Senior Solid Waste Operator

City of Tulare•Tulare, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Join Our Team: Drive Your Career Forward as a Senior Solid Waste Operator! Are you an experienced driver and equipment operator looking for a stable, impactful career with excellent stability? Do you take pride in keeping communities clean, safe, and running smoothly? If you have a passion for mechanical work, operating heavy machinery, and delivering top-tier service, we want you on our team. As a Senior Solid Waste Operator, you will play a vital role in our city's daily health and infrastructure. This journey-level position offers the perfect balance of independent route operations, hands-on fleet maintenance, and community interaction. The City of Tulare is a vibrant and steadily growing community with a population of 70,693 located in the heart of California's Central Valley. The organization, staffed with 402 full-time employees, enjoys a culture of fiscal conservatism, collaboration, teamwork and dedication to public service and our community. We are currently recruiting to fill two immediate vacancies and an eligible list will also be established to fill future vacancies in this classification for a period of up to six months. To be considered for this outstanding career opportunity applicants must submit a detailed application with detailed information in each section of the application: Education, Work Experience, Certificates and Licenses, and Skills. In addition to submitting a detailed application, applicants are required to respond to the supplemental questions associated with the application. Responses to the supplemental questions will be used to help us evaluate applicants’ qualifying knowledge, skills, and abilities. Resumes may be attached but will not be accepted in lieu of a complete, detailed application or in lieu of detailed responses to the supplemental questions.

Requirements

Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth (12th) grade.
One (1) year of experience in solid waste collection and disposal including equipment maintenance and repair work.
Possession of a valid Class B California driver's license with air brake endorsement.
Knowledge of solid waste collection and disposal principles, practices, vehicles, tools, and equipment for maintaining sanitation and cleanliness of a City, including residential and commercial solid waste collection.
Knowledge of the operation and minor maintenance of a variety of tools, vehicles, and equipment.
Knowledge of applicable Federal, State, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
Knowledge of safety equipment and practices related to the work, including the handling of hazardous solid waste.
Knowledge of safe driving rules and practices.
Knowledge of techniques for providing a high level of customer service to the public and City staff, in person and over the telephone.
Ability to participate in solid waste collection and disposal operations and related projects.
Ability to safely and effectively use, operate, and maintain the full range of equipment and tools required for the work.
Ability to perform routine equipment maintenance.
Ability to work with heavy automotive equipment requiring good motor coordination and physical strength.
Ability to perform heavy manual labor for extended periods of time in all types of weather.
Ability to troubleshoot maintenance problems and determine materials and supplies required for repair.
Ability to maintain accurate logs, records, and basic reports of work performed.
Ability to follow department policies and procedures related to assigned duties.
Ability to operate a motor vehicle safely.
Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
Ability to organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
Ability to communicate effectively in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
Ability to use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.

Nice To Haves

Mentor and train junior staff.

Responsibilities

Safely operate a wide range of commercial vehicles and equipment, including side/clam shell loaders, roll-off trucks, front loaders, skiploaders, and forklifts.
Efficiently collect and dispose of waste along residential and commercial routes, ensuring bins are properly positioned, packed, and maintained.
Conduct pre- and post-trip inspections, perform preventative maintenance, and keep vehicles in top operating condition.
Provide high-level customer service to residents, resolve routine inquiries, and help maintain clean city alleys and roadways.
Keep accurate daily activity logs, report equipment issues, and strictly adhere to safe work methods and hazardous waste handling guidelines.
Perform routine to complex solid waste collection and disposal of prescribed residential and/or commercial routes, including cleaning waste around bins and truck, running compactor to pack loads to appropriate weight, and positioning dumpsters for hoisting and replacing in assigned area.
Drive commercial sanitation vehicles on assigned routes and to points, scales, and transfer sites.
Operate a variety of solid waste vehicles, tools, and equipment, including side and clam shell loaders, roll off disposal trucks, front loaders, skiploaders, forklifts, and dump trucks in a safe and accurate manner.
Inspect and review condition of sanitation vehicles and equipment before and after routes; perform preventative maintenance of vehicles and equipment, including checking oil and water levels, brakes, and lights, changing tires, and draining air tanks; wash and clean vehicles; fill and grease vehicles.
Observe and report overweight, unsafe, or broken dumpsters to crew leader or supervisor, maintain bins on route; grease and tighten bolts as necessary.
Observe safe work methods and make appropriate use of related safety equipment as required.
Operate a variety of tools and equipment related to work assignment as instructed.
Maintain work areas in a clean and orderly condition, including cleaning alleys of illegal dumping, trimming trees to ensure safe passage of vehicles, and securing vehicles and equipment at the close of the workday.
Deliver and pick up containers for non-payment or new constructions; exchange damaged containers.
Issue notice to residential customers regarding sanitation violations; respond to complaints and answer questions from public or escalate to crew leader or supervisor, as necessary.
Respond to operations, maintenance, and repair emergency situations as required.
Maintain records and logs of daily activities; prepare reports as necessary.
May provide training to lower-level staff or new employees.
Perform related duties as assigned.