Austin Resource Recovery Operator Trainee (Curbside Collections: Recycle/Compost)

About This Position
Job Description:Austin Resource Recovery Operator Trainee
Purpose:
Under close supervision, this position operates vehicles and equipment and performs general labor in the collection and disposal of trash and recyclables or the recovery and processing of resources.
Duties, Functions and Responsibilities:
Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.
Picks up, processes, or disposes of trash, brush, litter, recyclables, bulky items, re-use items, or compostable items and dumps collected materials at designated dump sites/landfill.
Pre-trips all vehicles and heavy equipment, as required by management; maintains detailed vehicle and equipment records; and completes paperwork, forms, and reports related to collection activities.
Learns and follows routes, reads street maps, and micro-routes to locate route destinations.
Operates Rear-Loading Refuse Truck and other Austin Resource Recovery vehicles and equipment, as needed.
Performs basic vehicle inspections and maintenance and maintain vehicle records.
Uses hand tools such as backpack blower, rake, shovel, and sweep to stack, load, and unload smaller debris and litter.
Decides whether to pick up trash that is set out improperly. Provides information to customers when appropriate and responds to routine customer questions about work being performed. Places customer notices, door hangers, and public information literature.
Cleans up illegal dump sites, parkland, targeted homeless encampment sites and other sites with high volume of trash-related complaints or concerns throughout the city of Austin.
Follows all safety rules. Observes and reports accidents, burglaries, and hazardous situations.
Assists other ARR crews as directed and perform other duties as assigned.
Responsibilities - Supervisor and/or Leadership Exercised:
None.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.
Knowledge of equipment and vehicles used in waste services.
Skill in establishing and maintaining good working relationships with others.
Skill in operating power tools.
Skill in using small hand tools.
Skill in learning simple tasks.
Skill in lifting and carrying equipment or materials applicable to the work being performed.
Skill in reading and writing English necessary to the level of tasks performed.
Ability to understand oral and written instructions in English.
Ability to operate required vehicles safely.
Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
Ability to read, understand, and follow maps and mapping directions.
Minimum Qualifications:
One (1) year of experience performing general labor.
Current Commercial Driver License, Minimum Class B License.
To be considered for employment in this position, applicants must comply with Department of Transportation Federal Regulations and the City of Austin Drug Policy.
Licenses and Certifications Required:
Current Commercial Driver License, Minimum Class B License.
To be considered for employment in this position, applicants must comply with Department of Transportation Federal Regulations and the City of Austin Drug Policy.
Notes to Candidate:
Current City of Austin employees must apply through the internal Workday Jobs Hub. Applications submitted outside of the internal Workday Jobs Hub will not be considered for an interview.
Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) is a department of the City of Austin with over 530 employees. We provide essential services that protect people and our planet. We collect recycling, composting, trash, large brush, bulk items, household hazardous waste and dead animals. We also sweep the streets, offer Austin and Travis County residents a service to recycle and safely dispose of household hazardous waste and provide community outreach and education. ARR is driving the global transformation of traditional waste management to sustainable resource recovery. Learn more at AustinRecycles.com.
ARR Operators in the ARR Curbside Collections Services Division are responsible for collecting residential compost and/or recycle from 700–1,500 homes across the City of Austin. They operate large commercial vehicles such as rear loaders and Tonka trucks to transport materials to designated processing facilities. Duties include performing routine vehicle checks (cleaning, refilling fluids, pre and post inspections), reading street maps to locate route destinations, operating fleet technology, maintaining vehicle records, and training others in proper equipment use—all while providing courteous customer service to residents along the route.
This is a physically demanding position that requires boarding and exiting the cab of collection trucks, stepping on and off rear steps using hand and foot holds, and retrieving refuse carts or bags weighing 50+ pounds from house to house with continual stretching, bending, and stooping. Work is performed outdoors in extreme heat, cold, and other inclement weather. Employees must also be available to work holidays, weekends, after hours, seasonal shift changes, and in other work groups as needed to meet business demands.
Days/Hours:
Monday – Friday, 5:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Employee will be required to work holidays, after hours, weekends, seasonal shift changes and other areas due to business needs.
Salary: $23.34 – $26.61 per hour
Location: 4108 Todd Lane, Austin, Texas 78744
Criminal Background Investigation: This position does not require a Criminal Background Investigation.
Additional Information:
A competency assessment may be required to verify your skill set.
This posting may be used to fill other similar positions within Austin Resource Recovery outside of the division listed above.
Benefits:
Working with the City of Austin at Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) provides a number of health and welfare benefits, such as medical, paid leave time, a great retirement plan, training opportunities and more! Learn more about City of Austin benefits.
This position is considered an essential position, which means it is expected that an employee comes to work during any City Closure or emergency to include bad weather and any other unexpected events or shutdowns.
Physical requirements for Operational Positions:
The employee is required to perform the following tasks during the normal course of an approximately eight (8) to ten (10) hour day, four (4) to six (6) days a week.
This position involves sitting while driving a commercial refuse vehicle as well as entering or exiting the cab and the rear step of the truck using hand and foot holds pulling body weight about 18-36 inches around 1250 times per day. The employee will apply up to 100 pounds of force occasionally and less force frequently to move objects. The position requires constant standing and grasping of hand holds roughly 32-54 inches from step to handle while riding on the back of the truck with frequent stops. This will involve continuous use of arms, shoulders, legs and feet to operate drive/steering inputs. Additionally, the employee will frequently be expected to perform tasks involving stretching, bending, twisting, squatting, kneeling, pushing/pulling, lifting and stooping while inspecting vehicle, while pushing/pulling 50+ pound refuse containers or throwing items into a refuse truck at approximately 5 feet high.
This position walks from house to house to retrieve carts, brush, bulk, and bags for approximately 8-10 hours during a normal workday and works in extreme heat, cold, rain and other bad weather. Additional hazards include working close to mechanical parts, oils, fumes/odors/gases, noise, repetitive motions and vibration which expose joints and muscles to vibration and shock produced by the truck as well as walking near traffic, uneven surfaces, mud, snow, ice or rain daily. Employees may come in contact with blood and/or other potentially infectious materials.
Employees must have sufficiently good eyesight to drive and inspect trucks and other equipment. Additionally, listening while driving is necessary to hear emergency vehicles and other issues with traffic or operational equipment. Employees must also be able to