As a Software Engineer at Waste Connections, your day-to-day work will directly impact our business operations, regional teams, and customers. Your responsibilities will span the entire software development lifecycle.

You will design, develop, and deploy software applications that support waste collection, recycling, and landfill operations. This involves writing clean, efficient code and maintaining robust relational databases. You will work closely with business analysts, operations managers, and other developers to understand business requirements and translate them into functional technical specifications.

Additionally, you will play an active role in modernizing our technology stack. This includes migrating legacy applications to modern frameworks, building and integrating APIs, and optimizing database performance to ensure high availability and speed. Because we value continuous improvement, you will also participate in code reviews, share technical knowledge with your peers, and contribute to maintaining a safe, collaborative, and highly productive engineering environment.

We look for practical, skilled engineers who are ready to make a direct impact on our systems. A competitive candidate will possess a mix of technical proficiency and strong collaborative skills.

• Must-have skills – Strong proficiency in SQL and relational database management systems. Solid understanding of at least one major object-oriented programming language (e.g., C#, Java, C++). Proven ability to write clean, testable, and maintainable code.
• Nice-to-have skills – Experience with cloud platforms (AWS or Azure), modern web frameworks, and API development. Familiarity with logistics, routing, or enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is highly beneficial.
• Experience level – A bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field is preferred, though equivalent practical experience and strong foundational knowledge are highly valued. We welcome candidates ranging from entry-level to experienced engineers, provided they demonstrate strong general engineering knowledge.
• Soft skills – Excellent verbal and written communication skills, a proactive attitude toward problem-solving, and the ability to work effectively in a decentralized, autonomous team environment.

Q: How difficult is the technical assessment at Waste Connections? A: The assessment is designed to test practical, real-world knowledge rather than highly abstract algorithmic puzzles. If you have a solid grasp of SQL, relational databases, and general software development principles, you should find the test highly manageable. It is focused on ensuring you can perform day-to-day engineering tasks.

Q: What is the company culture like for Software Engineers? A: Our culture is highly collaborative, down-to-earth, and performance-driven. We operate with a decentralized structure, which means our engineering teams have a high degree of autonomy and are expected to take ownership of their projects. We value practical results, mutual respect, and a strong work ethic.

Q: Do Software Engineers have to visit landfills or operational facilities? A: While your day-to-day work is primarily office-based or hybrid, our engineers are highly encouraged to visit our local hauling depots, recycling centers, and landfills. Understanding the physical environment and talking directly to the people using our software is key to building highly effective tools for our business.

Q: How quickly does the interview process move? A: We respect our candidates' time and aim to keep the process moving efficiently. Typically, the entire process—from the initial recruiter screen to a final decision—takes between two to four weeks, depending on candidate availability and scheduling.

To help you put your best foot forward, keep these practical tips in mind as you prepare for your interviews:

• Brush up on your SQL: Database engineering is a core part of our tech stack. Spend time practicing joins, aggregations, subqueries, and indexing concepts before your technical assessment.
• Emphasize practical solutions: During technical discussions, focus on building reliable, maintainable systems. Avoid over-engineering or proposing overly complex architectures when a simple, robust solution will solve the problem.
• Be ready for landfill-related context: We are an environmental services and waste management company. Showing respect for, and interest in, the physical operations of our business—including landfills and recycling facilities—is highly valued by our hiring managers.

• Showcase your communication skills: Be prepared to explain your technical decisions clearly. Practice describing past projects in a way that highlights both the technical challenges and the business value you delivered.
• Ask insightful questions: Use the opportunity at the end of your interviews to ask about our operational scale, our technology roadmap, or how our engineering team supports the company's overall growth and sustainability goals.

Preparing for a Software Engineer role at Waste Connections is an exciting opportunity to showcase your technical capabilities and your practical approach to problem-solving. By focusing on your core SQL skills, general software development principles, and behavioral alignment with our values, you can set yourself up for a highly successful interview experience.

Remember that we are looking for engineers who are not only technically proficient but also eager to understand our business and build software that drives real-world operational success. Approach your preparation with confidence, focus on clarity and simplicity in your solutions, and be ready to demonstrate how your skills will add immediate value to our team.

The compensation data shown above reflects the competitive salary ranges and comprehensive benefits packages offered to our software engineering professionals. Actual compensation is determined based on factors such as candidate experience, technical expertise, and geographic location. We encourage you to discuss your compensation expectations openly with your recruiter during the initial screening call. For more detailed interview insights, preparation resources, and real candidate feedback, explore Dataford to help you ace your upcoming interviews.