Machine/Recycling Operative

Veolia Group; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

20 days annual leave

Company pension

Discounts on groceries/retailers

Health and wellbeing resources

Volunteer day

Training & development

Job summary

Veolia is hiring a loading shovel and 360 material handler operator for our Cardiff site (CF37 5YL). You will feed the picking line, inspect incoming loads and report defects, while keeping the yard safe through daily pre‑use inspections and careful traffic management.

This role suits someone with experience operating mobile plant in waste or industrial settings, a strong safety focus, and the ability to work well in a team. We offer a competitive salary, benefits and ongoing training.

Qualifications

• Experience operating mobile plant in a waste management or similar industrial environment.
• Loading shovel and/or 360 material handler certification.
• Good understanding of health and safety within an operational environment.
• Ability to inspect incoming waste loads.
• Ability to work safely around moving vehicles and fixed plant within a busy transfer station.
• Willingness to undertake daily housekeeping duties and maintain high standards of site cleanliness.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Willingness to undertake any training required for the role.
• Ability to carry out daily pre-use inspections and report plant defects promptly.

Responsibilities

• Operating loading shovel and 360 material handler.
• Feeding picking line.
• Inspecting incoming loads for prohibited waste.
• Reporting defect on plant.
• Daily pre-use inspections.
• Working around moving vehicles with a traffic management system.
• Assisting with housekeeping and fire prevention.
• Working in accordance with environmental permit, policies and Business Management systems.

Skills

Mobile plant ops

Loading shovel cert

360 material handler cert

Health & safety

Load inspection

Vehicle safety

Teamwork

Training willingness

Pre-use inspections

Housekeeping

Job description

Ready to find the right role for you? Salary: £36,641.28 per annum, plus Veolia benefits Hours: 48 hours per week - Monday to Friday 07:00 to 16:00 Location: Cardiff, CF37 5YL

When you see the world as we do, you see the chance to help the world take better care of its resources, and help it become a better place for everyone. With one of the largest growing fleets in the UK, our drivers are pivotal to delivering essential services. They work hard to serve their local communities and make a positive impact every day. Whether you’re looking to overhaul the industry, or just do a good day’s work, we know that everyone here at Veolia can help us work alongside our communities, look after the environment, and contribute to our inclusive culture.

What we can offer you;

• 20 days of annual leave
• Access to our company pension scheme
• Discounts on everything from groceries to well-known retailers
• Access to a range of resources to support your physical, mental and financial health; so you can lean on us whenever you need to
• One paid day's leave every year to volunteer and support your community
• Ongoing training and development opportunities, allowing you to reach your full potential

What you’ll be doing;

• Operating loading shovel and 360 material handler
• Feeding picking line
• Inspecting incoming loads for prohibited waste
• Reporting defect on plant
• Daily pre-use inspections
• Working around moving vehicles with a traffic management system
• Assisting with housekeeping and fire prevention
• Working in accordance with environmental permit, policies and Business Management systems

What we’re looking for;

Essential:

• Experience operating mobile plant in a waste management, recycling or similar industrial environment
• Loading shovel and/or 360 material handler certification
• Good understanding of health and safety within an operational environment.
• Ability to inspect incoming waste loads
• Ability to work safely around moving vehicles and fixed plant within a busy transfer station
• Willingness to undertake daily housekeeping duties and maintain high standards of site cleanliness
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team
• Willingness to undertake any training required for the role
• Ability to carry out daily pre-use inspections and report plant defects promptly

Desirable:

• Previous experience working at a waste transfer station, recycling facility or similar operation
• Clamp truck licence
• Knowledge of waste acceptance procedures
• Experience loading walking floor trailers

We're proud to have been named as one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work for three consecutive years in 2023, 2024 and 2025. This consistent recognition reflects our commitment to our people, demonstrating that Veolia is not just transforming the environment, we're also transforming what it means to have a rewarding, purposeful career.

We're dedicated to supporting you throughout your application journey, offering adjustments where reasonable and appropriate.

As a proud Disability Confident Employer, we will offer an interview to applicants with a disability or long-term condition who opt-in to the Disability Confident scheme, and meet the minimum criteria for our roles.

We're also committed to ensuring that all applicants and colleagues receive fair treatment without discrimination on any grounds, aiming to create a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.

Who is Veolia?

Where other people see waste, our community here at Veolia see opportunity. We’re determined to push for ecological transformation through waste, water and energy, and are committed to getting the tough jobs done. And most importantly, we see the potential of every member of our team, and are giving them the chance to realise it with us. Whether it’s their potential, their commitment or their impact, we see it all. And with our values being community spirit, responsibility, innovation, customer focus and respect they keep us focused on those who matter – all 14,000+ of our employees, our customers and our communities too.