Do you enjoy working outdoors and being part of a team that makes a real difference to your community? Were looking for enthusiastic and reliable individuals to join our Waste and Recycling team as Operatives. If youre committed to delivering excellent service and want a role that keeps you active, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.
NEW FOOD WASTE COLLECTIONS
By March 2026, all councils in England must provide weekly food waste collection for households. This is vital for the reduction of landfill waste and the creation of a cleaner, greener future.
Food waste in landfill emits methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Separate collection allows conversion into renewable energy and compost, reducing emissions and supporting sustainability.
Our Waste and Recycling teams are essential for implementing these changes, ensuring compliance and helping communities transition smoothly.
WHAT IS INVOLVED?
Our Waste and Recycling service is at the heart of keeping County Durham clean and green. We pride ourselves on delivering reliable, timely collections for both residents and businesses. As a Waste and Recycling Operative, youll play a vital role in this mission, working outdoors as part of a friendly, supportive crew to collect refuse and recyclable materials across the county. Every day, youll help make a visible difference to the environment and the communities we serve.
Your day-to-day duties will include:
* Collecting waste and recyclables from designated routes and community recycling centres.
* Assisting the driver with safe vehicle manoeuvring and acting as a reverse assistant when required.
* Loading refuse and recycling onto vehicles and operating equipment safely.
* Monitoring and reporting on the quality of materials collected and identifying contamination.
* Returning bins to collection points and ensuring streets are left clean and tidy.
* Providing advice and assistance to residents where appropriate.
Working hours:
Core service window: Collections typically run between 07:00 and 17:00, including pre-start checks.
Flexibility: Hours may vary to support service demands and adverse weather.
Standard hours are across a four-day working week, with occasional weekend or Bank Holiday working when required. Contractual overtime applies to this role.
We encourage you to contact Des Hunt via email at to arrange an informal discussion about the role.
WHAT WILL I NEED?
To succeed in this role, youll need:
* Essential: Relevant training in an associated discipline, good verbal communication skills, and the ability to work under minimum supervision.
* Experience: Working in an operational environment, knowledge of waste or environmental services, and experience dealing with the public.
* Personal qualities: Team player, enthusiastic, committed, and flexible. You must be willing to work occasional weekends and bank holidays to meet service needs.
Please refer to the attached Person Specification for the full criteria.
INTERVIEWS
Interviews will be held week commencing 2 March
We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked after young person, care leaver or a veteran.
OUR OFFER TO YOU
We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement, a wide range of discounts through the Vivup lifestyle savings platform, and membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme.
We invest in your future with structured training, mentoring, and support to help you achieve your goals. Whether you want to upskill, gain new qualifications, or take on more responsibility, well provide the tools and guidance to help you succeed.
Explore the full range of rewards and benefits on our website
Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions.
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION
We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people and offer support throughout the recruitment process.
HOW TO APPLY
Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the Person Specification section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted. For guidance on completing your application, visit our website
If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on option 4) or via email
All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you dont miss any updates.
Well be recruiting in three phases to support the rollout of Food Waste collections across different areas. Please apply for the role(s) in the area(s) where you would like to work.
Vacancies in the south (Chilton Depot, Chilton) will be released from 9 February
Vacancies in the north (Morrison Busty Depot, Annfield Plain, Stanley) will be released from 2 March
Vacancies in the east (Hackworth Road Depot, Peterlee) will be released from 13 April
For further information about the roles and what it is like to work in Waste and Recycling visit Here
SUPPORT WITH YOUR APPLICATION
As part of this recruitment drive a drop in session has been organised for 12th February 2026, where anyone who may require help completing their job application form can attend Heighington Lane Waste Transfer Station between 1-4pm to talk to the Area Manager and Area Supervisor.
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