Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
Also called Equipment Operator (EO), Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO), Machine Operator, or Operating Engineer
What Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators do
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties.
Who tends to enjoy it
Hands-on
People who like building, fixing, working with tools, machines, plants, or animals.
Organizing
People who like keeping things accurate, orderly, and running on schedule.
Curious
People who like figuring things out, research, science, and solving problems.
What you'd actually do
- Learn and follow safety regulations.
- Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects.
- Start engines, move throttles, switches, or levers, or depress pedals to operate machines, such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, or backhoes.
- Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members.
- Align machines, cutterheads, or depth gauge makers with reference stakes and guidelines or ground or position equipment, following hand signals of other workers.
- Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work.
- Signal operators to guide movement of tractor-drawn machines.
- Repair and maintain equipment, making emergency adjustments or assisting with major repairs as necessary.
A typical day involves
Skills that matter most
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
- Equipment Maintenance
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Troubleshooting
What you'll need to know
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Mathematics
- Administration and Management
Where to study for this
College programs that commonly lead to this career, and how many US colleges offer each.
- Construction / Heavy Equipment / Earthmoving Equipment Operation 71 colleges
Related careers
Transportation and Material Moving
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
Operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location.
Little to some preparation
Construction and Extraction
Construction Laborers
Perform tasks involving physical labor at construction sites. May operate hand and power tools of all types: air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, surveying and measuring equipment, and a variety of other equipment and instruments. May clean and prepare sites, dig trenches, set braces to support the sides of excavations, erect scaffolding, and clean up rubble, debris, and other waste materials. May assist other craft workers.
Little to some preparation
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Industrial Machinery Mechanics
Repair, install, adjust, or maintain industrial production and processing machinery or refinery and pipeline distribution systems. May also install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to plans.
Medium preparation
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Maintenance Workers, Machinery
Lubricate machinery, change parts, or perform other routine machinery maintenance.
Medium preparation
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), occupation 47-2073.00, used under CC BY 4.0 and modified by Whittle. Program links: NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. How we build these pages.