Assistant Manager – Compost & Soil Operations

Lautenbach Recycling•Mount Vernon, WA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Skagit Soils is seeking an Assistant Manager for their Compost & Soil Operations. This is a working leadership role where the individual will be responsible for both operational tasks and leading a small crew. The Assistant Manager will work closely with the Site Manager to ensure production runs smoothly, troubleshoot issues, and manage the day-to-day operations. The ideal candidate will have an understanding of composting or material flow in a yard environment and be ready for a leadership position.

Requirements

Experience in composting, soils, landscaping materials, recycling, or similar outdoor operations
Solid loader experience
Mechanical knowledge
Comfortable working outside year-round in a fast-moving yard
Ability to step up, take ownership, and lead by example
Interest in growing into a Site Manager or Operations leadership role

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with screeners, grinders, or similar processing equipment
Understanding of how material behaves—wet vs dry, contaminated vs clean, finished vs raw

Responsibilities

Keep material moving from inbound yard waste to finished product
Build, turn, and manage windrows with attention to moisture, temperature, oxygen, and contamination
Blend soils and compost products to spec (topsoil mixes, amended soils, etc.)
Run and support screening operations—adjusting feed rates, monitoring output quality, and managing overs/regrinds
Maintain clean, organized stockpiles and efficient yard layout
Operate loaders for feeding grinders and screeners, blending materials, building windrows, and managing stockpiles
Operate screeners (trommel/deck screens), adjusting feed rates and managing output
Operate grinders, feeding material correctly and watching for contamination
Perform daily equipment walkarounds and care
Lead a crew of approximately 6-7 employees during a shift
Set the pace for the day and adjust as needed
Assist wherever needed, demonstrating a working lead approach
Train new hires on equipment basics, safety, and workflow
Act as the site lead when the manager is unavailable
Monitor traffic flow for customers, trucks, and loaders
Enforce safe practices
Identify and address potential safety issues such as unstable piles or blind spots
Ensure incoming material meets acceptance standards
Assist customers with product selection and loading
Provide basic guidance to customers
Operate the scale house during breaks or coverage needs
Handle customer issues calmly and professionally
Identify and communicate operational inefficiencies or problems with layout, process, or equipment flow
Contribute to improving efficiency without compromising quality