Solid Waste Services Operator - Downtown

Solid Waste Services Operator - Downtown

Location

Solid Waste Division, 235 Operations Center Dr., NC

Job Type

Full Time-Regular

Job Number

FY27-00040

Department

Solid Waste Services

Opening Date

09/10/2026

Closing Date

9/23/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Post-Offer Required Pre-Employment Screenings

Driving History Check

Criminal History Check

Education Verification

Drug Screen

Post Offer Employment Testing

Approved Hiring Salary/Range

$24.72

Full Salary Range

$22.99 - $35.63

Working Hours

Wednesday - Sunday, 3:30 am Till 12pm.

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

The City of Wilmington is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Position Description

One City. One team. One mission

Do you like to work at your own pace, finish your day on time, and make a real impact by keeping the community clean?

The City is seeking a dependable, safety-minded Solid Waste Operator to operate a non CDL-required trash truck or flat bed truck on a daily route in the Central Business District in historic downtown Wilmington. This position involves the collect of customers refuse in bags, large bulky items, and recycling in a manner that is safe and responsible, which is accomplished by driving a daily route, disposing of trash at an appropriate site by using the truck ejection system or dump body.

Other duties include assisting other operators as needed by delivering blue trash bags to businesses; daily street cleaning with brooms, shovels, hoses, pressure washer; changing out plastic bags in public trash cans; emptying ash trays; daily maintenance of public restrooms in the Central Business District; working on City holidays and during festivals; delivering carts or barrels for special events and cleaning the vehicles weekly

Work schedule will require early morning hours as well as weekends and most holidays.

Typical Tasks

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

• OPERATE TRUCKS by performing required morning pre-trip and evening post-trip inspections, learning assigned route, and safely unloading collected materials

• COLLECT AND DISPOSE OF WASTE AND RECYCLEABLES by ensuring disposal guidelines by item type are followed and maintain safe practices at all times

• DAILY STREET AND SIDEWALK SANITATION by use of hand and powered tools like brooms, shovels and pressure washers

• SUPPORT SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS to include working City holidays and festivals, delivering carts or barrels for special events, assisting other drivers as needed, and cleaning the truck weekly

• MAINTAIN A CLEAN AND SAFE WORK ENVIRONMENT by following safety protocols and proper equipment operation procedures

Qualifications

Education & Experience: High School Diploma or GED and one (1) year of related solid waste collection experience.

Note: sufficient job-related experience may be used in lieu of the educational requirement if such experience provides the necessary knowledge, skill, and abilities to perform the functions of the position.

Other Requirements: Valid Drivers License with with an acceptable driving record; ability to lift 75lbs for extended periods of time and perform duties in inclement weather conditions; ability to obtain FEMA independent study course certificate and City licensure for golf cart operation within 60 days of hire.

Note: Driving history check is required. Selected candidate will also be required to complete a background check, post-offer drug screen and POET assessment test.

Our Core Values:

INCLUSION | COLLABORATION | CREATIVITY | ACCOUNTABILITY

Our Mission Statement: Through forward-thinking policies and responsible stewardship, we are creating a better city every day with excellent core services and quality of life for all.

What we offer:

The City of Wilmington believes that employees are one of our most important resources. We offer an excellent salary and competitive benefits package to serve the needs of our employees and their families. Our benefits package includes:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance + many other insurance options
• Excellent retirement benefits, including a city provided 4.5% contribution each pay period into a 401(k) account and automatic enrollment into the North Carolina Local Government Employees' Retirement System
• Employer-paid health & wellness clinic
• Free on-site city gym access
• Paid sick and vacation leave + 13 paid holidays per year
• 6-weeks paid parental leave
• Paid volunteer & blood donation leave to give back to our community
• Flex schedule and telework availability, depending on your position
• Professional development trainings & leadership initiatives
• Tuition assistance benefits

Applicant Status Updates: After the closing date for this position, applications will be screened by Human Resources. Applicants who meet the minimum and/or preferred qualifications will be referred over to the hiring department. All updates regarding an application can be viewed through your applicant portal.

Health Benefits are offered to employees working at least 30 hours per week.

Health Insurance - The City offers two options for health coverage: a standard PPO plan and a High Deductible Health Plan with an associated Health Savings Account. Coverage becomes effective the first day of the month following hire for employees and their eligible dependents. Both you and the City contribute to the overall cost of coverage.

Dental Insurance - Coverage becomes effective the first day of the month following hire. Employees, their spouse and dependent children are eligible for coverage.

Life Insurance - The city pays to provide coverage valued at one times your annual salary. Supplemental insurance is available for employees to purchase. Optional coverage for dependents is also available for purchase.

Retirement:

• NC Local Government Retirement System - All benefits eligible employees make a mandatory 6% contribution every pay period.
• Deferred Compensation - The city contributes an amount equal to 4.5% of the annual salary to a 401(k) plan regardless of employee contribution. Employees may choose to contribute additional money to the 401(k) or 457 deferred compensation plans, without a match from the City, within the IRS guidelines.

Paid Leave (offered to employees working at least 1,000 hours annually*):

• Sick Leave - 12 days accrued each year
• Annual Leave - Accrual based on years of service and classification. Employees can earn from 10 to 24 days each year.
• Holidays - 13 paid holidays annually
• Paid Parental Leave - Six weeks of paid leave for the birth, adoption or placement of a child (must run concurrently with FMLA).
• Part-Time Employees will earn paid leave benefits on a pro-rated basis.

Miscellaneous:

• Tuition reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program
• Short & Long Term Disability
• Cancer & Critical Illness
• Accident Insurance
• Whole Life Insurance
• Credit Union membership
• Access to City Fitness Center

Note: The City of Wilmington is on a bi-weekly pay cycle. New employees should expect to receive their first paycheck approximately 4 weeks after their start date.

This is intended to be a brief overview of the benefits offered. Please visit our website at https://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/Government/Departments-Divisions/Human-Resources/Benefits for more information.

01

Each applicant must complete this supplemental questionnaire as a part of the application screening process. The information you provide will be reviewed and used to determine your eligibility to move forward in the selection process. Incomplete responses, false statements, omissions, or partial information may result in disqualification from the selection process. Do you agree to answer each supplemental question truthfully and that your responses can be verified from information included within the application?

• Yes

02

Please indicate your current driver's license status

• Do not have a valid drivers license
• Class C
• Class B
• Class A
• Valid standard license from another state

03

Which best describes your highest level of education?

• High School Diploma or GED
• Some College
• Associates Degree
• Bachelors Degree
• Masters Degree
• Doctorate Degree
• None - N/A

04

How many years of professional experience do you have working in solid waste and/or performing manual outdoor labor (this experience must be detailed under the work history section on the application)?

• None
• Less than 1 year
• 1 year to less than 3 years
• 3 years to less than 5 years
• 5 years or more

05

Please identify the company/agency/organization where you gained the experience described in question #4. Note: Entering "N/A or "See Resume/Application" does not qualify as an acceptable response.

06

The hiring salary for the position is posted on the job posting. Salary determination is supported by budget availability and qualifications of the candidate to maintain internal equity. Please acknowledge that you understand this process.

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer City of Wilmington

Address PO Box 1810

929 N. Front Street, 11th Floor

Wilmington, North Carolina, 28401

Phone 910-341-7840

Website http://www.wilmingtonnc.gov/jobs