Heavy Equipment Operator

Solid Waste Equipment Operator

Expected Hiring Range: $51,910.35 - 63,607.86

Work Location: 105-A Upchurch Street, Apex, NC 27502

Schedule: Monday - Friday 6:30am - 3:00 pm

Posting Closing Date: August 31, 2026 at 7pm

Are you a reliable, safety-minded operator who takes pride in keeping a community clean, efficient, and running smoothly? The Town of Apex is looking for a skilled Solid Waste Equipment Operator to help ensure timely, high-quality waste collection that residents can count on. If you're committed to teamwork, enjoy working outdoors, and want to make a visible impact every day, consider joining Team Apex.

How You'll Make An Impact:

Performs basic work operating heavy equipment and performing related manual labor to collect garbage, yard trash, leaves, and refuse. Work requires operating an assigned piece of heavy equipment such as vacuum truck, chipper truck and truck with boom. Work involves skilled operation around cars, pedestrians and street obstacles, as well as maintaining crew member and public safety. This position reports to the Solid Waste Field Crew Supervisor. This position does not have supervisory responsibilities.

• Operates assigned equipment in situations requiring skill and care such as electric lines near overhanging branches, parked cars, heavy traffic and other situations; assures crew safety.
• Operates a boom truck to pick up large piles of waste.
• Drives a leaf removal truck.
• Operates a limb-chipping machine to remove limbs and leaves from residential areas.
• Operates a rear loader to remove yard debris from residential areas.
• Ensures proper maintenance of the equipment.
• Leads or works as a member of a crew to collect leaves, grass, limbs and other yard waste from residential neighborhoods; assists in training of new employees.
• Removes and properly disposes of animal carcasses from public areas and streets; drives items collected to landfill; assists in emptying load at landfill or transfer station.
• Keeps records of work activities; uses a variety of smartphone applications in performance of duties to track completed work and work time; uses Cityworks software application on computer and/or phone to complete work order activities.
• Maintains vigilance in duties to ensure safe operation of machinery and safe backing up and turning in tight situations
• Assists in clean up after Town events.
• Leads a small team to collect refuse or trash and to load trash, debris, and junked furniture and appliances from roadsides on an assigned route or as dispatched.
• Operates snowplow when needed.
• Performs related tasks as required.

What Sets You Up For Success:

• High School Diploma or GED and less than one year of experience.
• Possession of a valid North Carolina Class A or B CDL.

Get To Know Apex:

Known as "The Peak of Good Living", the Town of Apex is a rapidly growing Wake County municipality with a current population of more than 84,000 and has been ranked as one of Money Magazine's Best Place to Live in America. Our current workforce is comprised of over 740 full-time employees and over 125 part-time/seasonal staff. Our Human Resources Department - with the support and confidence of Town leadership - is committed to providing best-in-class HR programs for our employees, with a mission to create a culture of empowerment and accountability that maximizes individual and organizational potential. We offer a generous benefit package and have a highly competitive compensation program. More than that, the Town is an awesome place to work, as evidenced by the high job satisfaction rating received in the last employee opinion survey conducted with our employees.

Benefits That Support You:

• Free or low-cost medical, dental, vision, and life insurance for employees
• 5% contributions to the NC401(k) retirement plans (no matching required)
• Participation in the Local Government Employees' Retirement System (LGERS)
• Traditional sick and vacation leave
• 80 hours Peak Paid Time Off per year
• $1,200 Peak Lifestyle Benefit to pay for health and wellness activities (after completion of probation)
• 8 weeks of Paid Parental Leave
• 3 weeks of Paid Caregiver Leave
• Bereavement leave
• 13 paid holidays
• Longevity pay
• Tuition assistance
• Expansive wellness program

Keep In Mind:

Providing a safe work environment for our employees is a top priority, therefore all new hires must successfully complete a pre-employment drug test, post-offer functional testing (if required by position), background verifications including references, criminal record and driver's license check prior to employment. Some positions may also require SBI fingerprinting as part of the background screening process.

The Town of Apex provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, political affiliation or marital status, veteran status, or genetic information.