Openings as of 2/13/2026

Landscape Recycling Center Equipment Operator

JobID: 521

Position Type:
Civil Service/Full-Time/Non-Exempt/AFSCME


Date Posted:
2/12/2026


Location:
Urbana Public Works Department


Date Available:
When filled


Join Our Team!

Landscape Recycling Center Equipment Operator
Work Schedule ***Schedule is subject to change
• March-November Tuesday-Saturday 7:45 am - 3:45 pm
• December-February Monday-Friday 7:45 am - 3:45 pm
Annual Salary Range
Full Annual Range: $29.1040-$34.3893 ($60,536.38-$71,529.57 annualized)


Starting Salary Range
Probationary: $29.1040 ($60,536.38 annualized)
Base: $29.3925 ($61,136.38 annualized)
Job Type: Full-time, AFSCME, Civil Service

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Position Summary:
Assists in the daily operation of a large-scale landscape trimmings recycling center by delivering finished compost and mulch to customers with a dump truck; providing customer service to site customers; conduct retail sales through use of electronic point of sale machine; keeping the site free of refuse; monitoring, organizing, and helping site operators process a wide range of landscaping and forestry byproducts; testing and monitoring composted material throughout composting process per Illinois EPA regulations; using a front-end loader and skid-steer loader to load LRC product material into various-sized trucks; property maintenance including mowing, grading, and drainage improvements; assisting with maintenance of heavy equipment; and assisting with the training of seasonal personnel. Assists with removal of snow from streets, sidewalks and parking lots.
Distinguishing Characteristics:
This job class performs general equipment operating tasks while learning the more skilled tasks. Incumbents in this classification receive on-the-job training, specific day-to-day direction, under supervision. Positions at this level are not expected to function with the same amount of knowledge or skills as positions allocated to the Equipment Operator II level and exercise less independent discretion and judgment in matters related to work procedures and methods. Under supervision and through training and experience, employees in this classification are assigned increasingly responsible duties.
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Ideal Candidate:
• Demonstrates active listening and precise and direct communication.
• Ability to work hands-on, self-motivated, safety focused, physically resilient.

