Landfill Heavy Equipment Operator

Description

Recruitment Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent;
• Three (3) years of experience operating heavy equipment;
• Valid New Mexico Driver's License with a driving record acceptable to the City of Alamogordo;
• Or any equivalent combination of education, experience, and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

• New Mexico A/B/C (Petro) Operator certification issued by an authorized provider such as Petro Classroom.

• Asbestos Abatement Contractor/Supervisor (Initial) certification issued by an EPA-approved asbestos training provider.

• Solid Waste Facility Operator Certification issued by the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED).

• Solid waste experience.

Essential Duties

• Has daily interaction with waste inspection, screening, and processing, including household, commercial waste, and asbestos; 
• Operates landfill vehicles and equipment, including compactors, scrapers, bulldozers, rubber tire loaders, tractors, water trucks, motor graders, and pickup trucks; 
• Conducts pre-operation inspections of landfill;
• Compiles daily equipment logs and reports as required;
• Excavates new fill sites and covers fill sites with dirt;
• Loads and hauls dirt to various locations within the landfill site;
• Compacts waste after disposal;
• Sprays water on roads and covered sites to accomplish dust control; builds new roads and berms and smooths old roads within the solid waste disposal sites;
• Accepts, processes, and covers asbestos in accordance with guidelines;
• Assists with surveying new fill cells;
• Assists with air quality monitoring, leachate monitoring, and disposal;
• Maintains and repairs perimeter fencing;
• Cleans areas near dump sites to reduce blowing trash;
• Conducts customer trash inspections and fills out appropriate inspection sheets;
• Ensures that there are no hazardous materials entering the landfill;
• Identifies fill areas to be used for dumping solid waste; watches for hazardous materials; spots customers that come into dumping area and helps pull or push machines or customers that may get stuck;
• Performs periodic preventive maintenance on equipment and vehicles;
• Fuels, greases, and completes minor repairs of equipment when needed;
• Identifies equipment problems and reports problems to supervisor to schedule repairs;
• Attends waste management-related training;
• On a daily basis, responsible for cleaning up after oneself and assisting in janitorial duties to ensure that the work area and shop are maintained in a safe, neat, clean, and orderly condition; participates in keeping the common areas clean and immediately reports any concerns about workplace cleanliness or items in any landfill facility that are damaged, broken, or missing to the manager;
• Safely operates City vehicles;
• Contributes to a high-quality work culture through participation in training and mentoring to develop skills, including safety-related training and skills; 
• Interacts professionally and provides excellent customer service to all levels of City staff and citizens to ensure high operational and service standards; and
• Performs duties in accordance with the Employee Manual, Department Policies and Procedures, City of Alamogordo Ordinances, and any applicable State or Federal authority.

• Must obtain and maintain required license(s) and/or certification(s);
• Provides on-the-job training to less experienced personnel as assigned; 
• May be called upon to provide functional direction and guidance on a project basis as needed;
• Occasional non-traditional work hours may be necessary during evenings, weekends, and on holidays;
• Maintains the confidentiality of information obtained during the performance of duties; and
• Performs such other duties as may be assigned.

• Safe operation of vehicles and equipment used under the provisions of the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Code;
• Asbestos disposal techniques; local, state, and federal solid waste procedures and policies; solid waste maintenance techniques;
• Job related O.S.H.A requirements; and
• Landfill regulations and procedures regarding the disposal of solid waste and asbestos.

• Demonstrate proficiency in both oral and written communication; understand and follow instructions;
• Perform tasks and other daily activities in a positive and professional manner alongside employees of varied backgrounds and personalities;
• Attend work, as scheduled and on a regular basis, to effectively perform the position's essential duties and responsibilities;
• Exercise common sense and good judgment in the performance of essential duties;            
• Perform strenuous work outdoors and tolerate outside working conditions, including exposure to adverse weather conditions;
• Safely operate landfill vehicles, tools, and equipment; 
• Demonstrate professionalism and tact with the public; respond quickly and positively to customer complaints;
• Work proficiently without direct supervision;
• Maintain professionalism under pressure;
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work; and
• Provide excellent customer service to ensure high operational and service standards are met and maintained for the citizens of Alamogordo.

Work Environment

• Work is typically performed outdoors and may be subject to inclement weather conditions;
• Daily physical labor that includes extended periods of walking, sitting, standing, kneeling, bending, reaching, climbing ladders, lifting heavy objects, swinging heavy hammers;
• May be subject to repetitive motion such as painting, digging, driving;
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud;
• May be exposed to hazardous chemicals, contaminants, toxins, pollutants, or allergens which can adversely affect the skin and/or the respiratory system, such as gases, smoke, odors, mists, fumes, dust, pollen, oils, solvents, pesticides and/or herbicides;
• Hazards include exposure to insects, rodents, snakes, and other wildlife typical of the southwest;
• Will work near gas lines, meters, and other utilities, including electricity;
• Terrain may be uneven or undeveloped;
• Lift and/or move items weighing up to fifty (50) pounds; the lifting of any object greater than fifty (50) pounds by a single individual is prohibited. Lifting objects, materials, or equipment weighing more than fifty (50) pounds requires the buddy system or the use of devices designed to assist with lifting or moving. Proper lifting techniques shall be used when lifting items of any weight; and
• Required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriate for job assignments, including protective footwear, marked by the manufacturer, with a minimum standard of M/F I/75/C75, 6" ankle height work boots, per current ASTM F2413 standard.

Agency