Sacramento County looking for new garbage truck drivers. Here’s how and where to apply

Sacramento County is looking to hire new garbage collectors and truck drivers at its in-person career fair event.

The county’s waste management and recycling program, known as the SacGreenTeam, is hiring for several positions including sanitation workers; collection equipment operators and senior collection operators, which are essentially driver positions, said Brenda Bongiorno, a spokeswoman for the county.

The starting salary for these full-time and intermittent positions ranges from $56,000 to $60,000. Some benefits of working for the county include dental and health insurance, as well as retirement plans.

In addition, the application for sanitation workers does not have any mandatory education or experience requirements.

“It has a very broad skill base,” Bongiorno said of the sanitation position. “If you’re interested in helping out with the environment, it’s a fantastic opportunity to get your foot in the door with the county.”

For the other two operator positions, requirements include having a Class B driver’s license with at least one or two years of driving experience, awareness of safe lifting practices and the ability to submit basic reports, according to the website.

“People who are interested in this position ought to be morning people and be okay with getting up in the morning to get their route going, and are generally done in the later afternoon,” Bongiorno said.

She added that unlike other long-haul truckers who sometimes work overnight, garbage truck drivers are typically home in time for dinner.

How to apply

The hiring event takes place Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 9310 Tech Center Dr. in Sacramento, and interested candidates must arrive by noon to apply.

For those interested in getting ahead of the pack, the department encourages people to apply online at SacGreenTeam.com. The application requires a California driver’s license and social security; a DMV driving record copy; three resume copies and three professional references.

What to be prepared for

For candidates that make it far enough in the process, Sacramento County Waste Management & Recycling will be conducting 20-minute interviews and Live Scan background checks, as well as administering Class A/B driving tests.

Long pants and closed-toe boots are required for the driving test. In addition, qualifying applicants will be asked to complete a federal DOT drug and alcohol query.

Applicants who pass all of the required tests are given a tentative offer of employment, pending a medical examination.

This story was originally published May 5, 2022 at 10:04 AM.