POSITION DESCRIPTION: The Lead Thermal Operator is responsible for the safe, efficient, and compliant operation of a thermal desorption unit. This role leads shift activities, monitors critical process conditions, coordinates startup, steady-state operations, shutdowns, and upset response. Support environmental, health, and safety compliance across the facility. The position serves as the on-shift technical resource for operators, ensuring production targets, quality standards, equipment reliability, and regulatory requirements are consistently met.
PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead daily operation of the thermal desorption unit, associated material handling systems, burners, heaters, condensers, emissions control equipment, and support utilities in accordance with operating procedures and permit requirements.
- Direct and support shift operators during startup, shutdown, changeovers, normal operations, and emergency or upset conditions.
- Monitor and adjust key process parameters such as temperature, feed rate, residence time, pressure, flow, and moisture conditions to optimize throughput, product quality, and system performance.
- Review process trends, alarms, and operating data; identify abnormalities; troubleshoot equipment and process issues; and implement corrective actions in coordination with maintenance, laboratory, and supervisory personnel.
- Accurately complete operating logs, shift reports, inspection rounds, production records, sampling documentation, and incident or deviation reports.
- Perform and verify pre-startup checks, lockout/tagout compliance, equipment isolation, line-up verification, and safe work permit requirements before maintenance or non-routine work begins.
- Promote a strong safety culture by enforcing use of personal protective equipment, safe work practices, hazard recognition, housekeeping standards, and stop-work authority.
- Support compliance with applicable environmental and hazardous waste requirements, including waste handling, labeling, storage, inspection, spill prevention, and contingency response procedures.
- Coordinate with supervisors and maintenance teams on planned maintenance, equipment readiness, outage preparation, and return-to-service activities.
- Train, coach, and mentor operators on standard operating procedures, troubleshooting methods, emergency response expectations, and proper operation of site equipment such as loaders, forklifts, pumps, conveyors, and control systems.
- Participate in safety meetings, toolbox talks, audits, incident investigations, job hazard analyses, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Maintain readiness to respond to alarms, spills, fires, equipment failures, and other plant emergencies in accordance with site response plans.
- Perform other job-related duties as assigned in support of safe and efficient facility operations.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Strong commitment to safety, environmental stewardship, and regulatory compliance.
- Knowledge of industrial hazards including hot surfaces, pressurized systems, rotating equipment, chemical exposure, fire and explosion risks, heat stress, and confined spaces.
- Ability to make sound operating decisions under pressure and respond effectively to alarms, changing process conditions, and emergency situations.
- Effective leadership, communication, and training skills with the ability to direct work and reinforce operating discipline across a shift team.
- Mechanical aptitude and troubleshooting capability for diagnosing process and equipment performance issues.
- Ability to prioritize tasks, manage multiple activities, and maintain attention to detail in a fast-paced operating environment.
- Ability to work independently with limited supervision while maintaining strong coordination with operations, maintenance, laboratory, and management personnel.
- Previous lead operator, senior operator, or shift leadership experience (preferred).
- Working knowledge of pumps, motors, conveyors, burners, heat transfer systems, valves, instrumentation, and control systems.
- Experience reading gauges, trends, operating instructions, P&IDs, and basic process flow information.
- Ability to use computers and handheld devices for logs, inspections, training records, and production reporting.
- Forklift, loader, manlift, or similar mobile equipment experience preferred, where applicable.
- Must be able to complete site-specific training for hazardous waste operations, emergency response, and safe equipment operation.
- Valid driver's license and ability to travel locally within the South Texas region, if needed.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
- Minimum 3-5 years of experience in industrial plant operations.
- Experience in thermal desorption, waste treatment, remediation, oilfield waste processing, chemical processing, or similar continuous-process operations.
Rewarding Compensation and Benefits
Eligible employees can elect to participate in:
- Comprehensive medical benefits coverage, dental plans and vision coverage.
- Health care and dependent care spending accounts.
- Short- and long-term disability.
- Life insurance and accidental death & dismemberment insurance.
- Employee and Family Assistance Program (EAP).
- Employee discount programs.
- Retirement plan with a generous company match.
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP).
- Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Benefits: https://jobs.republicservices.com/us/en/about-us/benefits
The statements used herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by an employee in this position, and are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties and skills required by an incumbent so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the Company.
