Solid Waste Worker II

County of Kauai; United States; On-site; USD 64,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation leave (21 days) but with 21

Sick leave (21 days)

Holidays (13; 14 in election year)

Free medical for your family

Retirement benefits after 10 years

Career opportunities on Kauai

Job summary

County of Kaua‘i is seeking a Solid Waste Worker II to operate and maintain a range of heavy equipment in the Division of Solid Waste Management. The role covers coverage in the absence of several lead operators and involves working with refuse collection vehicles, trains, and disposal operations on a civil service schedule.

The position requires a high school diploma or equivalent and at least 3.5 years of equipment operation experience, with validation through a performance exam.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent and 3.5 years of equipment operation experience.
• Competency demonstrated by a performance examination.
• Possession of valid CDL Type A with endorsements as required by position.

Responsibilities

• Operate and maintain motorized medium-sized and heavy equipment.
• Haul waste and greenwaste using trucks and trailers.
• Load, unload, and dispose of solid waste at designated facilities.
• Supervise refuse collectors and coordinate route operations.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the division.

Skills

Equipment operation

Heavy machinery operation

Truck driving

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Commercial Driver’s License Type A

Job description

Job Posting End Date: November 11, 2026. ARE YOU A CURRENT COUNTY OF KAUA'I EMPLOYEE? IF YES, DO NOT APPLY HERE! IF YOU APPLY ON THIS WEBSITE YOUR APPLICATION WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. This posting is for External Candidates only.

Job Title: Solid Waste Worker II

Salary Range: N/A

Position Salary: 6,309.00 USD Monthly

Location: Department of Public Works Solid Waste Division

Civil Service or Non Civil Service: Civil Service

Job Summary:

As a major work assignment, operates and maintains motorized medium-sized and heavy equipment within the Division of Solid Waste Management by providing coverage in the absence of regularly assigned Refuse Collection Equipment Operator, Equipment Operator Ill, Equipment Operator II, Landfill Operator II, and Transfer Station Loader Operator; 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). Drives and operates motorized medium-sized and heavy equipment skillfully and safely; Operates a variety of Solid Waste equipment for within the Solid Waste operations; Hauls mixed waste and segregated greenwaste by operating a truck/tractor combination high-capacity trailer; Skillfully drives fully loaded high-capacity trailer to the designated disposal facility and engages the trailer walking floor to discharge the load; Skillfully couples, truck tractor with high-capacity trailer and maneuvers the trailer into position for loading; Operates and maintains an automated refuse collection vehicle equipped with a side loader to collect refuse on designated collection routes; Operates controls to secure, lift, empty and return specially designed refuse carts at the curb; Operates a 4,000 gallon or smaller water tanker to transport and apply water to various areas of the landfill operation and also on the hauling route and at the borrow source for cover material; Skillfully maneuvers the tanker into position for filling at the water source; Operates a heavy rear load refuse truck and attachments (truck) and supervises refuse collectors in the collection and disposal of solid waste items; and Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Training and Experience: A combination of education and experience substantially equivalent to graduation from high school; and three and one half (3 ½) years of work experience in the operation of equipment applicable to positions in this class or certification by a county trainer of the ability to satisfactorily operate equipment applicable to positions in this class. Applicants will be required to demonstrate such competency by satisfactorily passing a performance examination.

License Requirement:

Possession of a valid Commercial Driver’s License type A with applicable endorsement(s), current State of Hawai‘i DOT examination certificate. Applicants must be certified by the county trainer on the following equipment or have three and one half (3 ½) years of work experience in the operation of: Truck Tractor Trailer and Hooklift Truck.

Tests:

Applicants will be required to qualify on an appropriate examination. The examination will consist of a qualifying performance evaluation. Please note exams are held ONLY on Kaua'i. We do NOT conduct testing in other jurisdictions. When attending the qualifying performance exam, please be prompt. There will be no admittance if you are late. Valid CDL License Type A must be provided at time of performance exam. No spectators are allowed at testing site(s). The performance examination is tentatively scheduled for Friday, December 4, 2026.

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 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!

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. There are no minimum qualification requirements and your employment is considered “at will” which means that you may be discharged by the hiring department at any time.

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.

Benefits

• 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!

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