Operations & Maintenance Assistant

Veolia; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 41,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave

Pension scheme

Discounts

Health resources

Virtual GP

Volunteer day

Training & development

Job summary

Veolia in Birmingham is seeking a hands-on operative for the waste transfer station. The role involves forklift and loader duties, handling hazardous and non-hazardous waste, and ensuring safe, compliant operations across the site.

Candidates should have practical experience with site equipment, a clean UK driving licence, and a strong health and safety mindset. The role offers robust benefits and opportunities for training and development within a supportive team environment.

Qualifications

• Experience operating a wheeled bucket loader and forklift vehicles with a focus on safety around people, vehicles and plant equipment.
• Experience in ERF, clinical waste environments or waste transfer stations preferred.
• Ability to learn on-site software systems for checks, records and basic reporting.

Responsibilities

• Carry out hands-on operative duties within the waste transfer station, including forklift operations, unloading/loading vehicles, and moving waste safely.
• Complete pre-acceptance checks on waste, verify documentation, packaging and compliance with site criteria.
• Receive and handle various waste types, ensuring correct segregation, labelling and safe handling.
• Decant/transfer waste from pallets to bins to maintain a steady waste stream for the incinerator.
• Operate wheeled bucket loader to manage waste inputs and support plant throughput.
• Carry out ash filter duties, monitor ash hopper levels and keep lines clear for continuous operation.

Skills

Wheeled bucket loader operation

Forklift operation

Safety awareness

PC literacy

Job description

Salary: £35,942.93 per annum plus Veolia benefits

Hours: 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday variable shifts (06:00 - 14:30, 10:00 - 18:30, 07:00 - 15:30) With a requirement to work occasional bank holidays & weekends

Location: Birmingham, West Midlands, B11 2BA

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.

What we can offer you;

• 20 days of annual leave plus bank holidays
• Access to our company/people's 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
• 24 hour access to a virtual GP, 365 days a year, for you and family members in your household
• One paid days 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;

• Carry out hands-on operative duties within the waste transfer station, including forklift truck operations, unloading and loading vehicles, transferring waste safely around the site, and loading/unloading 5 cubic metre bins onto the incinerator hoist system in line with site procedures.
• Complete pre-acceptance checks on waste as it arrives, verifying documentation, packaging/containment and compliance with site acceptance criteria, and escalating any non-conformances where required.
• Receive and handle a wide range of waste types, including hazardous, non-hazardous, confidential and secure wastes, ensuring correct segregation, labelling, and safe handling controls are followed at all times.
• Assess waste container contents and decant/transfer waste from pallets to bins to maintain a consistent, suitable, and efficient waste stream for the dedicated High Temperature Incinerator.
• Support Receiving Hall operations by operating the wheeled bucket loader to manage waste inputs into the waste bunker, maintaining safe working practices and supporting steady plant throughput.
• Carry out baghouse ash filter operative duties, monitoring ash hopper levels and ensuring ash lines are kept clear of blockages to help maintain continuous, compliant operation.

What we're looking for;

• Practical experience operating a wheeled bucket loader and forklift vehicles, with a strong awareness of safe operation around people, vehicles and plant equipment.
• Previous training and/or experience in an ERF, clinical waste environment, and/or waste transfer station, with an understanding of the compliance and operational standards required.
• Experience working in a continuous process environment, where reliability, responsiveness and following procedures are essential to keep operations running smoothly.
• A full, clean UK driving licence and the flexibility to support operational needs as required.
• A strong health & safety mindset, with a proven track record of working to safe systems of work and maintaining high housekeeping standards.
• PC literacy, with the ability to learn and use on-site software systems for checks, records and basic reporting.
• An in-date DBS check, or willingness to undertake one as part of the onboarding process.

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.