Front Door Waste Technician-Cortland Lake Ridge Ridge

It's 6:30 p.m. on a Tuesday. Residents are getting home from work, dogs need walking, and the valet trash window is open. Your route needs to run clean and on time, because in multifamily, the details residents notice most are the ones that happen right outside their front door.

What the Role Actually Involves

Cortland is hiring a Front Door Waste Technician at their Lake Ridge community in Hilliard, OH. This is a valet trash position, which means you're running a nightly collection route through the property, picking up resident waste bags set outside unit doors, loading them into leak-proof carts, and transporting everything to the onsite compactors or waste containers. You'll also clear trash from dog waste stations, pool areas, mail kiosks, parking lots, and common areas throughout the property.

The job has a real physical component. You're climbing stairs, covering ground on foot, and lifting up to 50 pounds through the full shift. Outdoor work in all weather is part of it, and so is the occasional strong odor. That's just the reality of the role. If you've worked in waste services or a service-focused job before, you already know what you're signing up for.

Cortland tracks route completion through a mobile app. You'll log start and end times, document your work with photos, and flag any improper or prohibited waste you encounter. Staying visible on property and communicating clearly with residents and staff is a daily expectation, not an afterthought. This is a resident-facing position, and how you carry yourself matters.

What Cortland Is Looking For

• High school diploma or equivalent, preferred
• At least one year of experience in waste services or a customer-facing role
• Working knowledge of EPA and OSHA regulations for waste handling
• Strong communication skills; bilingual ability is a plus
• Ability to operate basic equipment, including compactors
• Valid driver's license for local driving as needed
• Personal smartphone (Android 2.2+ or iPhone iOS 4.3+) with an active data plan for app-based reporting
• Physical ability to climb stairs, walk long distances, and lift up to 50 lbs throughout a shift

What separates the candidates who stick around in this role from those who don't is consistency. Routes run five or more nights a week. Residents notice immediately when service slips, and property managers notice too. Reliability, a professional attitude with residents, and attention to site cleanliness are the things that actually matter here day to day.

Cortland is a large, vertically integrated multifamily operator, founded in 2005 and ranked among the top ten multifamily owners in the country. They run their own design, construction, and operations, which means their properties tend to be actively managed with clear standards. For the right person, this kind of environment offers stability and a defined set of expectations, which can be easier to succeed in than a loosely run smaller operation.