Excavator Operator

Managed Labour Hire; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 41,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Weekly pay

Real employee rate

Home every night

Night shifts with allowance

Job summary

Managed Labour Hire – Christchurch, South Island, is seeking experienced excavator operators for projects across Canterbury. Roles include digging drainage, trenching and bulk earthworks on subdivisions and civil sites.

You will operate excavators up to 20 tonnes (occasionally 30 tonnes on demolition), work safe and maintain the machine. This is a long-term opportunity with local contractors and weekly pay.

Qualifications

• Proven excavator experience on civil or earthworks sites.
• Safe, steady work practices with respect for machinery.
• GPS machine-control experience.
• NZ Class 2 or Class 4 driver licence.
• ConstructSafe or Site Safe tickets.

Responsibilities

• Operate excavators up to 20 tonnes on subdivisions and civil sites.
• Bulk earthworks, trenching and drainage work.
• Move between subdivisions, roading maintenance and civil work.
• Assist crew when the machine is not needed.

Skills

Excavator operation

Multi-machine capable

Safety-conscious

GPS machine-control

20–30 tonne experience

Education

NZ Class 2/4 licence

Tools

GPS machine-control

ConstructSafe / Site Safe

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Managed Labour Hire – Christchurch, South Island

We've got a real variety of excavator roles across Christchurch, Rolleston and Rangiora. Most are on bigger machines, up to 20 tonne, with the occasional 30‑tonner on demolition work. Some are specialist roles — drainage operators, for example. Many are on new subdivisions, and some are with contractors who do both roading maintenance and civil construction, so the work varies from job to job. It's bulk earthworks, drainage, trenching and final trim for our long-term clients, and if you've got GPS, even better. Most roles are day shift, with some nights available.

Tell us what you're good at, and what you want to be doing. It's our job to find the perfect role for you. If you can run a loader, roller, dozer or grader as well, say so — the more you can operate, the more we can keep you busy. If you take pride in a clean trench and a good trim, and want to be home every night, read on.

We've got roles starting now, and more coming online over the next three to four weeks. So if you need to give notice where you are, that's no problem — get in touch anyway.

A quick word on right to work

You’ll need to already be living in New Zealand with the right to work here. These roles are based in Canterbury and we’re not offering visa sponsorship, so if you’re not currently in NZ with existing work rights, we won’t be able to consider your application.

Key responsibilities

- Operate excavators up to 20 tonne on subdivision and civil sites — with the occasional 30‑tonner on demolition

- Cut trenches, dig drainage and bring the site to final trim

- Bulk earthworks — shift material, load trucks and prep sites

- Move between new subdivisions, roading maintenance and general civil work, depending on the job

- Get out of the cab and give the crew a hand when the machine’s not needed

About you

- Proven excavator experience on civil or earthworks sites

- Confident on drainage, trenching and final trim — the skills that set you apart

- Someone who works safe, works steady and respects the machine

- The right to work in NZ (no sponsorship, sorry)

- This role includes pre‑employment and random drug and alcohol testing

- GPS machine‑control experience

- Loaders, rollers, dozers, graders or skid steers — the more you can run, the better

- Time on 30‑tonne‑plus machines, demolition or quarry work

- Your ConstructSafe or Site Safe, and Traffic Management tickets

- A Class 2 or Class 4 licence, so you can drive as well as operate

- $30–$35+/hr, paid weekly — and it’s a real employee rate

- Holiday pay, sick leave, KiwiSaver on top, never rolled into your hourly rate

- Home every night, with seasonal night shifts on offer if you want them — with a night allowance or a higher rate

- Genuine long‑term opportunities with established local Canterbury contractors

- Build the specialist skills that pay more — drainage, trenching, final trim and GPS

About us

MLH is a Canterbury labour hire company that places operators with good local civil contractors. You’ll be a proper MLH employee — not a contractor, and not a number in a pool. You’ll work on our clients’ sites, but you’re our staff, and we look after you like it, with one person at MLH who knows you and knows the job.