Heavy Equipment Operator -- Grading and Sitework

RJS Grading

Heavy Equipment Operator - Grading and Sitework

Location: Raleigh, NC area | Full-time | Assigned jobsites

Operate safely, care for your equipment, and help the crew get the grade right.

Earn $25 - $32 per hour, plus overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Starting pay reflects your demonstrated equipment skills and grading or sitework experience.

RJS Grading is a Raleigh-based civil excavation and underground utility contractor. We perform grading, sitework, utilities, clearing, demolition, hauling, and related site services. We value ownership, honest communication, quality work, safety, and learning together.

About the Role

As a Heavy Equipment Operator, you'll work under a foreman and field leadership to support grading, excavation, and utility projects. You'll operate assigned machines within your training and demonstrated ability, follow grade references, and communicate closely with ground crews and truck drivers.

This role suits an operator who pays attention to work quality, equipment condition, and the people and utilities around the machine.

Schedule and travel: Start times, normal workweek, overtime and weekend expectations, and travel radius are pending client review.

Hiring status: Whether this posting represents an immediate opening or an application pool for future work is pending client review.

Key Responsibilities

• Operate assigned equipment for excavation, grading, loading, backfill, or compaction within your demonstrated ability.
• Follow the work plan, grade references, and foreman's direction.
• Check work quality and report unclear instructions or changed conditions before proceeding.
• Complete daily equipment inspections and routine care.
• Promptly report defects, leaks, damage, and service needs.
• Coordinate with spotters, ground crews, and truck drivers.
• Respect utility markings, exclusion areas, and site safety requirements; stop and report unsafe conditions.
• Record time, job codes, equipment use, and completed work accurately.
• Assist with other site tasks as assigned and trained.

Qualifications

Required:

• Demonstrated safe heavy-equipment operation on grading, excavation, utility, or similar construction projects.
• Ability to follow grade and work instructions.
• Awareness of people, utilities, and changing conditions around equipment.
• Reliable communication with the crew and dependable attendance.
• Transportation to the assigned reporting location.
• Ability to perform essential outdoor site duties with or without reasonable accommodation.

Preferred:

• Finish-grading or utility-excavation experience.
• GPS or machine-control experience.
• Proficiency across several equipment types.

A CDL is relevant only for assignments that require it. Tell us which machines you operate confidently.

Pay and Benefits

• Full-time employment
• Pay: $25 - $32/hour, based on demonstrated equipment skills and relevant experience.
• Overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek.
• The upper end is intended for operators with strong finish-grading, utility-excavation, machine-control, or multiple-machine skills relevant to the assignment.
• Benefits and eligibility: Pending client review.

Why Join RJS Grading?

• Put your operating skills to work on grading, excavation, and utility projects.
• Join a crew that values safe decisions, honest communication, and quality work.
• Your care for equipment and attention to grade will contribute directly to daily results.
• Bring your strengths across equipment types and continue learning alongside field teammates.

Apply Today

Apply with a resume or brief work history. List the machines you operate, the work you have performed with them, and your start availability. Relevant equipment skills may be checked in a supervised evaluation.

RJS Grading is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants without regard to legally protected characteristics.