Motor Equipment Operator I - Public Works, Bureau of Environmental Services

Job Title

Operates a variety of motor equipment duties essential to the successful operation of the County landfill and transfer station.

Howard County Government is a leader in innovation, sustainability, and consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and work in the country. In 2025, Howard County Government received a record-breaking 83 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) the highest number of annual NACo awards achieved in the history of the State of Maryland, and the highest number of awards out of any county in the State of Maryland which received a collective 136 awards. NACo is the leading organization representing county-level government operations. These awards recognize innovative and transformative programs that provide new services for county residents, improve existing programs, upgrade working conditions, and enhance citizen participation and public policymaking.

We are looking for outstanding individuals to join our team and contribute to excellence in Howard County operations. We are committed to workplace excellence in every area of County government. We have a highly talented, diverse, and inclusive workplace. Your input will not only be heard, but it will be encouraged! We offer competitive compensation and great benefits including medical, retirement, and wellness programs. As a member of the Howard County Government team, you'll be helping drive our culture and directly impact what makes us an amazing place to work.

This position falls within a collective bargaining unit and is represented by AFSCME Local 3085, Local 3888, or Local 1810.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Operation of dump trucks or roll-off trucks, including loading, unloading of full or empty containers at County transfer facility or other disposal facilities. Operates various types of medium and heavy equipment such as Bobcat, wheeled excavators, backhoes, loaders, landfill compactors, and extractors to maintain and construct temporary roads and ramps; push, crush, compact, grade, level and load waste; build earth stockpiles; and move or place a variety of other materials; load transfer tractor trailers; move trash in the transfer station or manipulate and load compost/mulch materials. Operates and Controls stationary material handling equipment such as screeners. Performs daily inspections of heavy equipment and reports deficiencies for repair. Makes minor adjustments to equipment. Fuels, lubricates, cleans and performs minor routine maintenance to heavy equipment. Routine maintenance may include the use of hand and pneumatic tools. Directs vehicle traffic in operating areas and instructs delivery vehicles where to discharge loads. Observes loads for unacceptable materials and reports problem loads to landfill or compost supervisor. Operates citizen waste drop off and recycling facility to include opening and closing facility, maintains an orderly traffic flow, directs citizens to waste and recyclable material disposal locations, performs site maintenance, operates scale house for limited periods as required, operates wheel loader, wheeled excavator, and roll off vehicle to transport materials. Interacts with residents and contractors with a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures. Performs routine site maintenance duties as assigned. Assists in various construction activities performing manual labor, using hand/ power tools, and heavy equipment. Maintains various logs and other records, as required. Performs overtime, Saturday and emergency-conditions work. Performs other related duties as assigned.

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Minimum Required Education/Experience

Any combination of education and experience equivalent to the completion of the tenth school grade and one year of experience operating large dump trucks and/or other motor equipment of the same complexity; or one year of experience in progressively responsible manual laboring work, some of which has included the operation of such motor equipment. Required certifications, licenses, and registrations: Possession of a valid Maryland Class B CDL license during tenure of appointment as a Motor Equipment Operator I. Valid DOT physical card. Possession of a valid Maryland approved flagger program card card may be required, depending upon work assignment, and must be obtained within Department time frames and maintained during tenure of employment. Confined space training certification may also be required, when required by work assignment. HazWoper 24-hour (40 CFR 1910.120) certification must be maintained during employment tenure. Preferred education, knowledge, skills and abilities: Maryland Class A CDL license. Experience operating roll-offs and heavy equipment of the types used at the landfill, such as D6 type bulldozers, landfill compactors, loaders, and wheeled excavators. Experience operating equipment in a commercial environment, roll-off motor equipment including six months operating wheeled and tracked motor equipment.

Physical demands and work environment: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee is occasionally required to taste or smell. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Where working with compost or mulch, operator may be required to work with a fitted dust respirator. The employee shall work overtime under emergency conditions or as circumstances warrant. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to outside weather conditions. The employee is frequently exposed to moving mechanical parts and vibration. The employee is occasionally exposed to high, precarious places; fumes or airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud. The employee may be exposed to high temperatures given off by various materials.

Language skills, mathematical skills and reasoning ability: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and simple correspondence. Ability to speak effectively one-on-one or before small groups of customers or employees of organization in a professional manner. Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Capable of operating cash handling computer program. Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Additional Information

To apply: You must complete an employment application online to be considered for this recruitment. Resumes cannot be substituted for completion of the job application work history. No paper applications will be accepted.

Selected candidates may be subject to drug screening, background screening, and reference checks.

At time of application, please submit a copy of any college degree, coursework, licenses, or certifications that you have referenced on your application. Applicants who have education obtained outside of the U.S. may need to provide proof of the equivalent U.S. education as determined by a foreign credential evaluation service, such as the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services ( or World Education Services: International Credential Evaluation (

Howard County Government is not sponsoring employees in application of the H-1B Visa or providing an extension of an existing H-1B Visa. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

Howard County is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, and we are committed to a workplace that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. The County prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, ancestry, creed, national origin, disability status, genetics, marital status, military service, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Applicants requiring accommodations during the hiring process should contact the Office of Human Resources directly at View email address on click.appcast.io. Requests for accommodations should not be attached to the application.