Air Vac Operator

Vacuum Excavation Operator / Class 4 Driver (Airvac) — Queenstown

$35–$40 per hour — set high for Queenstown   ·   +$10/hr once you're signed off solo   ·   40 hours' pay guaranteed every week

Alliance Services · Full time · Queenstown, Otago

This is skilled outdoor work on a modern, high-tech vacuum truck — not a shovel in a trench all day. The job asks a lot of you, and we back you just as hard. If you're fit, disciplined and you think for yourself, we'll train you properly and set you on the path to running your own truck.

About the role

Airvac is the clean, precise end of excavation. You use a vacuum truck to expose live power, gas, water and fibre without damaging them — so good judgment matters as much as a strong work ethic. It's non-destructive digging: modern gear, real skill, a genuine step up from labouring. No airvac experience? We train you from the ground up. What we can't teach is attitude.

Who we're after

●        Physically fit and not afraid of hard yakka, in all weather

●        Disciplined and reliable — on time, every day

●        Takes pride in doing the job right, not just getting it done

●        Can think on your feet and make the right call on site

●        Wants to grow into running solo and earning more

What you'll be doing

●        Run the vacuum truck and gear safely, and own your daily pre-start checks

●        Non-destructive digging around power, gas, water, fibre/telco and drainage

●        Make sound calls on the ground around live services and underground risk

●        Work to our SOPs and health & safety standards

●        Drive the truck between sites (Class 4 licence)

What you get

●        40 hours' pay guaranteed every week — steady income you can plan your life around

●        Pay set high for Queenstown to reflect the cost of living here

●        All PPE supplied

●        Full training and a clear, earned path to solo — and +$10/hr when you get there

●        New Zealand's largest airvac fleet behind you, and a crew that holds a high bar

The earning path

Your guaranteed 40 hours is the floor — steady pay every week, no matter how the jobs fall. On top of that, once you've earned your sign-off as a competent solo operator — usually 3–6 months — you pick up an extra $10/hr. We don't hand out sign-off; you earn it by proving you can run a truck safely on your own. That's how we keep you and the crew safe.

What you'll need

●        Current Class 4 driver licence — this one's essential, you're driving the truck

●        Genuine physical fitness — repetitive work, on your feet, all weather

●        A good head for problem-solving and a strong health & safety mindset

●        Happy to do overtime and travel when the work calls for it