Solid Waste Worker I

County of Kauai; United States; On-site; USD 51,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free medical for family

Vested retirement benefits

Paid holidays (13–14)

Vacation leave 21 days

Sick leave 21 days

Job summary

County of Kaua‘i is seeking a Solid Waste Worker I to perform semi-skilled, manual tasks at a Solid Waste baseyard or transfer station. You will participate in cleaning, maintenance, and basic equipment care while supporting operations and the public.

The role requires a high school diploma or equivalent and one year of general work experience, plus a valid Hawaii Type 3 driver's license. Shift work is typical, and Civil Service status applies.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent and 1 year general work experience.
• Qualifying General Work Experience: reading, writing, computation, and communication.
• License: Valid motor vehicle operator's license (Hawai‘i Type 3 or equivalent).

Responsibilities

• Performs general clean-up, maintenance, and other semi-skilled, manual, and supportive work at Solid Waste facilities, including assisting with refuse carts, washing, disinfecting, and cleaning and waxing trucks, trailers, vehicles, facilities, and other equipment.
• Performs minor vehicle maintenance, paints walls and ceilings, repairs windows, doors, and other articles, replaces fuses and bulbs, cleans clogged drains, repairs leaky faucets, cleans windows, lavatories, wash basins and restrooms, sweeps and mops floors, plants, trims and fertilizes flowers and plants, and uses tools such as power washers, lawn mowers, power trimmers, shovels, sickles, hoes and weed eaters.
• Assists the public by directing and controlling the unloading of refuse at a solid waste baseyard and transfer station, keeping unauthorized persons out of restricted areas and advising of applicable rules and regulations.
• Checks and verifies disposal fee coupons from commercial haulers and keeps appropriate records.
• Assists equipment operators at solid waste facilities with trailer coupling, replacing attachments, opening, and closing trailer gates, securing loads, etc.
• Provides coverage at a Solid Waste Baseyard or transfer station as needed.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Job Posting End Date: October 7, 2026

This posting is for External Candidates only.

Job Title: Solid Waste Worker I

Salary Range: N/A

Position Salary: 5,043.00 USD Monthly

Location: Department of Public Works Solid Waste - Operations

Civil Service or Non Civil Service: Civil Service

Job Summary: Performs a variety of semi-skilled, manual, and routine tasks at a Solid Waste baseyard or transfer station; and performs other related duties as required.

Examples of Duties

(The following are examples of duties and are not necessarily descriptive of any one position in this class. The omission of specific duties statements does not preclude management from assigning such duties if such duties are a logical assignment for the position).

• Performs general clean-up, maintenance, and other semi-skilled, manual, and supportive work at Solid Waste facilities, including assisting with the distribution and maintenance of refuse carts, washing, disinfecting, and cleaning and waxing trucks, trailers, vehicles, facilities, and other equipment;
• Performs minor vehicle maintenance, paints walls and ceilings, repairs windows, doors, and other articles, replaces fuses and bulbs, cleans clogged drains, repairs leaky faucets, clean windows, lavatories, wash basins and restrooms, sweeps and mops floors, plants, trims and fertilizes flowers and plants, and uses tools such as power washers, lawn mowers, power trimmers, shovels, sickles, hoes and weed eaters;
• Assists the public by directing and controlling the unloading of refuse at a solid waste baseyard and transfer station, keeping unauthorized persons out of restricted areas and advising of applicable rules and regulations;
• Checks and verifies disposal fee coupons from commercial haulers and keeps appropriate records;
• Assists equipment operators at solid waste facilities with trailer coupling, replacing attachments, opening, and closing trailer gates, securing loads, etc.;
• Provides coverage at a Solid Waste Baseyard or transfer station as needed;
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• A combination of education and experience substantially equivalent to graduation from high school; and one (1) year of general work experience.
• Qualifying General Work Experience: Any work experience which may involve the basic skills: reading, writing, computation, and communication.
• License Requirement: Possession of a valid motor vehicle operator's license (Hawai‘i Type 3 or equivalent).

Tests

Applicants will be required to qualify on an appropriate examination. The examination will consist of a qualifying written evaluation. Please note exams are held ONLY on Kaua'i. We do NOT conduct testing in other jurisdictions. When attending the qualifying written exam, please be prompt. There will be no admittance if you are late. No spectators are allowed at testing site(s). The written examination is tentatively scheduled for 10/28/2026.

Substitutions

Do you allow substitutions for minimum qualification requirements (education for experience or experience for education)? Yes we do! For more information about allowed substitutions for a specific position, visit Class Specifications and search the specific job description that you are interested in.

Work Shift / Schedule

7 days/week operation; shift work (United States of America)

Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of the County of Kauaʻi that there shall be no discrimination in employment pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as amended, and the Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapters 368 and 378. Except for bona fide occupational or other legal requirements, no individual employed by the County, or applying for employment with the County, shall be subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, color, ancestry, national origin, disability, marital status, pregnancy or reproductive health decisions, arrest and court record, assignment of child support, national guard participation, Veteran status, credit history, domestic/sexual violence victim status, or any other basis covered by state or federal laws governing non-discrimination.

Join Our Team

Join our Team of over 1,300 employees on the island of Kaua’i and start building a better tomorrow for you, your family and the Kaua’i community!

Application Process

I’ve submitted my application, what happens next? For civil service positions, applicants will be evaluated based on the content of their applications and depending on the position, may require additional assessments such as a written examination, performance examination or evidence of a valid driver’s license before being placed on an eligible list for that class of work. Depending on your ranking on the eligible list, you may be invited to participate in the remainder of the selection process. For non-civil service positions, applicants do not need to meet minimum qualification requirements. Oral Interviews are conducted with a panel of interviewers and if you are selected for an interview you will be contacted by the hiring department. Employment references will be conducted for the final applicant. After offer, depending on the position, other requirements such as criminal background check, physical examination, and drug testing may be required.

What is an eligible list? Applicants for civil service positions who meets the minimum qualification requirements are placed on an eligible list which will be used by departments to fill a vacant position for that class of work. An applicant will remain on an eligible list for 6 months.

What is the difference between a civil service and non-civil service position? A civil service position must be filled through the merit system whereby applicants must be qualified to fill a position. Becoming a civil service employee provides an individual with various rights not afforded to non-civil service employees. For more information about civil service recruitment, visit our website: Employment Opportunities - Kauai County, HI Hiring for a non-civil service position is usually processed by the hiring department.

Benefits

What benefits does the County of Kaua’i offer?

The County of Kaua’i offers generous leave time that employees start earning as soon as you are hired!

• 21 days of vacation leave
• 21 days of sick leave
• 13 paid holidays (14 in an election year)
• FREE medical for your entire family!
• Vested retirement benefits after 10 years of service!
• And much more!

For more information about benefits, visit our website: Benefits of Becoming a County of Kaua‘i Employee

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