Solid Waste Worker - City of Tacoma WA : Job Details

Salary: $26.36 - $32.06 HourlyLocation : Tacoma, WAJob Type: ClassifiedJob Number: 0627-24Department: Environmental ServicesOpening Date: 12/04/2024Closing Date: 12/19/2024 5:00 PM PacificPosition DescriptionTHE CITY OF TACOMA IS CURRENTLY RECRUITING TO FILL VACANT SOLID WASTE WORKER POSITIONSWorking for the City of Tacoma is more than a job - it is a daily opportunity to leave our community better than we found it. In the Environmental Services Department, everything we do creates a better Tacoma by promoting healthy neighborhoods and a thriving Puget Sound. It is why we exist. We are committed to partnering with our community, fostering a great employee culture, and continuing to improve our award-winning operations with a clear focus on safety. We are looking for employees who embrace and live by our shared core values and commit to our shared purpose of making a difference in our community and creating a sense of purpose. The City of Tacoma Environmental Services Department, Solid Waste Management Division, is seeking highly motivated people from all walks of life that are devoted to public service to join our team in providing exceptional service to the citizens of Tacoma.This is an entry-level position and we will train the successful candidate(s) who are selected for the position. Solid Waste Workers are generally hired to perform a variety of customer service and manual labor tasks in support of the Solid Waste Management Division. Candidates should enjoy working both indoors and outdoors, in all types of weather. This is a great opportunity to join the City of Tacoma and acquire valuable training and work experience. Solid Waste Workers can be hired as full-time, part-time, project and/or as temporary employees. This recruitment will be used to fill any vacancies that may occur in the Solid Waste Management Division for the period of one year. Our ideal candidate will possess the following competencies:

• Customer focus: builds strong customer relationships and delivers customer- centric solutions.
• Communicates effectively:delivers communication orally and in writing that conveys a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences. Handles conflict situations effectively.
• Instills Trust:gains the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.
• Decision Quality: makes good and timely decisions.
• Situational Adaptability: adapts approach and demeanor in real time to match the shifting demands of different situations.
• Action-oriented: takes on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
• Resourcefulness: secures and deploys resources effectively and efficiently.
• Interpersonal Savvy: relates openly and comfortably with diverse groups of people.
• Manages Conflict: handles conflict situations effectively, with a minimum of noise.
• Safety: makes safety a core value in all work that is performed.

The Principles that Guide Us:Tacoma, the City of Destiny, has a workforce of dedicated, talented employees with unique skills and perspectives. We embrace innovation and strive for excellence and community engagement. The Principles that Guide Us, Integrity, Service, Excellence and Equity, speak to the values that we embody as City of Tacoma employees, and represent the core of our work in public service.Examples of job duties and responsibilities:

• Provide traffic control at various locations throughout the City of Tacoma's Recovery and Transfer Center.
• Recover recyclable material from the waste stream.
• Monitor customer activity to help ensure their safety.
• Provide relief for breaks, vacation and sick leave at the Scale-house, when necessary.
• Conduct clean-up and other maintenance activities at various locations throughout the facility.
• Assist with the cleaning of heavy equipment and other Solid Waste Management vehicles such as trucks, cars, and pickups.
• Assist with the maintenance of drainage systems throughout the facility.
• Operate motor vehicles, sweepers and other small equipment, when required.
• Assist with various components of Solid Waste Management's Recycling and Hazardous Waste programs and facility operations
• Place solid waste containers in the field, including loading containers, stenciling numbers and delivering.
• Repair and maintain plastic and metal solid waste containers. This includes painting containers when required.
• Spot check random loads of solid waste for hazardous waste and other undesirable material.
• Assist in the monitoring, maintenance and repair of the methane gas control system and groundwater extraction/treatment system.
• Assist with the yard waste collection program (includes curbside pick-up of yard waste).
• Assist in maintenance of landscape areas.
• Perform related duties as required.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:Solid waste disposal areas working environment: subject to adverse weather conditions and potential fumes from vehicles and disposal waste.Position requires general public contact.An employee in this position is exposed to potential hazards from traffic and hazardous materials.City of Tacoma Commitment to Diversity and InclusionTacoma's diversity is its greatest asset. Tacoma embraces its multi-cultural and multi-ethnic character. Communities of color and immigrant communities are fundamental to Tacoma's entrepreneurial spirit, workforce, and long-term success. In Tacoma, equity and empowerment are top priorities, meaning that all Tacoma residents must have equitable opportunities to reach their full potential and share in the benefits of community progress. One of our goals is for the City of Tacoma workforce to reflect the community it serves. We actively work to eliminate racial and other disparities and welcome candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or multicultural skill sets and experiences. Our goal is for Tacoma to be an inclusive and equitable place to live, work, and play. Qualifications Graduation from high school or equivalentLICENSE, CERTIFICATION, AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:Valid Washington State Driver's License at time of appointment with maintenance thereafterDESIRED QUALIFICATIONS: **Desired but not required**Experience providing customer service is highly valued. Knowledge & Skills KNOWLEDGE OF:

