Hire heavy equipment operators
Operators for excavators, dozers, loaders, graders and pile drivers on site work, solar farms, substations and infrastructure projects.
- Every worker carries a safety tier (A, B or C). You set the minimum.
- We call fast, usually the same day, and we work around your schedule.
- Your short list leads with the highest-rated workers who match your request.
- See every worker’s verified rating, and filter for top-rated workers when you build your crew.
What our heavy equipment operators do on site
Excavation and trenching
Trenches and duct banks dug inside protective systems.
Grading
Rough and finish grading to stakes or GPS.
Pile driving
Driving racking piles on utility-scale solar.
Loading and hauling
Loaders, skid steers and articulated trucks.
Site clearing
Clearing, stripping and stockpiling.
Machine care
Daily inspections, greasing and reporting.
Certifications we check for heavy equipment operators
- Equipment operator certification (e.g. NCCER Heavy Equipment Operations)
- Trenching and excavation competent person training
- GPS machine control training
- OSHA 10 or OSHA 30
Requirements depend on the state, the site and your posting. We check what your job requires.
Safety tiers
Your request sets the minimum tier. Only workers at that tier or higher can be placed on your site.
Full certification set current and no recorded safety incidents in the last 180 days. Cleared for high-risk work.
Core safety certifications current. Cleared for most job sites.
Basic certifications on file. Placed only on jobs without an A or B requirement.
Three ways to hire. One team behind every worker.
Contract crews
Verified workers on your site, fast, for as long as the project runs. We handle weekly payroll and compliance.
Temp-to-hire
Try a worker on your site first, then bring them onto your team. The longer they've worked with you through SiteWorker, the less it costs to hire them.
Direct hire
We find your next permanent hire. Every direct hire is backed by our placement guarantee. Terms are set in your agreement.
What heavy equipment operators earn across the U.S.
Hourly wages across all employers, U.S. Department of Labor, May 2025. Useful for budgeting. Not a SiteWorker rate. See any state →
From request to crew in three steps.
Tell us the job
Trade, headcount, site address, dates and the minimum safety tier. We call you fast, usually the same day, to confirm the details.
Takes about five minutesReview your short list
We send vetted candidates with their safety tiers and work records. Approve the ones you want.
You approve every workerWorkers clock in on site
Crews clock in on the SiteWorker app when they arrive at your site (the app checks their phone's location). You approve hours each day.
Hours tied to the job site, not a timesheet“All crews are up-to-date, compliant and certified for the work they perform.”VP of Vendor Management, MasTec
Hiring heavy equipment operators: common questions
How much does it cost to hire heavy equipment operators?
It depends on license level, location, schedule and whether the job is prevailing wage. The market pay on this page comes from public U.S. Department of Labor data; your rate is agreed per assignment and approved before anyone starts.
Do you check heavy equipment operator licenses and certifications?
Yes. We check credentials such as Equipment operator certification (e.g. NCCER Heavy Equipment Operations) and Trenching and excavation competent person training before a worker can be placed, and track expiration dates.
Can you staff prevailing-wage and Davis-Bacon projects?
Yes. SiteWorker handles certified payroll and prevailing-wage documentation for the workers it supplies.
How fast can heavy equipment operators start?
Fast. We've turned Friday requests into Monday crews. Exact timing depends on the trade, headcount and site requirements, and you'll get a real start date on our first call.
Can I set a minimum safety tier?
Yes. Your request sets the minimum tier: A, B or C. Only workers at that tier or higher can be placed on your site.
What if a worker isn't the right fit?
Tell us and we start on a replacement right away.
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