Heavy Equipment Operator

**Our Story**:
Committed to fostering opportunities for current and future generations, the Region of Waterloo is an inclusive, thriving, and sustainable region of connected rural and urban communities with global reach. Our mission is to serve, engage and inspire, by delivering quality services to a diverse population of 630,000+, while creating a healthy, collaborative environment of learning, respect, and innovation.

This is a place where employees are valued and recognized for their talents and contributions to our success. Our employees take pride in making a difference in people's lives through the work that we do. We are looking for people like you to help make it happen.

**Description of Duties**:
Loads and unloads waste, recycling, and waste diversion materials at waste management sites; hauls, levels, compacts, and covers landfill tipping face daily. Participates in a heavy equipment rotation, operating heavy equipment such as bulldozers, compactors, hydraulic excavator, articulating dump trucks, roll-off trucks, water trucks, and front end loaders. Maintains areas of the site, heavy equipment, and tools as required.

**Duties/Responsibilities**:
Operates a rubber tire loader and excavator inside transfer stations. Loads and unloads transport trailers containing waste and recyclable materials for transfer from Cambridge to Waterloo waste management sites.

Builds and maintains roadways, staging, and drop off areas. Removes rubble from roadways and stockpiles for reuse. Operates equipment safely amid interruptions and in close proximity of others; watches for other drivers, and adjusts own equipment driving as needed.

Operates articulating dump truck to haul material for daily cover, topsoil, and clay for capping, as well as woodchips, aggregates, excavated garbage, and slag.

Operates hydraulic excavator to load material for daily cover and clay for capping. Operates excavator to clean and dig ditches, install culverts, dig clay keys, and for other projects. Digs trenches to approved gradient.

Uses GPS system to build landfill cells, slopes to achieve designed grades, heights, and compaction.

Operates compactor to push, compact, and cover refuse or push and compact clay as required at the tipping area.

Operates loader to turn leaves for compost pile; maintain brush, metal, tire, and shingle piles. Packs garbage bins at transfer stations. Assists contractors at the Materials Recycling Centre (MRC) by helping stockpile recyclable material. Loads various recyclable, road building, and other materials. Performs snow removal at the waste management site.

Operates roll-off truck to pick up bins at waste management sites. Tarps loads and hauls material to designated drop off areas.

Operates bulldozer to strip, push and layer material at waste management sites. Digs holes in tipping face to properly dispose of loads requiring special handling. Builds landfill cells to designated/designed elevation and grade.

Operates water truck to wet down or flush roads when required at waste management sites. Operates truck to clean heavy equipment.

During/post-operating, inspects and maintains equipment, including using hand spade, bar, knife, and pressure washer to clean equipment tracks of mud. Occasionally uses other heavy equipment, wire cutters, bolt cutters, and tow straps to clear wire or metal pieces. Blows radiator clean using air compressor and removes air filters for cleaning or replacement. Notifies lead hand/supervisor regarding issues.

Notifies Spotter and lead hand when appropriate when potentially hazardous or banned material is suspected/identified. Assists to maintain equipment (e.g., removing/turning cutting edges, washing equipment, replacing tow cables and tarps).

Performs general maintenance duties (e.g., painting and repairing bins, maintaining rear doors on bins, other housekeeping), as required.

Performs related duties as assigned.

**Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required**:
Knowledge of reading, writing, and math skills and proficiency in the safe operation of heavy equipment, with a minimum of loader, bulldozer, compactor, roll-off truck and excavator, acquired through a Grade 12 education plus 3 years of experience in a similar environment, or equivalent OR a Grade 10 education plus 3 years of directly related experience.

Knowledge of and ability to follow job-related corporate and divisional policies, procedures, and standard operating procedures, and Provincial and Federal legislation (e.g., Occupational Health and Safety Act, Environmental Protection Act, Highway Traffic Act).

Knowledge of GPS system to build landfill cells, slopes to achieve designated grades, heights, and compaction.

Communication skills to exchange/ provide information to contractors, supervisors, co-workers (including using a two-way radio), and customers; and participate as an effective team member.

Ability to read and understand owners manuals, GPS system for surveying, safety policies and manuals