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Solid Waste Operator I

City of Fort Myers
City of Fort Myers Salary
Fort Myers, FL Full Time
POSTED ON 9/30/2025
AVAILABLE BEFORE 10/29/2025
The City of Fort Myers strives to be an employer of choice and most of our employees turn jobs into long term careers. The salary shown in the job description is the full range for this position from entry to later career.

NEW EMPLOYEES ARE HIRED AT, OR NEAR THE ENTRY POINT SHOWN, DEPENDING ON QUALIFICATIONS AND RELEVANT EXPERIENCE.

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt Safety Sensitive: YES Level II Screening: NO

Under the general direction of the designated supervisor, responsible for the operation of a solid waste vehicle and the removal of trash and recycling at homes and businesses, and/or special pickups. Assist other crews/employees to ensure daily tasks are completed as needed. This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Responsibilities And Reporting During An Emergency Situation

Essential Employees may be required to work during a declared emergency. Depending on the nature of the emergency, this may require working around the clock for several days on short notice.

Non Essential Employees will not be required to work during a declared emergency. The employee’s Department Head will determine when the employee will be required to work.

Perks And Benefits

  • Free city-paid employee health coverage, additional for spouse or family
  • 3 weeks Paid Time Off (sick & vacation)
  • 13 paid holidays
  • Pension plan & optional Deferred Compensation
  • City-paid life insurance
  • Optional Vision, Dental, and Disability Insurance
  • Tuition reimbursement
  • On-site Gym facility
  • And much more!
  • Operates solid waste vehicle(s) and the collection of trash/recycling along an assigned route.
  • Transports and disposes trash and recycling materials at authorized designated disposal area.
  • Provides information to customers regarding trash/recycling pickup schedules and answer inquiries about trash and recycling materials, and disposal of hazardous materials.
  • Performs pre-trip and post-trip inspection of equipment, ensuring vehicle receives necessary maintenance and is kept in a safe working condition.
  • Informs supervisor regarding any safety issues or concerns, routes, customer complaints, and status of equipment.
  • Maintains route sheets, timesheets, vehicle inspection form, billing records.
  • Assists Tradesworker II in the Solid Waste Maintenance Department with all duties on an as needed basis.
  • Assists with the delivery and removal of carts, commercial dumpsters, roll offs and compactors.
  • Reports any carts/dumpsters requiring repair or replacement.
  • This position requires regular and reliable attendance and the employee's physical presence at the workplace
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

  • Working knowledge of the operation and maintenance of heavy trucks (Class 8 – 16 ½ tons or larger) or solid waste equipment.
  • General knowledge of the mechanical operation of the equipment.
  • Knowledgeable in occupational safety rules, practices and personal protective equipment associated with performing duties using solid waste vehicles and equipment, in traffic and in adverse weather conditions.
  • Knowledgeable in the City and State rules, regulations and protocols.
  • Ability to operate a large truck and operate it efficiently
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
  • Ability to adapt to performing under frequent deadlines and/or in response to emergencies.
  • Ability to operate vehicles and necessary equipment in Solid Waste Division efficiently.
  • Ability to receive and understand oral and written directions in English.
  • Ability to recognize and address common safety issues in the field.
  • Ability to detect improper functioning mechanical systems.
  • High School diploma or GED. Experience, and/or training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be substituted for the High School diploma or GED.
  • One year experience in the operation of heavy vehicles (Class 8 – 16 ½ tons or larger) or any solid waste equipment
  • Must possess a valid Florida class "B" Florida Commercial Driver's License, with airbrake endorsement with an acceptable driving record.
  • Department of Transportation (D.O.T.) Mandatory Drug/Alcohol Testing required.

This work typically requires the following physical activities to be performed.

  • Balancing – maintain equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing, or crouching.
  • Climbing – ascending, descending ladders, stairs, ramps, requires body agility.
  • Crawling – moving about on hands, knees, or hands, feet.
  • Crouching – bending body forward by bending leg, spine.
  • Feeling – perceiving attributes of objects by touch with skin, fingertips.
  • Fingering – picking, pinching, typing, working with fingers rather than hand.
  • Grasping – applying pressure to object with fingers, palm.
  • Handling – picking, holding, or working with whole hand.
  • Hearing 1 – perceiving sounds at normal speaking levels, receive information.
  • Hearing 2 – receive detailed information, make discrimination in sound.
  • Kneeling – bending legs at knee to come to rest at knees.
  • Lifting – raising objects from lower to higher position, moving objects side to side, using upper extremities, back.
  • Mental Acuity – ability to make rational decisions through sound logic, deductive reasoning.
  • Pushing – use upper extremities to press against objects with force, or thrust forward, downward, outward.
  • Reaching – extending hands or arms in any direction.
  • Repetitive Motion – substantial movements of wrists, hands, fingers.
  • Speaking – expressing ideas with spoken word, convey detailed, important instructions accurately, concisely.
  • Standing – for sustained periods of time.
  • Stooping – bending body downward, forward at waist, with full motion of lower extremities and back.
  • Talking 1- expressing ideas by spoken word
  • Talking 2 – shouting to be heard above ambient noise.
  • Visual Acuity 2 - color, depth perception, field of vision.
  • Visual Acuity 3 - determine accuracy, neatness, observe facilities/structures.
  • Visual Acuity 4 - operate motor vehicles/heavy equipment.
  • Visual Acuity 5 -close acuity for inspection of small defects, machines, use measurement devices, or fabricate parts.
  • Pulling - use upper extremities to exert force, haul or tug.
  • Walking - on foot to accomplish tasks, long distances, or site to site.

Work Performed Is Primarily

  • Heavy work: Exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally,
  • and/or up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects

WORK ENVIRONMENT

  • Tasks are performed outside, subject to weather conditions and uneven terrain, and risk of exposure to toxic agents/chemicals, pathogens, and smoke.
  • Contact with internal and external customers, vendors and the general public
  • Ability to perform strenuous work in varying and adverse weather conditions.
  • Must have the ability to work after hours, including nights, weekends, holidays and during emergencies.
  • May be required to work hours other than the regular schedule including on call hours

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions described herein. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.

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