culture of teaching and learning throughout the community.
• Mentoring - Mentors subordinates in acquiring the knowledge, skills, and experience that will allow them to advance in the organization. Aids, encourages, and inspires their team.
• Training development - Collaborates with the education team to develop training materials in their area of expertise, as requested.
• Learning – Pursues ongoing learning in their area of expertise, working to stay current on emergent knowledge, skills, and processes. Participates in conferences, forums, and networking events, where appropriate.
• Speaking – Represents Burning Man as a subject matter expert and culture-bearer, as requested.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Experience (1-3 years) in event production, software development, logistics, or work in a related field.
• Familiarity with commercial and residential plumbing systems, hardware, and tools.
• Knowledge of best practices regarding sanitation, potable water, and the health and safety of gray water systems.
• Working knowledge of OSHA compliant personal protection equipment, first aid kits, and fire extinguishers.
• Must have been to Burning Man and be familiar with the event worksite, Black Rock City and its departments.
• Understanding of event production timelines, budgeting and inventory maintenance and working with integrated plans.
• Proficient at navigating digital and online technology; Able to proactively engage in advanced learning, teach and effectively update existing online applications, tools, systems, spreadsheets, and documents.
• Able to maintain consistent organization and tidiness in the work environment and in handling important information (ie, tracking, personnel data, goals and timelines, payroll, etc.)
• Effectively manages own time, the time of individual team members, and the efforts of the team as a whole.
• Clear, service-oriented and professional communication, verbally and written. Experienced with using 2 way radios and following radio protocol.
• Able to embody present and responsive leadership qualities for a diverse team while maintaining firm boundaries and adhering to set standards; Operates with a high level of behavioral integrity and reliability. 
• Able to integrate feedback into action, remain calm and focused under pressure or emergency situations, and maintain a professional demeanor that leads by example.
• Capable of working in an extreme environment including drastic temperature changes, high winds, poor air quality and low to no visibility at times.
• Ability to temporarily relocate for work at the Burning Man event held in Gerlach, Nevada.

Preferred

• OSHA 10/30 Certification (Maybe acquired through in-house training)
• Experience supervising major projects in remote wilderness and/or desert environments. 
• First-Aid knowledge.

Note: If you have gained the necessary experience to succeed in this role and have acquired this experience in other ways, we encourage you to apply and share all relevant experience in your application.

 LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS

• Valid driver’s license and a good driving record

COMPENSATION

Individual compensation decisions are dependent on a variety of factors, including prior experience and geographical location. The anticipated rate for this position:

• From April - July is $20.00 to $25.00 per hour.
• From August - September is $1300.00 to $1400.00 per week.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Off-playa:  Work is primarily sedentary in nature, no special demands are required.
• On-playa:  This position requires periods of heavy lifting, bending, kneeling, squatting, and climbing. This position will be physically demanding, and requires individuals with good physical health, and endurance. Work will include the need to find and meet with department representatives who may not be in the vicinity, therefore this could include walking or using some form of transportation. Much of the work will be in outside weather conditions and will be exposed to fumes or airborne particles as well as possible extremes in temperature.

NOTICE FOR ALL APPLICANTS:

• Burning Man Project celebrates the importance of creating a diverse environment and enthusiastically encourages Black, Indigenous, Peoples of Color, LGBTQIA+, Immigrant, women, and people with disabilities, of all ages, to apply.
• Burning Man Project provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
• Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.