• Team oriented, positive attitude embraces continuous learning, respect for nature, and respect for others.
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Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
• As LRC Equipment Operator: Monitors, organizes and processes a wide range of incoming debris materials at the Landscape Recycling Center. Tests and monitors compost material throughout composting process as per Illinois EPA regulations. Inspects and approves incoming and outgoing material, estimates volumes, collects fees and issues receipts. Make deliveries to residential homes and businesses with dump truck. Loads product material into various sized trucks with heavy equipment loaders such as End Loader, Crawler Loader and Skid steer Loader. Maintains heavy equipment and keeps the site free of refuse; assists with training seasonal and part-time personnel.
• Estimates volumes of materials received, operates cash register to issue receipts, and collects fee associated with the distribution of processed materials.
• Operates various equipment such as end loader, skid steer loader, crawler loader, woodchipper, compost turner, tub grinder, log splitter and chain saws to process and transfer landscape and tree debris material.
• Monitors the type of material entering the Center and determines acceptability.
• Maintains the Site in a clean and orderly manner to provide safe working conditions.
• Monitors processed materials stockpiles in order to maintain adequate supplies for customer sales.
• Cuts, splits and stacks firewood with an advanced six-way hydraulic log splitter and new equipment as acquired.
• May be responsible for monitoring acceptability of materials and accurately estimating volumes of materials admitted to Center.
• May be responsible for proper accounting and records associated with receipt of debris materials and distribution of processed materials.
• May be responsible for monitoring and recording oxygen, moisture and temperature levels of compost material throughout ten-month composting process.
• May be responsible for handling daily cash, check, and charge revenue.
• May be responsible for appropriately securing Center entrances, buildings, and equipment in absence of supervisory personnel.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
Required / Minimum Qualifications:
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
• Knowledge and abilities typically acquired through graduation from high school or equivalent.
• One (1) year of civil construction experience involving operation of heavy equipment.
• Other combinations of experience and education that meet the minimum qualifications may be substituted.
• Operate heavy equipment (rubber tired and track driven) including but not limited to street sweeper, crawler loader, front endloader, skid steer loader, woodchipper compost turner, tub grinder, hydraulic log splitter, large chain saws, backhoe, and road grader.
• Lift objects weighing up to 75 pounds.
Preferred Qualifications
• Possession of a State of Illinois Class B Commercial Driver's License with Air Brake Endorsement at the time of hire is preferred.
For a complete list of duties and qualifications, please refer to the job description.
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To Apply:
Click the red "Apply" button on the upper-right hand side of this page. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled; however the date of first application review will occur after Thursday, February 26, 2026. Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to apply prior to this date for priority consideration.
Selection Process:
The application will serve as the Civil Service exam; applicants meeting or exceeding the passing score will be placed on an open competitive register to fill current and/or future vacancies that may occur within approximately the next two years; this register may be extended or voided as needed by the Civil Service Commission. Questions may be directed to Ranija Turner, Human Resources Coordinator, at: jobs@urbanail.gov or call (217) 384-6295. The City of Urbana provides reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities; if you need information, please contact the Human Resources Division at the number or e-mail address above.
What happens after I submit my application?
You will be contacted by e-mail regarding your status once a decision has been made in the selection process. Once you apply, almost all communication regarding the status of your application will be by email through the City's applicant management platform, so please add the domain "applitrack.com" to your address book to prevent any emails from going to your Spam/Junk folder.
The Organization
The City of Urbana, founded in 1833 and the county seat of Champaign County, is a home-rule municipality situated in east central Illinois, approximately 135 miles south of Chicago and 45 miles west of the Indiana border. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the state's flagship university, is located in both Urbana and Urbana's twin city of Champaign. Urbana's population is estimated at 38,336 and 11.9 square miles are within the City boundaries. The City is led by Mayor DeShawn Williams and operates under the mayor-aldermanic form of government. On average, Urbana employs 260 full-time personnel. For more information about the City of Urbana, visit: www.urbanaillinois.us.
About the Urbana Community
Award-winning dining. Cutting-edge technology. World-class education. Gigabit-speed fiber network. Urbana is a city where artists, thinkers, and innovators thrive. And we're just getting started!
Urbana boasts a history built on innovation. From the famed Morrow Plots, a National Historic Landmark, to the groundbreaking research conducted every day on the flagship campus of the University of Illinois, Urbana embraces creative thinking and diversity to drive innovation and advancement. We're connected to each other and the world thanks to an award-winning mass transit district, Amtrak rail, a regional airport, and three major interstates. Prefer to get around on two wheels? We are proud to be the first Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Community in Illinois. Our West Urbana neighborhood has been named of the 10 Great Neighborhoods in America by the American Planning Association, and together with our twin city Champaign, we've been recognized as the Greatest Food Town in the Midwest by Midwest Living Magazine, as well as an AARP Age-Friendly Community. Led by Mayor DeShawn Williams, Urbana's progressive values include civic engagement, celebrating entrepreneurs and innovators, smart growth, and transparent governance. Award-winning schools, outstanding parks, a mosaic of diverse and engaged neighborhoods, a robust array of businesses located throughout the city, and reliable public services committed to the best possible quality of life for residents serve to make Urbana a great place for all to thrive.
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Compensation and Benefits
The City of Urbana offers competitive compensation and benefits to our employees. The starting hourly rate for this position is $29.1040. The City of Urbana provides its employees with a robust benefits package that includes the following options:
• Health insurance through Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois, including a no-cost premium option for employees
• Dental insurance options through Delta Dental
• Vision, Voluntary Life, Short/Long-term Disability, Accident, and Critical Illness insurance options
• Flexible Spending Plan option
• Paid holidays
• Generous vacation and unlimited sick leave accruals
For more information about City benefits for this position, please visit AFSCME Benefits | City of Urbana Careers | Urbana, Illinois).
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The City of Urbana Welcomes Diversity!
We foster an environment that values and encourages mutual respect, inclusion of all people, and utilizing differences and similarities as an organizational asset. EOE.





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