Heavy Equipment Operator
$20/hr+ Employee referral bonus + 401(k) match
Entry
Show Low, AZ, USA
In Person
Manufacturing & Production OperationsMachine & Process Operation
About the job
Requirements
- One to two years of heavy equipment operation experience in an industrial setting is highly preferred.
- Ability to immediately understand and react to verbal safety commands, audio alarms, and written hazard alerts in English in a manufacturing setting.
- Proficiency in English to accurately read, interpret, and execute equipment lock-out/tag-out protocols and machine operation manuals.
- Sufficient English verbal skills to clearly and instantly report machine malfunctions, near-misses, or unsafe floor conditions to supervisors and team members.
- Clear, real-time communication and strict adherence to English-language safety signage are mandatory for workplace safety around fast-moving, heavy automated equipment.
- Good eye, hand, and foot coordination.
- Ability to concentrate for extended periods, multitask, lift, push, or pull up to 50 pounds repetitively, and stand and sit for long periods.
- Ability to climb stairs to enter and exit a loader, without fear of confined spaces or heights.
- Ability to perform simple math calculations, use basic tools, and demonstrate mechanical aptitude when conducting loader maintenance.
- A pre-employment background check and drug screen are required.
Responsibilities
- Operate heavy equipment, including wheel loaders, log loaders, and other assigned machinery, to move and position logs.
- Load and unload log trucks safely and efficiently.
- Sort, stack, and organize logs according to size or processing requirements.
- Feed logs into chipping or other processing equipment as required.
- Monitor equipment performance and report mechanical issues, unusual noises, leaks, or operating concerns.
- Perform routine pre-shift inspections and basic equipment maintenance.
- Maintain awareness of equipment operating limits and follow proper shutdown and startup procedures.
- Maintain an adequate supply of chips from the log yard to support continuous production.
- Communicate with production operators and supervisors regarding chip availability, material flow, and operational issues.
- Identify and separate unacceptable material, debris, or foreign objects that could damage equipment or affect product quality.
- Keep log decks, storage areas, traffic lanes, and work areas organized and accessible.
- Assist with truck traffic coordination and ensure designated unloading areas remain clear.
- Follow environmental procedures for fuel, oil, hydraulic fluids, and other potential contaminants.
- Keep all tail pulleys clear and perform yard cleanup as needed.
- Perform other accountabilities as required.
About the company
Lignetics converts wood waste into eco-friendly consumer products such as heating pellets, BBQ pellets, animal bedding, and fire logs. Its products are made by compressing wood waste into pellets and logs that people burn for heat, cooking, or other uses, produced at manufacturing plants across the US and Canada. The company differentiates itself by scaling through a strategic roll-up of competitors, becoming the largest residential wood pellet maker in the United States and building a nationwide, multi-plant footprint. Its goal is to grow the business through acquisitions and operational expansion to maintain market leadership in the fragmented wood-pellet industry.
Company Size
1-10
Company Stage
Early VC
Total Funding
$8M
Headquarters
Louisville, Colorado
Founded
1983
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- December 2025 PelletHeat.com builds direct consumer demand around pellet heating education.
- April 2025 NaturFil targets plastics fillers with patent-pending wood-flour technology.
- July 2024 Fiber Energy added Arkansas and Missouri capacity, expanding Midwest-South reach.
What critics are saying
- Oregon WARN notices cut Cascade Locks workers in April 2025 and June 2025.
- Headcount fell to 438 by March 2026, signaling operating leverage pressure.
- If pellet heating commoditizes and NaturFil stalls, EagleTree owns a low-margin mill network.
What makes Lignetics unique
- Lignetics runs 29 North American mills and 2 million-ton capacity, unmatched residential scale.
- It monetizes one waste stream across pellets, BBQ fuel, cat litter, and bedding.
- EagleTree's 2021 buyout backed management, preserving acquisition discipline under Brett Jordan.
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Benefits
- Flexible Work Hours
- 401(k) Company Match
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Paid Vacation
- Annual Bonus