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Posted: March 20, 2026 (0 days ago)

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Laundry Machine Operator Leader

Veterans Health Administration

Department of Veterans Affairs

Fresh

Salary

$26.85 - $31.31

per hour

Closes

March 26, 2026More VA jobs →

Job Description

Summary

This job involves leading a team in operating industrial laundry machines at a VA hospital, handling tasks like starting up equipment, running wash and dry cycles, checking quality, and keeping everything running safely and efficiently.

It's a hands-on role that requires physical strength to lift heavy loads and work in tough conditions like heat, humidity, and exposure to soiled items.

A good fit would be someone with experience in laundry operations or similar manual work who can guide others without much oversight and follows safety rules closely.

Key Requirements

  • Ability to lead or supervise employees and distribute workloads with minimal supervision
  • Experience operating industrial laundry equipment, including wash cycles, drying tumblers, and selecting wash formulas
  • Knowledge of safe practices, equipment maintenance, and handling various fabrics, temperatures, and washing times
  • Physical ability to stand/walk continuously, lift 50-75 pounds, bend, reach, and push/pull heavy carts for long periods
  • Tolerance for work conditions including noise, heat, humidity, odors, potential infectious materials, and minor injury risks
  • Skill in interpreting and following written and verbal instructions
  • Dexterity and technical knowledge for quality checks, tool use, and maintaining neat, clean work areas

Full Job Description

The Laundry Machine Operator Leader serves as a lead machine operator, responsible for the daily start-up, operation, and shut-down of industrial laundry equipment.

The Laundry Machine Operator Leader oversees wash and dry cycles, selects appropriate formulas, performs quality checks, maintains equipment, and ensures safe and efficient workflow.

This position is located with the St Cloud VA Medical Center in St Cloud, MN.

(SCREEN-OUT) You must have the ability to lead employees and the work of the Laundry Machine Operator Leader without more than normal supervision.

Examples of experience include leading coworkers and subordinates; following written and verbal instructions; demonstrating proper techniques, procedures and safe practices; reviewing assignments and workload; and utilizing knowledge of equipment capabilities such as types of wash cycles, drying tumblers, various fabrics, wash formulas, temperatures and washing time.

(Resume(s) must clearly demonstrate this experience.

We will not make assumptions regarding experience.) PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK CONDITIONS: Incumbent must stand and/or walk continuously on hard surfaced floors.

Is continually bending and reaching-when performing duties, frequently lifting linens weighing in excess of 50 pounds. Incumbent occasionally lifts bags of linens weighing between 50 and 75 pounds.

Incumbent continually handles bulk cartons of considerable size weighing up to 50 pounds. Strength and stamina are necessary to perform the usual daily tasks for long periods of time.

Incumbent will pull wet, compacted laundry from washers/extractors and push and pull heavily loaded carts, etc.

Incumbent is exposed to disagreeable odors and possibly infectious organisms from soiled linens, patient clothing, and employee uniform, These conditions are separated from the clean processing and production of the textile care work force by a staph barrier wall.

Incumbent is exposed to noise and hot and humid conditions; Incumbent is exposed to possibility of cuts and bruises from carts and machinery and minor burns from the presence of steam pipes and the flatwork-ironer.

Incumbent may be subjected to inclement weather while performing the duties of the position. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualifications.

For this position, the job element method is used to match what you, the applicant, can do against what the work calls for.

Your knowledge, skills and abilities will be compared to the knowledge, skills and abilities (called job elements) needed for success.

Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element (WG-2 and higher only; screen-outs are not applicable to WG-1).

Applicants who appear to meet the screen out element are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated from consideration.

The potential eligibles are rated against the remainder of the job elements.

While a specific length of training and experience is not required, your responses to the questionnaire must be supported by detailed descriptions of your experience on your resume.

You will be rated on the following Job Elements as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Ability to Interpret Instructions, Specifications, etc.

(Other Than Blueprint Reading) Ability to Lead or Supervise Ability to Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Dexterity and Safety Knowledge of Materials Technical Practices (Theoretical, Precise, Artistic) Work Practices (Including Keeping Things Neat, Clean, and in Order) IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week.

All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities.

Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Major Duties:

Duties include, but may not be limited to the following: Starts up all textile care equipment each day and shuts down all textile care equipment at the end of each day. Operates five

washers/extractors (100-600 lbs), usually running simultaneously to process various textile categories. Programs and selects microprocessors for different textile classifications.

Chooses proper wash programs based on linen classification and degree of soiling, using specialty chemicals to remove stains.

Submits written records of work productivity, chemical usage, and incoming weights for reporting purposes.

Trains machine operators on correct washer/extractor operation, washing formulas, and chemical use. Makes minor equipment adjustments as authorized by the Textile Care Supervisor.

Operates commercial dryers/tumblers (100, 200, and 400 lbs) and garment finishers, including loading and unloading.

Rotates through various work sites in the textile care facility during the shift to meet workload demands. Waxes all machines yearly using the proper product.

Ensures conveyor belts are intact and properly adjusted. Provides written start-up and shut-down instructions for other machine operators to use in their absence.

Checks work in progress to ensure production needs are met and proper procedures are followed. Monitors machine operations continuously and reports malfunctions to the supervisor.

Ensures employees observe and follow safety rules and regulations. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Full-time, Compressed Schedule , 10 hour days, 4 days a week Monday and Thursday 6:00 am - 4:30 pm, Tuesday - Friday 7:00 am - 5:30 pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

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Posted on USAJOBS: 3/20/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 3/20/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: CARZ-12914828-26-DC