Thermal Plant Operator

Allerton Waste Recovery Park, Allerton Waste Recovery Park, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Posted Thursday 18 December 2025 at 01:00 | Expires Tuesday 6 January 2026 at 00:59

At Thalia Waste Management, we’re creating a future to be proud of. We think differently and question everything, developing progressive solutions that transform waste into energy. Our mission is simple but ambitious: to transform today’s waste into tomorrow’s energy. We’re now looking for an experienced Thermal Plant Operator to support the safe, compliant and efficient operation of our Energy from Waste (EfW) facility at Allerton Waste Recovery Park, operating across steady state, start-up, shutdown and emergency conditions.

As a Thermal Plant Operator, you’ll play a key role in ensuring the safe and reliable performance of the EfW plant, working closely with operational and maintenance teams in a highly regulated environment.

You will:

• Ensure day-to-day compliance with the Environmental Permit, escalating any non-compliance or incidents to the Shift Team Leader
• Operate in line with Thalia’s Health & Safety, Quality and Environmental Management Systems and all relevant legislation
• Actively participate in site and company HSE initiatives, including HSE forum activities
• Liaise closely with the Maintenance Team to ensure plant availability and optimal performance
• Coach and mentor new site personnel, supporting competence and safe working practices
• Maintain accurate records including shift handovers, maintenance requests and operational documentation

2 Days / 3 Nights / 4 Off
3 Days / 2 Nights / 5 Off
2 Days / 2 Nights / 12 Off

You’ll be an experienced EfW or thermal plant professional who is confident operating in dynamic, safety-critical environments.

You’ll bring:

• WAMITAB Level 4 Operator Competence for Managing Thermal Treatment Facilities (desirable)
• Strong analytical thinking with the ability to diagnose issues and take ownership in complex situations
• Excellent problem-solving skills and a calm approach under pressure
• Proven combustion and boiler process experience
• Demonstrable experience operating Energy from Waste facilities
• A continuous improvement mindset, working to defined KPIs
• The ability to share knowledge, mentor others and build professional expertise

• Competitive salary of £46,778.70
• Entry into the company bonus scheme (5%)
• Contributory pension up to 6%
• Life assurance

Our Business
At Thalia Waste Management, we are creating a future to be proud of. We think differently, questioning everything, enabling us to develop progressive waste into energy solutions and services. Being motivated, tackling problems together, inspiring others to take responsibility, making a difference, being ambitious and contributing value.
We operate the best technology available across our four strategic sites in North Yorkshire, Milton Keynes, Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Wight. Our technology includes everything from mechanical and biological treatment, traditional mass-burn energy from waste and material recycling technologies to in-vessel composting, advanced thermal treatment, innovative small-scale energy from waste and anaerobic digestion. In a single year we process 300,000 tonnes of waste that is turned into energy.

This generates the same amount of energy as approximately 600 million solar panels. Similarly we recycle circa 95,000 tonnes of waste.

Inclusion
At Thalia Waste Management, we work hard to make sure we are an inclusive and diverse place to work.

This means we don’t just look at your CV, we’re focused on who you are, your skills and passion that can be brought to Thalia Waste Management. We know and understand the everyone is different and has a life outside work, so we’re happy to discuss flexible working and any adjustments that could be needed! We’ll do all that we can to support everyone from their first contact with us.

For any support or adjustments needed through our recruitment process, please speak to our recruitment team who will be happy to support.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. As a Disability Confident
Employer
, we will make sure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable adjustments to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.