Baler Operator – Recycling Facility

The Fairfax Companies is a Tucson-based family of businesses serving Southern Arizona through recycling, landfill and disposal services, roll-off rentals, aggregate materials, and Tank's Green Stuff compost products. We're expanding our cardboard recycling operation at our Speedway facility and are looking for a dependable, mechanically minded Baler Operator to run it.

The Fairfax Companies is a Tucson-based family of businesses serving Southern Arizona through recycling, landfill and disposal services, roll-off rentals, aggregate materials, and Tank's Green Stuff compost products. We're expanding our cardboard recycling operation at our Speedway facility and are looking for a dependable, mechanically minded Baler Operator to run it.

You'll be the lead operator of our two-ram horizontal baler, responsible for running the control system, keeping the line moving, and producing consistent, well-tied, shippable bales. You'll work alongside two laborers and an excavator operator who feed and support the line, so you'll set the pace and coordinate the crew's work around the machine.

• Operate the two-ram horizontal baler from the control panel, including startup, shutdown, cycle settings, and bale length/density adjustments
• Monitor feed rate and material flow, and coordinate with the excavator operator and laborers to keep the hopper loaded without jams or overfeeding
• Watch for and remove contamination (plastics, metals, trash) that affects bale quality or damages equipment
• Manage wire tying, bale ejection, and staging of finished bales for loading and shipment
• Perform daily pre-shift inspections, including hydraulics, wire tier, shear blade, and safety interlocks
• Handle routine maintenance: greasing, cleaning, wire restocking, and minor adjustments
• Troubleshoot jams, misties, and fault codes; report bigger mechanical issues promptly
• Follow lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures every time you enter or service the machine
• Keep daily production logs (bale counts, weights, downtime, and issues)
• Keep the baler area clean, organized, and safe

• 1+ year operating a baler, compactor, or similar industrial/production equipment (horizontal baler experience strongly preferred)
• Comfortable reading control panels, adjusting settings, and diagnosing basic mechanical and hydraulic problems
• Working knowledge of LOTO and a serious commitment to safety
• Able to direct and work alongside a small crew
• Reliable, punctual, and steady at a production pace
• Able to stand for full shifts, lift up to 50 lbs, and work outdoors in Tucson heat
• Valid driver's license

• Steady weekday schedule:
  Monday through Friday 7:00am to 3:30pm
• $20/hr depending on experience
• Health insurance / PTO / paid holidays / 401(k)
• Paid training on our equipment and safety procedures
• Room to grow with a locally owned company with several operations across Tucson

Must be drug-free and submit to a background check and pre-employment drug screen.

Salary: $20 - $20 per hour