Operations Technician

Location

Chicago, IL

Wage

$19 – $21/hr

Employment Type

Full-time

Apply for This Position

Posted on September 10, 2026

Job Description

Overview

KCBX Terminals Company is seeking an entry-level Operations Technician in Chicago, IL, ideal for individuals eager to learn and develop skills in industrial operations within a bulk material handling environment. This position offers hands-on training and opportunities to build a long-term career while ensuring safe and efficient terminal operations.

Responsibilities

  • Transfer and handle bulk materials safely and efficiently.
  • Operate locomotives and rail equipment within the facility.
  • Operate skid steers, bobcats, and other mobile equipment.
  • Load and unload products from barges, vessels, railcars, and trucks.
  • Complete daily safety, environmental, and compliance activities.
  • Perform routine inspections and basic equipment troubleshooting.
  • Maintain accurate operational records and reports using Microsoft Office.
  • Collaborate with team members to support safe and reliable operations.
  • Participate in training, emergency response, and continuous improvement efforts.
  • Support housekeeping and general facility maintenance activities.

Requirements

  • Willing and able to obtain a TWIC Card upon hire.
  • Must have a valid driver's license.
  • Ability to perform manual labor (shoveling, lifting up to 50 lbs.).
  • Ability to use sledgehammer and pinch bar.
  • Ability to climb stairs.
  • Ability to work outdoors in various types of weather.
  • Shift work with rotating 8/10/12 hour schedule; must arrive to work on time.
  • Ability to work mandatory overtime hours for vessel loading.
  • Ability to work in a standing, crouching, or bending position for prolonged periods of time.

Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • PTO

Additional Information

  • This position follows a rotating shift schedule that supports 24/7 operations and includes both day and night shifts.
  • Employees receive their schedules in advance.

Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
PTO

How this job compares in Chicago, IL

Pay in context

At roughly $20/hr, this posting comes in about 44% below the $36/hr median for welding jobs in Chicago, IL, where the middle half runs $27–$45/hr across 89 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 3% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. That gap is worth raising directly — in a market this size there is normally room to negotiate toward the median, particularly if you already hold the certifications the posting asks for.

The local market in Chicago, IL

We're tracking 108 other active welding openings in Chicago, IL right now, from 59 different employers. 52 of them were added in the last week. Across Illinois as a whole we're tracking 373 other active welding openings from 232 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Chicago, or widen the search to Illinois.

The most active employers in Illinois at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are S&C Electric Company (18), Gerber Collision & Glass (14), and Staff on Site (13). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within Illinois, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Downers Grove at $46/hr, Chicago at $36/hr, and Addison at $32/hr. Chicago is among them.

Similar openings near Chicago, IL

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Operations Technician figures were last recalculated when this page was built.