Technical Lead Operator

This role is the technical backbone of a recycling processing line, keeping balers, shredders, conveyors, and sorting equipment running at a steady, safe pace while product quality holds to specification. Day to day, it combines hands-on machine operation and preventive maintenance with frontline supervision of assistant operators, so that jams, faults, and quality deviations are caught early instead of turning into lost production. It matters because every hour of unplanned downtime and every off-spec bale directly reduces the volume and value of material the plant can recover.

Role Overview

The person in this position owns the performance of the recycling machinery on shift — operating it, watching it, fixing what can be fixed on the spot, and escalating what cannot. They also act as the first line of leadership on the floor: coaching assistant operators, reinforcing safe work habits, and keeping the plant manager and supervisor informed with accurate production and equipment data. Because schedules shift with incoming material and plant priorities, this role requires someone who can adjust quickly and keep material flowing without sacrificing quality or safety.

Key Responsibilities

• Operate and oversee recycling machinery — balers, shredders, conveyors, and sorting equipment — monitoring performance and intervening immediately when a jam, malfunction, or breakdown occurs.
• Perform routine inspections and, where the schedule allows, carry out preventive maintenance on machinery; troubleshoot and diagnose faults and coordinate repairs with the appropriate support teams.
• Apply quality control measures across the process: inspect incoming material and outgoing product against specifications, and work with quality control colleagues to correct problems and improve methods.
• Keep accurate records of maintenance activity and equipment performance, and use production metrics and operational data to identify trends and recommend process enhancements.
• Lead, train, and supervise a team of assistant operators — setting clear expectations, motivating the team toward production goals, and making sure safe working practices are followed at all times.
• Run regular safety meetings and training for machine operators, investigate and report incidents promptly, implement corrective actions, and keep the workplace clean and orderly.
• Work with the Recycling Plant Manager and Recycling Plant Supervisor to develop production schedules, coordinate material flow with other departments, and adjust plans when priorities change or unforeseen circumstances arise.
• Contribute to process control and continuous improvement efforts, including collaborating with the engineering team on the design and installation of new equipment, and reporting equipment status and issues to relevant parties.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Degree or diploma in Mechanical Engineering.
• Proven experience as a machine operator in a recycling environment or a similar industrial setting.
• Hands-on operation of industrial production machinery involving at least three process steps with controlled parameters such as temperature, pressure, or speed.
• Ability to troubleshoot and diagnose mechanical and process faults, carry out preventive maintenance, and recognize when a repair needs to be escalated.
• Experience supervising, training, or directing a small team of operators, with the communication skills to work effectively across shifts and departments.
• Working knowledge of quality control methods for recycled materials, including incoming material and outgoing product inspection.
• Comfort with record-keeping and data analysis as a basis for production and process decisions.
• Demonstrated commitment to workplace safety, including leading safety meetings, reporting incidents, and implementing corrective actions.