Operator Plant Waste

Shift gears on your career today – join us as a Waste Operator

Let's start with the important stuff. This role includes:

• Salary from $ per Week (plus super) based on a 38-hour week.
• Flexible working provisions and a 9-day fortnight
• Access to a range of physical and mental wellbeing initiatives, including discounted gym memberships and free, confidential support through an independent Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

The Role

Armidale Regional Council is seeking multiple full-time Plant Operators to join our Waste team, supporting safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible management of waste and recovered materials across the local government area.

In this hands-on role, you'll carry out a range of operational duties at our waste transfer stations, landfill, and Community Recycling Centre. Your main focus will be operating heavy vehicles and plant—including HR trucks, hook-lift and skip bin trucks, landfill compactors, loaders, and excavators—to move, collect, and dispose of bulk waste and recyclables from Council's waste facilities.

You'll also transport materials between sites, support bin changeovers, and assist with loading and unloading recovered products. Maintaining site offices and grounds for cleanliness and safety, and advising customers on correct material separation, are important parts of the role.

Other responsibilities include completing pre-start checks, minor maintenance, and accurate record-keeping in line with environmental and regulatory requirements. You'll work as part of a team, contributing to essential community services and upholding Council's values of inclusion, wellbeing, transparency, and commitment.

This mobile, outdoor role suits someone who has an excellent driving record, enjoys physical work, takes pride in safe plant operation, and values being part of a team delivering vital services to the community and is able to participate in a rotating weekend roster.

About You

You are a confident, safety-focused operator with a practical mindset and solid experience—ideally five years or more—working with a range of plant and equipment such as landfill compactors, loaders, excavators, forklifts, and backhoes. You hold a current HR licence and have demonstrated competence, including any required accreditation, to operate these vehicles and machinery in a waste management environment.

Your background includes hands-on experience in landfill, transfer station, or community recycling operations, and you have an understanding of environmental protection practices as they apply to waste facilities. You take pride in maintaining a clean, safe and compliant work environment and are diligent about completing pre-start checks, minor maintenance, and accurate record-keeping.

You work well both independently and as part of a team, communicating clearly with customers and colleagues, and providing helpful advice on correct material separation and placement. A General Construction Induction (White Card) is essential for this role, and additional qualifications such as a Certificate III in Waste Management or other relevant industry accreditations will be highly regarded.

At Armidale Regional Council, we believe in looking out for each other and the community we serve. Whether you're out in the field or assisting customers face-to-face, our values—wellbeing, inclusion, commitment, and transparency—guide everything we do.

We're looking for people who bring a positive attitude, take pride in their work, and support their teammates to do the same. If you care about doing a good job and making a real difference every day, we'd love to have you on the team.

If this sounds like you, we'd love to learn more. As part of your online application, you'll be asked to respond to three short questions:

• Why do you want to work for Armidale Regional Council?
• What makes you the best person for the role?
• And, tell us about your qualifications and experience relevant to the role.

In addition to answering these questions, please make sure to upload a cover letter and CV as well as a short video (no longer than 3 minutes*) where you:

• Briefly introduce yourself, and tell us:
• What is something that people might be surprised to learn about you?
• And what do you do if you notice a potential hazard or spill on site?

*Please note only .mov, .mp4, .wmv, and and avi. files are accepted with a size limit of 50mb.

Please note:

• Only the five (3 written, 2 video) questions need to be addressed in your application, however your resume and cover letter will be assessed against the full list of Essential Criteria located within the Position Description attached to this advertisement.
• You will also be required to attach PDF copies of your qualifications, tickets &/or accreditations to your application.

Are you ready to be part of reviving the region and join the Waste team?

• If you would like further information on the role, please contact Josh Keen, Waste Operations Supervisor, on for a confidential discussion.

Ad closing Sunday 28th September at 11.30pm