Day Shift Equipment Operator (Tacoma, WA)

Waste Connections

1d•$26 - $27•Onsite

About The Position

Recovery 1, a trusted name in environmental services and a proud member of the Waste Connections family, is seeking a skilled and safety-focused Equipment Operator to join our Recycling Center team in Tacoma, WA. This is a hands-on, outdoor role where you’ll operate heavy equipment to support essential waste and recycling operations that serve the local community. Pay: $26.00–$26.50 per hour (DOE) with regular wage increases Schedule: Monday–Friday, 6:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (5–7 hours of overtime per week as needed) This is a hands-on, outdoor position at our sorting facility. You’ll operate front loaders and skid steers, help keep work areas clean and organized, and follow safety standards that protect you and your team. At Waste Connections, we value people who show up, work safely, treat others with respect, and take pride in doing the job right. We know great employees come from diverse industrial backgrounds—if your heavy equipment experience is recent and hands-on, we encourage you to apply. At Waste Connections, diversity and inclusion are essential to our success. We hire and empower great, capable people from a wide variety of backgrounds and lead with our values. For more than 20 years, we have maintained a culture of safety, integrity and service to build a great place to work. Our culture is built on taking care of each other and the communities we serve.

Requirements

Minimum of 2 years of recent, hands-on heavy equipment experience in an industrial environment (recycling center, transfer station, landfill, construction, quarry, etc.)
Verifiable experience operating front loaders and skid steers safely and independently
Ability to lift 50 lbs unassisted and perform physical duties throughout the shift
Ability to work outdoors year-round with strong situational awareness
Proven commitment to safety through consistent PPE use and adherence to procedures
Ability to read, speak, and understand English for safety-critical communication (Spanish is a plus)
Reliable attendance and ability to work scheduled hours, including 5–7 hours of overtime as needed
Willingness to take direction and adapt to changing tasks or equipment

Nice To Haves

Experience working in a recycling center, transfer station, or landfill
Ability to operate additional equipment (excavator, yard goat/hostling, forklift)
Experience in safety-sensitive, fast-paced industrial environments
Strong communication and teamwork skills
Familiarity with daily equipment inspections and timely reporting

Responsibilities

Safely operate front loaders and skid steers to support daily site operations
Conduct daily equipment inspections, identify issues, and report maintenance needs promptly
Maintain clean, organized, hazard-free work areas and workstations
Follow company safety policies, procedures, and PPE requirements at all times
Communicate clearly with team members and supervisors to meet operational goals
Take direction from senior employees and adapt to changing assignments or equipment needs on short notice