• Proper methods of directing traffic for safe and orderly disposal of solid waste
• Appropriate methods of disposing of solid waste in a safe manner
• Interpersonal skills using tact, patience, and courtesy

SKILLS:

• Learn applicable laws, regulations, and procedures
• Understand and follow oral and written directions
• Direct traffic in a safe and orderly manner
• Advise and instruct the public where and when to dispose solid waste
• Maintain disposal area in a safe, clean and orderly condition
• Operate a variety of tools, equipment, and machinery such as hoses, shovels, brooms, high pressure washer, small drills, etc.
• Operate a motor vehicle in a safe, legal, and defensive manner
• Maintain a cooperative and courteous attitude with the public
• Perform heavy manual labor, lifting heavy objects, and material
• Use respiratory and chemical protective equipment without restrictions
• Walk and stand for extended periods of time

Selection Process & Supplemental InformationTo be considered for this opportunity:Interested individuals must apply online and meet the minimum qualifications to progress in the examination process. In order for your application materials to be considered, all information must be submitted by the closing date and time listed on this job announcement. Candidates who are eligible for Veteran's Preference scoring criteria must attach a copy of their DD-214 member copy 4, (proof of military discharge form) at time of application, to be eligible for review for Veteran's Preference points.Examination Process:Candidates must meet the minimum qualifications for this position in order to be evaluated further. Please answer all questions completely. Information provided in the supplemental questions will be evaluated to determine placement on an eligible list. Applicants must attain a passing score in order to be placed on the eligible list for interview and hiring consideration. Per City of Tacoma Personnel Management Policy #170, the City of Tacoma is a drug-free work environment. Appointment is subject to successful completion of a pre-employment background check and will include a pre-employment medical examination, physical ability test and drug and alcohol screening. This position is covered by a Labor Agreement between the City of Tacoma and Teamsters Local Union 117. New employees must successfully complete a nine-month probationary period prior to obtaining permanent status in this classification.WHY WORK FOR THE CITY?The City of Tacoma offers a generous program of employee benefits:

• Outstanding working conditions and an exceptional quality-of-life environment.
• Medical coverage for eligible employees, spouses and dependents, including children up to age 26.
• Vision care with VSP for employees and eligible dependents enrolled in the Regence PPO medical plan with vision benefits.
• Dental coverage for eligible employees and their elected dependents, including dependent children up to the age of 26.
• Deferred compensation allowing tax-deferred savings as authorized under Section 457 of the IRS Code.
• Personal time off.
• Paid holidays.
• A great pension plan.

Our City:With a population of over 220,000, Tacoma is the second largest city in the Puget Sound region, gracing the shores of Commencement Bay. We are a diverse, progressive, international city that serves as a gateway to the Pacific Rim and the rest of the world. Named one of the most livable areas in the country by Livability.com, Tacoma and the surrounding area is a playground for outdoor and maritime enthusiasts. Our businesses are vibrant, our parks are beautiful, and our schools are exceptional.When you work for the City of Tacoma, you'll have an opportunity to enjoy a healthy work/life balance, the potential for flexible schedules (with some job classifications), continuing education programs, leadership pathways, wellness incentives and a total rewards benefits program. We welcome you to take a look at our website and discover how the City of Tacoma can make your next career move part of our combined destiny:The City of Tacoma believes that each employee makes a significant contribution to our success. This job description is designed to outline primary duties, qualifications and job scope. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.Communication from the City of Tacoma:We primarily communicate via email during the application process. Emails from cityoftacoma.org and/or governmentjobs.com must be placed on your safe domain list to ensure that you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk email folders.For assistance with the NEOGOV application process, or questions regarding this job announcement, please call Human Resources at (253) ###.#### before 4:00 pm of the closing date of the job announcement.The City of Tacoma provides excellent medical, dental and vision plans for the whole family; paid holidays and paid leave; participation in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System (alternate plan for Police/Fire); continuing education and advancement opportunities and a growing variety of City-sponsored health and wellness opportunities and incentives.Medical Coverage: For eligible employees and their families, including domestic partners and dependent children age 26 or younger.Dental Coverage: For eligible employees and their families, including domestic partners and dependent children age 26 or younger.Vision Coverage: For eligible employees and their eligible dependents.Paid Leave: City employees are entitled to received paid holidays, sick/vacation leave or personal time off (PTO), depending upon union affiliation and appointment type.Insurance Plans: Employees are covered by a long-term disability plan. Short-term and expanded long-term disability insurance plans are also available to employees. The State Industrial Insurance Act also covers employees.Deferred Compensation: Income can be set aside on a pretax basis and invested for supplementation of normal retirement income.Retirement: All employees of the City, except members of the Police and Fire services, Tacoma Rail and certain project employees, are included in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System. Information on the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System can be found at www.cityoftacoma.org or by calling (253) ###-####.Other Employment InformationDirect Deposit: Employees are paid on a bi-weekly schedule by direct deposit.Salary Increases: Based on satisfactory job performance, the City provides for a regular progression of salary increases for most classifications according to the salary schedule.Union Affiliation: Many job classifications are covered by union security provisions which require union membership, dues, or payment of equivalent service fees.Note: The provisions of this job announcement do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provision contained herein may be modified and/or revoked without notice.01 The Supplemental Questionnaire is part of the examination process; accordingly, it should be completed carefully. It must be submitted with your application. Responses to supplemental questions must be original content created by the applicant using their own words. The use of online tools or resources to create responses, such as Artificial Intelligence (ChatGPT, etc), Google, Bing, etc., or plagiarism in any form, is considered cheating and falsification of the application.Do not indicate see resume or copy unrelated content from your resume when answering these questions. Answer all information requested in each question. Failure to do so may result in rejection of your application.Questions 7-17 is the test portion that will be used to establish the Solid Waste Worker eligibility list. Applicants must attain a passing score in order to be placed on the eligible list for interview and hiring consideration. I certify that the information provided is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that any falsification may cancel any terms, conditions, or privileges of employment.

