Job Title: Heavy Equipment Operator 1

Company Info

Circular Services, the largest privately held recycling and organics provider in the U.S., strengthens this mission through its national scale and long-term municipal partnerships. It operates over 25 facilities serving major long-term municipal and commercial contracts. The mission of Circular Services is to keep valuable materials in circulation and minimize the cost and environmental impact of landfills. The company services municipal contracts with some of the largest and fastest growing cities in the U.S. including New York City, Austin, San Antonio, and Phoenix.

Generate Upcycle, now part of Circular Services, is a leading organics recycling and composting provider dedicated to helping people and communities contribute to something greater. Generate Upcycle expands access to composting for homes, businesses, and municipalities, managing a wide range of organic materials—including yard waste, food waste, and biosolids—through advanced grinding, blending, and aerated composting systems that produce high-quality compost.

Together, Generate Upcycle and Circular Services deliver a unified, mission-driven platform for sustainable resource recovery, offering communities reliable, environmentally responsible recycling and organics solutions nationwide.

About the Role:

The Heavy Equipment Operator will safely operate heavy equipment, such as loaders and trucks, to manufacture compost and other soil amendments.

 Shift: This position typically operates Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Including weekends, schedule flexibility is important as hours may vary based on operational needs.

Responsibilities

• Safely and effectively operate various forms of heavy equipment to move products and feed shredders, grinders, and screens
• Upload Daily Production Reports
• Safely load product onto roll off containers or walking floor trailers
• Perform daily maintenance and safety checks of equipment
• Maintain a clean and organized working environment
• Observe and comply with all applicable safety regulations, rules, policies, and procedures
• Report any safety concerns/hazards or defects to leadership on site when identified
• Maintain collaborative working relationships with drivers, operators, and coworkers
• Participate in external, Department and Company-wide trainings to increase skill sets and improve service
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned

Minimum Job Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or GED preferred
• State issued driver's license
• OSHA 10 or higher certificate preferred

Preferred Job Qualifications:                                                                                                                                

• One (1) year or more of related experience operating heavy equipment required
• Experience in the compost industry preferred
• Basic awareness of federal, state, and local job site health and safety rules, regulations, and best practices
• Ability to operate equipment with precision for loading, lifting, and transporting materials, safely and efficiently
• Conduct pre-operation inspections and perform minor maintenance
• Knowledge of load capacities, center of gravity, and safe lifting techniques to prevent tipping or equipment damage
• Identifying common mechanical issues and reporting malfunctions or damage for repairs
• Strong understanding of surroundings to operate safely near workers, vehicles, and obstacles
• Communicate effectively with team members and external customers
• Ability to quickly adjust methods or paths based on terrain, obstructions, or material behavior
• Committed to maintaining productivity and safety
• Ability to be a team-player for overall company success

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

Normal work environment is outdoors, with exposure to all weather conditions, dirt, high levels of noise, smells/odors and at times exposure to dangerous and/or toxic substances requiring necessary precautions, including PPE.

The physical demands described here are representative of those which must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.

• Position requires the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) including, but not limited to, hearing protection, safety-toed boots, utility gloves, hard hat, reflective vest, and safety glasses.
• Ability to sit for extended periods while operating heavy equipment, as well as enter and exit equipment safely and repeatedly throughout the workday.
• Manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination are necessary to operate machinery controls with precision.
• Auditory and visual acuity to monitor surroundings, equipment sounds, and safety signals (with or without corrective devices).
• Frequent walking, standing, bending, stooping, climbing, and kneeling required in outdoor and uneven terrain environments.
• Tolerance to work in environments with strong odors, dust, humidity, and varying weather conditions (hot, cold, wet).
• Must be able to lift, push, pull, and carry up to 35 pounds regularly, and up to 50 lbs. with assistance.

EEOC: Circular Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment of Any Kind: Circular Services is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Circular Services are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV Status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. Circular Services will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.