Heavy Equipment Operator

About the role

Do you enjoy working outdoors, operating heavy machinery, and building something that lasts?

Join Cox Paving as a Construction Equipment Operator and help us build roads, highways, and infrastructure. With over 100 years of excellence in the construction industry, we offer hands-on work, steady hours, and career development in a team-oriented environment.

Heavy Equipment Operator Responsibilities

• Operate dozers, motor graders, and other heavy equipment to perform roadway milling preparation, fine grading, and surface correction activities in support of asphalt paving operations.
• Establish and maintain proper grade, slope, drainage, and roadway profile according to project specifications and crew direction.
• Work closely with milling, paving, and trucking crews to ensure efficient production and smooth workflow throughout all phases of roadway preparation.
• Conduct daily pre-trip and post-trip inspections, routine maintenance, and minor servicing of assigned equipment to ensure safe and reliable operation.
• Identify and report equipment issues, grade discrepancies, safety concerns, or site hazards to supervisors promptly.
• Follow all company safety policies, traffic control requirements, and jobsite procedures while operating equipment in active construction environments.
• Operating heavy equipment as assigned while maintaining a "crew-first" mindset; this includes performing essential manual labor and ground-support tasks as dictated by project needs. Duties include, but are not limited to, shoveling asphalt, concrete, pipe installation, hand-digging, grade checking, traffic control, and general site restoration.
• Work outdoors in varying weather conditions, on uneven terrain, and during extended hours as required to meet project schedules.

Field Support Duties

• Hand-shoveling and raking of paving materials (asphalt, concrete, stone, or dirt).
• Assisting with utility installation, including pipe laying and bedding.
• Manual grease and maintenance of equipment components using power and hand tools.
• Setting up and moving traffic control devices and safety signage.
• Perform all other ancillary duties and manual tasks customary to a heavy construction or civil engineering site to ensure project continuity and crew safety.

Desired Qualifications

• Prior experience in heavy highway, site development, or asphalt construction preferred.
• Familiarity with operating graders, backhoes, dozers, or similar equipment.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team or independently on a job site.
• Formal training or equipment certifications are a plus.
• Valid driver's license required.
• Must be safety conscious, reliable, and able to work in physically demanding outdoor environments.

Physical & Mental Demands

• Local travel traditionally
• Required overtime
• Seasonal layoffs
• Extensive physical activity
• Must work outdoors and in all weather conditions/terrain
• Could be asked to work evenings, weekends, and holidays
• Ability to stand, walk, climb and kneel on uneven terrain for extended periods of time in all weather conditions (heat, rain, cold).
• Ability to safely mount and dismount heavy equipment multiple times per shift.

EOE/M/F/Disabled/Veteran/DFSP