Better places, thriving communities.
Job Title: Waste Operative
Rate of Pay: £14.67 per hour
Contract: Permanent, Full Time
Weekly Contractual Hours: 40
Location: Sellafield, Seascale, Cumbria, England, CA20 1PG
The role of a Waste Operative is crucial, demanding a wide range of skills to meet both operational and environmental goals. They are fundamental to protecting public health, preserving the environment, and guaranteeing the efficient handling of waste.
Main Duties
Efficient Waste Collection and Transportation
The role involves the efficient and timely collection of waste from various sources, along with the safe transportation of waste to designated processing or disposal sites. The candidate will be responsible for operating an assigned vehicle weighing up to 7.5 tonnes, which may include lorries, transporters, or trucks, while ensuring all loads are safely and securely fastened. Additionally, the position requires safely operating a forklift to move materials, including loading and unloading trucks, stacking pallets, transporting goods to designated storage areas, and maintaining the integrity of all transported items. All tasks must be carried out in full compliance with relevant Safety Regulations and Procedures.
Hazardous Waste Transportation
The role involves the safe transportation of hazardous waste, requiring an ADR‑certified driver responsible for ensuring full compliance with ADR regulations while transporting dangerous goods by road. Duties include thoroughly checking vehicle and load documentation, properly securing hazardous cargo, understanding and being prepared to follow emergency procedures specific to the materials being carried, and taking immediate action in the event of any incidents or spills. The position also includes preparing hazardous waste for transportation through correct labelling and packaging, as well as ensuring the accurate documentation of all waste transported.
Waste Segregation and Recycling
The role focuses on waste segregation and recycling, ensuring that the maximum amount of waste is diverted from landfills while making certain that all recyclable materials are processed in full accordance with relevant regulations.
Hazardous Waste Identification and Classification
The role involves the accurate identification and classification of various types of hazardous waste based on their specific properties, such as flammability, corrosiveness and toxicity. It also requires a strong understanding of relevant regulations and guidelines for proper waste classification, ensuring all hazardous materials are assessed and categorised correctly and in compliance with industry standards.
Safe Handling and Storage of Hazardous Waste
The role involves ensuring the safe handling and storage of hazardous waste by implementing procedures designed to minimise the risk of spills, leaks and exposure. It includes ensuring that hazardous waste is properly stored in designated containers and authorised areas, strictly in compliance with all relevant regulations. Additionally, the position requires monitoring storage conditions to prevent deterioration or potentially dangerous reactions, maintaining a safe environment at all times.
Documentation and Record Keeping
The role includes maintaining meticulous records of all hazardous waste handling, storage, transportation and disposal activities, ensuring full traceability and compliance at every stage. It also involves completing all required regulatory paperwork, including manifests and reports, with accuracy and attention to detail.
Maintaining Public Health and Hygiene
The role focuses on maintaining public health and hygiene by preventing the spread of contamination through proper waste handling and ensuring that public spaces remain clean and free from waste accumulation.
Adherence to Health and Safety Regulations
The role requires strict adherence to all Health and Safety regulations, including consistently following safety protocols to prevent accidents and injuries. It involves the proper use of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), the safe operation of equipment and vehicles, and maintaining up‑to‑date knowledge of local, regional and national regulations related to hazardous waste management.
Environmental Protection
The role involves contributing to environmental protection by minimising the environmental impact of waste disposal, actively promoting and supporting waste reduction and recycling initiatives, and helping to create a cleaner and more sustainable environment.
Customer Service
The role involves providing strong customer service by interacting with the public in a polite and professional manner, offering information and assistance regarding waste management practices, and addressing customer concerns and complaints promptly and effectively.
Compliance with Regulations
The role requires full compliance with all waste management regulations, ensuring that every aspect of work adheres to legal and organisational standards. It also involves properly documenting all waste collection and disposal activities, maintaining accurate and thorough records to support regulatory compliance and operational transparency. What we are looking for
The ideal candidate will have previous experience in waste management, along with strong knowledge of waste segregation and recycling procedures. This role requires the ability to perform physically demanding tasks such as lifting, bending, and prolonged standing, as well as the capability to work outdoors in all weather conditions. Applicants must be able to operate equipment and machinery safely, including bin lifts, compactors, and balers, while demonstrating a solid understanding of health and safety principles, adhering to all safety regulations, and wearing appropriate PPE. The ability to identify and report potential hazards is essential, and candidates should be able to work effectively as part of a team while demonstrating good verbal and non-verbal communication skills. A valid driving licence is also required.
Our market-leading flexible benefits scheme provides you with benefits that suit your lifestyle.
We have a virtual GP on hand for you and members of your household. So you can get expert advice by video or phone without having to leave your home. We offer financial wellbeing assistance through our Salary Finance scheme. For example, you could access 50% of your earned pay before payday for a small fee. Salary Finance also offers competitive loans.
When you join us, we’ll give you a link to our flexible benefits platform, Choices. This gives you the chance to customise your benefits to best suit your lifestyle. You can choose from dental insurance, dining cards, coffee clubs, buying technology products at an affordable cost and much more!
We give you access to high street discounts from thousands of well-known retailers, gyms and more through our MiDeals platform. And we have a cycle-to-work scheme.
Life cover is the greater of your equivalent annual salary or a minimum of £10, - giving peace of mind for your dependants. We also offer a save-as-you-earn scheme, and a Mitie Matching Share Plan (you could even be awarded free shares in Mitie).
We award our employees with Mitie Stars as recognition for their hard work. There are cash prizes up for grabs each month and at the end of the year there’s a chance to scoop a top prize of £10,!
Our success is a direct result of the experience and quality of our people. Progressing your career is therefore a top priority for us. We offer a diverse variety of training and development avenues via a wide selection of learning resources to suit you.
We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to all. If you have a disability or long-term condition (for example dyslexia, anxiety, autism, a mobility condition or hearing loss) and need us to make any reasonable adjustments, changes or do anything differently during the recruitment process, please let us know by emailing at .