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CE
Clear Excavating
Excavation Foreman / Heavy Equipment Operator — Civil & Underground Utilities
Career Insights for Operating Engineer / Heavy Equipment Operator
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Based on Washington data
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What they do
An Operating Engineer or Heavy Equipment Operator drives and operates heavy equipment used in quarries, construction sites, landfills, refuse and recycling centers, or ports. Heavy Equipment may include, but is not limited to, bulldozers, excavators, paving equipment and pile drivers.
$64,815 / year median in Washington
+12% projected growth
Job Description
Clear Excavating LLC is a Puget Sound-based excavation and civil contractor working on public works and private projects — site excavation, storm drainage, erosion control, traffic control, and general civil construction. We're looking for a working foreman who can run a crew and run a machine. This is a hands-on leadership role. You'll be in the seat most days and responsible for the crew, the schedule, and the quality of what gets built. You'll be our point of contact on site with owners, inspectors, and subcontractors, so we need someone who can read plans and specs closely, catch problems before they become change orders, and communicate clearly with everyone from the guy on the shovel to the city inspector. What You'll Be Doing Running the crew Directing a crew of laborers and operators day to day, assigning tasks and setting the pace Planning the next day's work — materials, equipment, manpower, and access Coordinating subcontractors on site (concrete flatwork, paving, pavement markings, electrical, survey, flagging) Serving as the site contact for owners, general contractors, city inspectors, and utility representatives Completing daily reports, timecards by prevailing wage classification, quantity tracking, and force account documentation Leading toolbox talks and enforcing safety on site — trench safety, traffic control, equipment operation, PPE Calling in 811 locates and verifying utilities before digging Running equipment Operating excavators, loaders, dozers, skid steers, and rollers Mass and fine grading to plan grades and cross slopes Trench excavation, shoring and trench box setting, pipe installation, and structured backfill Storm drainage installation — pipe, catch basins, manholes, and structures to line and grade Working with GPS machine control, laser, and conventional grade methods Keeping the job right Reading and building from civil plans, specs, cut sheets, and grade stakes Verifying installed work against plan before backfill Maintaining erosion control BMPs and site conditions to meet permit and SWPPP requirements Identifying plan conflicts, field changes, and extra work early and documenting them What We Require 5+ years operating heavy equipment on excavation, underground utility, or civil projects 2+ years running crews as a foreman or lead Proven ability to read civil plans, specifications, and grade information and build to them Valid Washington State driver's license with an acceptable driving record Working knowledge of