Driver - NorthStar Clean Energy

NorthStar Clean Energy decarbonizes the economy by providing clean energy and carbon management solutions to utility, municipal, commercial, and industrial customers enabling them to meet their sustainability and business goals. Additionally, we own and operate natural gas assets throughout the United States. To learn more about NorthStar Clean Energy, please visit

This position is with NorthStar Clean Energy, a CMS Energy company, and is not a position of employment with Consumers Energy.


Mid-Michigan Recycling is responsible for operating a wood receiving yard for the purpose of collection and processing biomass fuel to be utilized at a wood fired power plant. The fuel consists primarily of waste industrial wood and urban forest wood. The wood is used to generate power and support the health of the forests, mitigates greenhouse gases (is "carbon neutral"), conserves landfill space and supports the electric grid.


The Driver is responsible for operating semi-tractors, chip vans, and lowboy trailers and the loading/transporting wood chips and heavy equipment for the purpose of collection and processing biomass fuel to be utilized at a wood fired power plant within established procedures. Also responsible for various housekeeping and maintenance tasks.


Duties & Responsibilities:

• The Driver shall be responsible for operating commercial vehicles (semi-truck, low-boy, excavator, and wheel loader) operation and record keeping duties inclusive of maintaining shift logs and equipment records
• Maintain strict adherence to Equipment Safety, Fuel Processing and Administrative programs and procedures. Monitor the operation of such yard equipment and systems and takes appropriate action to ensure they are operated safely, in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
• Communicating with personnel to obtain loading times and locations
• Provide equipment cleaning, filter changes, and adjustments. Maintain a clean and orderly work area. Maintain a safe work environment through job planning, housekeeping, and adherence to company safety rules and procedures, and identification and correction of hazards
• Maneuvering vehicle off road to properly load, transport, and unload equipment
• Driving to various chip loading locations and utilizing wheel loaders to self-load wood chips
• Operate heavy equipment including wheel loaders and excavators for the purpose of loading and unloading from lowboy
• Operate lowboy trailer to load equipment and properly secure load for transport
• Writing up or communicating repair request
• Maintaining cleanliness of vehicle and providing basic maintenance of vehicle
• Other non-essential duties as assigned or may be necessary

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Maintaining records, logs, and maintenance activities for communication to correct deficiencies
• Have a thorough knowledge of Large Mobile Heavy Equipment (wheel loaders, excavators, semi trucks, lowboys, bulldozer) operation and established procedures
• Previous experience operating and/or maintaining heavy equipment, including wheel loaders, excavators, semi trucks, lowboys, bulldozer
• Ability to effectively communicate with co-workers and take direction from others
• Ethics and standards of conduct
• Ability to operate tractor trailer, loader, dozer, excavator and for the purpose of loading onto lowboy
• Ability to utilize a wheel loader for the purpose of loading wood chips into a chip van
• Ability to work overtime, as well as weekends
• Capable of performing several routine duties
• Ability to effectively communicate oral and written with co-workers and customers while providing direction to people on site

Position Requirements:

• High School Diploma or GED is required
• DOT CDL Class A certification is required
• 2+ years experience in operating and/or maintaining heavy equipment (e.g., construction, farming equipment, bulldozer) required.
• Driving experience with excellent driving record

Working Conditions:

• The working conditions for this position may include, but are not limited to, the following requirements and environmental exposures. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• The working conditions for this position may include climbing stairs; frequent walking; and the ability to sit or stand for extended periods. The role may require stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling, as well as lifting, moving, or carrying items up to 35 pounds. Employees must maintain close vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus, and must remain alert throughout the workday. Effective communication is essential, along with regular use of computers and related technology. The position may involve exposure to atmospheric conditions such as dust, fumes, odors, gases, and other airborne particles. Work environments may include high noise areas, confined spaces, and elevated locations, as well as extreme internal or external temperatures, including prolonged exposure to the sun. The role may also involve exposure to mechanical, electrical, thermal, chemical, and high/low pressure steam hazards, as well as high electrical voltage. Employees may be required to operate heavy or hazardous equipment, be exposed to vehicle traffic and handle potentially hazardous chemicals while following established safety procedures.
• To support a safe and productive workplace, the Company may require a Fitness for Duty (FFD) evaluation to confirm an employee can safely and effectively perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation. FFD testing will be used only in circumstances permitted by law and administered in a manner that is job related and consistent with business necessity.

Location:

The selected candidate must be within a commutable distance or willing to relocate. Relocation assistance is not offered for this position.

Why should you join our team?

At NorthStar Clean Energy, we offer more than just a place to work. We foster a culture that supports career development, growth, and stability, and we take pride in offering our co-workers excellent benefits and compensation packages. We are deliberately creating an inclusive culture that makes our diverse team of co-workers feel valued, supported, and empowered every day. We're a company made up of thousands of people, all with different stories to share and work to do, but we stand united in our company purpose: world class performance delivering hometown service.

What we offer:

• Competitive compensation packages
• Medical, Dental and Vision
• 401k with company match
• Paid parental leave
• Up to 13 paid Holidays
• Paid time off
• Educational Assistance Program

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion:

We, at NorthStar Clean Energy, value Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. It is part of our DNA. We treat our employees with respect, we treat each other fairly and we value the opinions of others. We are passionate about building and nurturing an environment where everyone feels included. We don't discriminate. We seek to learn about each other and better understand our unique differences. Our uniqueness makes us authentic. We create safe spaces where everyone can be who they truly are. We invite difficult conversations and uncomfortable topics. We value diverse perspectives; this is what makes us great together. We harbor an inclusive environment where employees feel empowered to share their backgrounds, experiences, and ideas. Our Employee Resource Groups, Women's Advisory Panel (WAP), Women's in Energy (WE), Minority Advisory Panel (MAP), Pride Alliance of Consumers Energy (PACE), GENERGY, capable, Interfaith and Veterans Advisory Panel (VAP) are key enablers to living the values of our company culture: Caring, Empowered, Deliberate, Agility, and Ownership.

All qualified applicants will not be discriminated against and will receive consideration for employment without regard to protected veteran status, disability, race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.