EEO STATEMENT:Republic Services is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, relationship or association with a protected veteran (spouses or other family members), genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. For any concerns relating to Republic Services’ commitment to equal opportunity employment, you may contact the AWARE Line at 1-866-3-AWARE-4.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE: RSG) is a leader in the environmental services industry. We provide customers with the most complete set of products and services, including recycling, waste, special waste, hazardous waste and field services. Our industry-leading commitments to advance circularity and support decarbonization are helping deliver on our vision to partner with customers to create a more sustainable world.
In 2025, Republic’s total company revenue was $16.6 billion, and adjusted EBITDA was $5.3 billion. We serve 13 million customers and operate more than 1,000 locations, including collection and transfer stations, recycling and polymer centers, treatment facilities, and landfills.
Although we operate across North America, the collection, recycling, treatment, or disposal of materials is a local business, and the dynamics and opportunities differ in each market we serve. By combining local operational management with standardized business practices, we drive greater operating efficiencies across the company while maintaining day-to-day operational decisions at the local level, closest to the customer.
Our customers, including small businesses, major corporations and municipalities, want a partner with the expertise and capabilities to effectively manage their multiple recycling and waste streams. They choose Republic Services because we are committed to exceeding their expectations and helping them achieve their sustainability goals. Our 42,000 team members understand that it's not just what we do that matters, but how we do it.
Our company values guide our daily actions:
- Safe: We protect the livelihoods of our colleagues and communities.
- Committed to Serve: We go above and beyond to exceed our customers’ expectations.
- Environmentally Responsible: We take action to improve our environment.
- Driven: We deliver results in the right way.
- Human-Centered: We respect the dignity and unique potential of every person.
We are proud of our high employee engagement score of 86. We have an inclusive and diverse culture where every voice counts. In addition, our team positively impacted 5.1 million people in 2024 through the Republic Services Charitable Foundation and local community grants. These projects are designed to meet the specific needs of the communities we serve, with a focus on building sustainable neighborhoods.
STRATEGY Republic Services’ strategy is designed to generate profitable growth. Through acquisitions and industry advancements, we safely and sustainably manage our customers’ multiple waste streams through a North American footprint of vertically integrated assets. We focus on three areas of growth to meet the increasing needs of our customers: recycling and waste, environmental solutions and sustainability innovation. With our integrated approach, strengthening our position in one area advances other areas of our business. For example, as we grow volume in recycling and waste, we collect additional material to bolster our circularity capabilities. And as we expand environmental solutions, we drive additional opportunities to provide these services to our existing recycling and waste customers.
Recycling and Waste We continue to expand our recycling and waste business footprint throughout North America through organic growth and targeted acquisitions. The 13 million customers we serve and our more than 5 million pick-ups per day provide us with a distinct advantage. We aggregate materials at scale, unlocking new opportunities for advanced recycling. In addition, we are cross-selling new products and services to better meet our customers’ specific needs.
Environmental Solutions Our comprehensive environmental solutions capabilities help customers safely manage their most technical waste streams. We are expanding both our capabilities and our geographic footprint. We see strong growth opportunities for our offerings, including PFAS remediation, an increasing customer need.
Sustainability Innovation Republic’s recent innovations to advance circularity and decarbonization demonstrate our unique ability to leverage sustainability as a platform for growth.
The Republic Services Polymer Center is the nation’s first integrated plastics recycling facility. These innovative sites process rigid plastics from our recycling centers, producing recycled materials that promote true bottle-to-bottle circularity. We also formed Blue Polymers, a joint venture with Ravago, to develop facilities that will further process plastic material from our Polymer Centers to help meet the growing demand for sustainable packaging. We are building a network of Polymer Centers and Blue Polymer facilities across North America.
Our customers are increasingly looking for decarbonization solutions, and we are leveraging our network of landfills to meet that need. Republic is committed to harnessing landfill gas, a natural byproduct of decomposing waste, and converting it to energy. Republic has partnered with renewable gas developers to construct Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) plants at our landfills, expanding beyond the 77 projects we currently have to make progress towards our goal to beneficially reuse 50% more biogas by 2030 (2017 baseline year).
RECENT RECOGNITION
- Barron’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies
- CDP Discloser
- Dow Jones Best-In-Class Indices
- Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies
- Fortune World’s Most Admired Companies
- Great Place to Work
- Sustainability Yearbook S&P Global