• Yes
• No

02 Do you have a high school diploma or the equivalent, such as a General Education Degree (GED)?

• Yes
• No

03 Will you have a valid Washington State driver's license by the first day on the job if you are offered this position?

• Yes
• No

04 Check the boxes for all of the types of employment you are willing to accept if offered a position:

• Full-time
• Part-time
• Full-time temporary
• Part-time temporary
• Shift work
• Weekends and holidays

05 Do you have experience working in customer service or interacting with the public? If no type N/A, if yes, please describe your experience. 06 This role will require communicating with community members and many colleagues. What is your approach to understanding the perspectives of colleagues and the community from different backgrounds? 07 A customer is frustrated or unhappy. The best way to help the customer is to:

• Say, It's not my fault.
• Listen, be patient, and empathize.
• Tell them they are right.
• Stop immediately and involve a supervisor.

08 Which of the following is not always applicable to customer service:

• It's important to provide exceptional service.
• It's important to be proactive in customer service.
• It's important to positively engage customers.
• It's important to always give the customer what they want.

09 Customer service requires empathy. Which statement is most true about empathy?

• It isn't an effective customer service tactic.
• You must have experienced the same issue as your customer to empathize.
• It must be sincere for it to be effective.
• It works best if you describe to the customer a situation where the same issue happened to you.

10 How can you best assess a customer's problem in order to solve it?

• Ask why the customer is upset, what the customer wants from the transaction, and what you can do to solve the problem.
• Investigate to find whoever is most at fault for the problem, and then encourage that person to solve the customer's problem.
• Consider what you think the problem is, and then do what you would want done if you were in the customer's situation.
• First consult with your supervisor to help identify the issue and find a solution.

11 In customer service, what is one potential benefit of taking ownership of a problem?

• You can correctly assign blame for the error.
• You can prevent the customers from getting angry.
• You get to make up your own rules for how to solve the problem.
• You get to do someone else's job besides your own.

12 What is the most impactful thing you can do to prevent negative customer emotions?

• Spot the problem before the customer gets upset.
• Offer a discount so the customer will feel better.
• Cover up your mistakes so the customer doesn't find out.
• Listen and let the customer vent about the issue.

13 A teammate shares a boundary with you. What will more than likely happen if you cross this boundary?

• Nothing will happen because the coworker will forgive you.
• Time will be lost.
• You have to expect conflict in the workplace.
• Trust will erode.

14 You are having a conflict with a team member. What is the most effective approach you can take to improve the situation?

• Avoid the issue and hope it goes away on its own.
• Talk to the team member with curiosity and try to understand their perspective.
• Ignore the team member's point of view.
• Confront the team member so they understand how passionately you feel about the issue and persuade them to change their approach.

15 Why is rapport an essential customer service skill?

• Rapport fills the time when a customer must wait for something.
• Rapport is often part of a company's customer service standards.
• Rapport helps break down barriers between you and your customers.
• Rapport is something that every customer expects.

16 A customer is frustrated with the service they have received. They have requested to speak to your supervisor who is unavailable. Select the response to the customer:

• I'm sorry but my supervisor is unavailable today, please come back a different day.
• I'm sorry for the service you received. I will have the supervisor get back to you whenever they have the time.
• I'm sorry for the service you received. My supervisor is currently unavailable, but I'd be happy see if we can find a solution together for you.
• I'm sorry but I'm the only one available right now and I have done all I can to resolve the issue.

17 A customer who speaks limited English needs your assistance. Select the best approach to overcome a language barrier in customer service:

• Speak louder so the customer can more easily understand what you are saying.
• Minimize the number of questions you ask to avoid more confusion.
• Ask them to come back with someone who can translate and communicate on their behalf.
• Slow down your communication and try drawing a picture to communicate an idea.

18 Please tell us how you learned about this job opening.

• Job Interest Card notification
• Internet search
• Professional organization
• Community organization
• Military organization
• Union job posting
• City of Tacoma employee
• Online job board posting
• Word of mouth
• Other

19 Please provide specific information regarding how you learned about this job opening. Thank you, your feedback will be used to evaluate our success reaching the public and refine our methods for future job postings. 20 If you are a military veteran, did you remember to upload a copy of your DDForm 214, Member 4 copy, for review for Veteran's Preference eligibility?

• Yes
• No

Required Question