Solid Waste Specialist, Senior (Waste Disposal Division)

About the Department

Work, Serve, Thrive. With the City of Durham 
Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve.


Hiring Range: $52,903.00 - $67,526.00
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, 7:30AM to 4:30PM (Thursdays off) and available to work every Saturday, 7:30AM to 12:30PM.  

The Environmental and Street Services (ESS) Department collaborates with community partners to provide exceptional customer service and outstanding management of waste collection, recycling and disposal services that are safe, efficient, cost-effective and environmentally sound. Our work enhances the appearance of the City while ensuring its sustainability. If you’re looking for meaningful work and the chance to serve, bring your skills and talent to Durham!

ESS is devoted to maintaining and repairing City property, vehicles, roads and traffic systems, equipment and facilities, providing custodial services, and collecting, transporting and disposing municipal solid and yard waste through the performance of semi-skilled and skilled labor and technical work.

Our employees provide specialized paraprofessional and skilled technical maintenance work that require sufficient subject-matter knowledge and expertise in an assigned field to reconcile and verify the work of others; train others; serve as an escalation point for problem-solving; coordinate processes; implement policies and procedures and provide technical assistance to higher level staff.

Decision-making is limited to organizing tasks in more complex operational processes that include coordination of logistics and handling of unanticipated factors within standard policies and procedures to meet established goals. Perform highly technical maintenance work or lead work crews performing basic and complex labor, equipment operation, construction, maintenance, and/or repair tasks. Responsible for ensuring daily activity logs and reports are correctly completed; assigning work; inspecting work; ensuring quality control; operating complex equipment; and performing the most complex of tasks related to the work assignment.

Position Duties

• May perform lead duties including assigning and inspecting work, coordinating safety training, and ensuring quality control and compliance with applicable operations, policies, and procedures at the Waste Disposal and Recycling Center.
•  Performs tasks related to the work assignment; debris loading, hauling, and disposal operations at the Waste Disposal and Recycling Center.
• Operates complex equipment, as assigned, including (but not limited to) roll-off truck, dump-truck, wheeled and track loaders.
• Ensures that daily activity logs and reports are correctly completed; monitors inventory; proof work and reviews of the work of others to ensure accuracy and completeness.
• Provides customer service; responds customer questions, and concerns; troubleshoots complex issues; and provides information on policies and procedures.
• As assigned, may serve as a lead worker, assigning work and monitoring work completion.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent (GED, HiSet, TASC).
• Four years of equipment operation/driving experience or technical maintenance experience related to assignment.
• One year of additional technical training in the area of assignment.
• Class B CDL.
• Incumbents must complete job related and/or safety training based on assignment, such as (but not limited to) lock out/tag out, CPR, emergency evacuation training.

Other Qualifications

• Willing and able to work in various types of weather conditions (high temperatures, snow, rain, sleet, etc.).
• Type 1 Freon Removal Refrigerant Recovery and SWANA Transfer Station Operator certifications should be obtained within first year of employment.