How to hire a recycling technician

How to hire a recycling technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step recycling technician hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a recycling technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new recycling technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your recycling technician job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a recycling technician for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect recycling technician also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents recycling technician salaries for various positions.

   Type of Recycling Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Recycling Technician		$12-19
   Technician	Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with... Show more	$11-27

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Recyclable Materials
   • Pallets
   • Pallet Jack
   • Routine Maintenance
   • Hazardous Waste
   • Troubleshoot
   • Waste Materials
   • Safety Standards
   • Baling
   • ISO
   • Balers
   • Circuit Boards
   • Load Trucks
   • Waste Management

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Handle hazardous materials according to OSHA standards.
   • Sort a variety of recycle materials such as concrete, drywall, plastics and wood into containers or bucket loaders.
   • Bale cardboard in baling machine.
   • Experience with torches, saws, shredders and balers.
   • Handle groundskeeper duties including mowing grass, removing weeds, and other landscaping.
   • Work independently, using judgment and discretion in making decisions that directly impact facility compliance.

   More recycling technician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your recycling technician job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A recycling technician can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, recycling technicians' average salary in florida is 24% less than in nebraska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level recycling technicians 34% less than senior-level recycling technicians.
   • Certifications. A recycling technician with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a recycling technician's salary.

   Average recycling technician salary

   $16.20hourly

   $33,687 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level recycling technician salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average recycling technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$38,863	$19
   2	Colorado	$38,182	$18
   3	Illinois	$37,247	$18
   4	Washington	$37,041	$18
   5	Virginia	$37,002	$18
   6	Ohio	$36,627	$18
   7	Kansas	$36,454	$18
   8	Arizona	$36,230	$17
   9	Indiana	$35,941	$17
   10	South Carolina	$35,127	$17
   11	Texas	$34,780	$17
   12	Pennsylvania	$33,202	$16
   13	Oregon	$33,186	$16
   14	Georgia	$32,637	$16
   15	Iowa	$31,814	$15
   16	North Carolina	$31,705	$15
   17	Florida	$30,401	$15

   Average recycling technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	SF-Marin Food Bank	$42,222	$20.30
   2	Republic Services	$39,750	$19.11	12
   3	Harsco	$39,729	$19.10
   4	Sonoco	$37,726	$18.14	3
   5	First Solar	$36,963	$17.77	11
   6	Parker Hannifin	$35,936	$17.28	1
   7	The University of Kansas Health System	$35,807	$17.21	4
   8	Quad	$35,449	$17.04	2
   9	University of North Carolina	$35,402	$17.02
   10	Dart Container	$34,215	$16.45
   11	Blue Earth County	$33,356	$16.04
   12	QPS	$32,420	$15.59
   13	Vonachen Group	$32,274	$15.52	1
   14	IH Services	$32,266	$15.51
   15	ABM Industries	$32,250	$15.50	99
   16	Neil Jones Food Company	$32,238	$15.50
   17	Huntington Ingalls Industries	$32,236	$15.50	5
   18	Planet Forward	$32,236	$15.50
   19	SBM Management Services	$32,037	$15.40	119
   20	The AZEK Company	$31,552	$15.17	5

4. Writing a recycling technician job description

   A job description for a recycling technician role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a recycling technician job description:

   Recycling technician job description example

   POSITION SUMMARY: The Recycling Center Maintenance Technician performs repairs and maintenance on recycling equipment, compact heavy equipment and light trucks to maximize safe and productive operations. Typical repairs include, but are not limited to, routine maintenance and repair of hydraulic systems, recycling equipment (sorting screens, optical sorters, magnets, eddy currents, etc), electrical systems, balers, conveyor systems and compactors.
   PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
   
   * Diagnoses mechanical problems using chars, diagnostic software, technical manuals and expertise.
   * Performs repairs and maintenance on recycling equipment, compact heavy equipment and light trucks to maximize safe and productive operations. Typical repairs include, but are not limited to, route maintenance and repair of hydraulic systems, recycling equipment, transmissions, electrical systems, engines, balers, conveyor systems, and compactors.
   * Repairs or replaces parts as directed by a work order system. Completes field service reports in a work order system.
   * Overhauls or replaces machine components and replace worn items.
   * Communicates with supervisor and/or equipment operators for clarification of problems. May discuss preventive techniques with equipment users to minimize future repairs.
   * Independently troubleshoot and maintain complex electromechanical equipment.
   * Completes daily consumables report to record hours, fuel and oil usage, and provide information for input in Republic Services Dossier (Fleet Management Software) system.
   * Perform preventative maintenance according to standard schedules.
   * May maintain, repair and install plumbing, electrical, HVAC, odor systems, and negative pressure systems
   * Installs and sets up new equipment and communicate with vendors regarding maintenance schedules.
   * Reads, troubleshoots and programs simple PLC instructions to enhance plant monitoring and performance as requested by operations staff or to support maintenance objectives.
   * Follows all safety policies and procedures.
   * Performs other job-related duties as assigned or apparent.
   
   QUALIFICATIONS:
   
   * Minimum of 1 year experience with building maintenance, HVAC, odor systems and negative pressure systems.
   * Minimum of 3 years of experience working on equipment in a manufacturing or distribution environment.
   * Working knowledge of Tier 4 emission systems.
   * Welding and/or fabrication skills and/or experience.
   * PLC Programming experience.
   * Valid driver's license.
   * Mechanical or trade school certificate.
   * Certificate in electronic diagnostics.
   
   MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
   
   * Minimum of 1 year of equipment maintenance and repair experience.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right recycling technician for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your recycling technician job on Zippia to find and recruit recycling technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with recycling technician candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new recycling technician

   Once you've decided on a perfect recycling technician candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new recycling technician. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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