2224 - Equipment Operator Landfill / Wastewater Treatment Plant

Overall Job Objective

Position Description

This position is in the Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department.

Salary Grade: 44

Operates and maintains specialized equipment in the construction, operation, clean up, transport and disposal of wastewater materials and solid waste, depending upon area of assignment. Some positions have extensive public contact and are exposed to potential hazardous conditions, noxious or potentially hazardous materials and obnoxious odors.

An assessment may be administered.

Duties/Responsibilities

(Work assignments may vary depending on the department's needs and will be communicated to the applicant or incumbent by the supervisor.)

In a Landfill Setting:
Operates bulldozers, scrapers, graders, excavators, water wagons and front-end loaders, in municipal solid waste landfills to position and cover refuse with earth and excavates new landfills;
Operates compactors in municipal solid waste landfills to compact and crush refuse;
Watches for illegal dumping of hazardous material or illegal materials and reports to management;
Positions regulatory signs and directs traffic of garbage trucks and other vehicles to maintain smooth traffic flow and insure proper use of the landfill by the public;
Interacts with the customer to inform them of the landfill regulations, policies and laws and alerts proper authorities of violations;
Picks up refuse, litter and debris, keeping landfill clear of blowing materials;
Drives water truck to spread water on traffic areas and work areas for the purpose of reducing the amount of blowing dust and materials;
Performs operations of transfer station;
Performs minor equipment repairs and servicing;
Collects samples of solid waste, liquid, leachate or gas, conducts field screening test as required and forwards samples to laboratory for analysis;
May assist in containing and extinguishing landfill fires;
May assist in a medical emergency.

In a Wastewater Treatment Plant Setting:
Operates a variety of equipment such as graders, water trucks, backhoes, boom trucks, trenchers, dump trucks and front-end loaders, in a wastewater treatment facility, to maintain, transfer and transport waste products;
Operates compactors and conveyors to move waste material and load dump trucks for transport to drying beds or landfill;
Watches for and removes materials or items that may clog conveyor system;
Assists in cleaning sludge from aerators, tanks, and ponds using a skidsteer, crane, or dump truck and appropriate personal safety equipment or clothing and must be confined space certified;
Uses hand tools or equipment to load sludge from bottom of aerators into bucket for leading into dump truck;
Hauls waste material to landfill, ensuring compliance with environmental and dumping regulations as needed;
Maintains drying beds clean and uses appropriate equipment to move waste material to assure even drying;
Uses a front-end loader, grader, and/or dump truck to maintain drying beds, ponds, and nearby areas free of weeds and trimming trees;
Uses a backhoe to excavate around high volume lines and valves or repair sinkholes;
Operates vacuum trucks to clean out sumps;
Performs minor equipment repairs and servicing;
Participates in a variety of manual labor tasks when assisting mechanics and technicians.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:

Knowledge of:

• construction, operation and maintenance of municipal solid waste landfills;
• landfill traffic flow and dumping procedures;
• federal, state and local laws and regulations governing solid waste disposal in landfills;
• excavation procedures for new landfills and landfill drainage ways;
• service and maintenance of landfill equipment;
• hazardous materials and disposal of hazardous materials in landfills;
• combustible materials and containing and extinguishing fires;
• operation and procedures and regulations of a wastewater treatment facility;
• traffic laws, local, state and federal rules and regulations as applied to vehicle and equipment operation;
• procedures in the use of personal safety equipment;
• occupational hazards and accepted industry-wide safety standards;
• procedures in safe handling of and appropriate hauling and dumping of waste material.

Skill in:

• moving earth and refuse with dozers, compactors, graders and scrapers;
• safe operation of a variety of specialized heavy equipment and hand tools and equipment;
• constructing and maintaining new landfills and landfill drainage ways;
• using water trucks to water roads and refuse for the purpose of reducing blowing dust and materials;
• adhering to safety procedures that concern the disposal of hazardous waste;
• following safety procedures for handling and transport of waste material;
• directing traffic flow and positioning vehicles for proper dumping;
• alerting public to laws and contacting proper authorities when laws are violated;
• communicating effectively with the public regarding landfill operations and rules;
• reading site specifications and grade stakes.

Minimum Qualifications

(1) Three years of experience in the operations of heavy equipment/vehicles, which may include street sweepers, water trucks, asphaltic materials distributors, front-end loaders, graders/scrapers, backhoes, bulldozers, trenchers, tractors, tractor/semi-trailer combinations and like equipment. (Completion of a vocational/technical program from an accredited college or technical school in heavy equipment operations may be substituted for six months of the required experience.)
OR:
(2) One year of experience with Pima County as an Equipment Operator I.

Qualifying education and experience must be clearly documented in the "Education" and Work Experience" sections of the application. Do not substitute a resume for your application or write "see resume" on your application.

Preferred Qualifications: (Be specific in describing your experience in your application. Ensure the descriptions provided illustrate your competencies, specifically addressing the required and preferred qualifications.):

1. Experience in operating a variety of equipment such as graders, water trucks, backhoes, boom trucks, trenchers, dump truck tankers and front-end loaders.
2. Experience in over the road wet and dry material transporting and trailering equipment.
3. Knowledge of traffic laws, knowledge of local, state and federal rules and regulations pertaining to vehicle and heavy equipment operation procedures.
4. Possession of Class A (Arizona Commercial Driver's License) CDL with a Tanker endorsement.

Selection Procedure:
Pima County Human Resources Department reserves the right to admit to the selection process only those candidates that meet the minimum/desired qualifications. All applications will be assessed based on an evaluation of the listed education and experience. Candidates meeting the minimum/desired qualifications may be further evaluated/score against any advertised Preferred Qualifications. The hiring authority will interview and select the successful candidates from a referral list provided by Human Resources. Additional assessments/testing may be required as part of the selection process.
Supplemental Information

Licenses and Certificates: Requires a valid Arizona commercial driver license (CDL), with appropriate endorsements prior at the time of appointment. For these positions, failure to maintain the required CDL shall be grounds for termination. Positions requiring a CDL are also subject to applicable State of Arizona and federal standards, rules and regulations on physical requirements including drug and alcohol testing. Valid driver license is required at time of application. Valid AZ driver license is required at time of appointment. The successful applicant will be subject to a 39-month DOT Motor Vehicle Record review to determine applicants suitability to operate county vehicles in accordance with Pima County administrative procedures. Failure to obtain and maintain the required licenses and certifications shall be grounds for termination. Any offer of employment resulting from this recruitment is contingent upon Fleet Services review and approval of the candidates driving record.

Special Notice Items: Some positions may carry the risk of exposure to infectious diseases, blood-borne pathogens, asbestos or wastewater products, therefore special medical screening prior to or during employment may be necessary to assure employee health and safety. The County requires pre-employment background checks. Successful candidates will receive a post-offer, pre-employment background screening to include verification of work history, education and criminal conviction history. A prior criminal conviction will not automatically disqualify a candidate from employment with the County.

Physical/Sensory Requirements: Post-offer physical is required. Some positions may require the ability to: lift and carry up to seventy-five pound; safely operate assigned vehicles and other powered equipment; work in extremes of heat, humidity, dust and cold; safely wear required clothing and equipment; work with or in the presence of obnoxious odors; work with noxious or potentially hazardous chemicals, compounds or products; ascend and descend ladders and stairs to reach and work upon elevated or below-grade work platforms and job sites.