Heavy Equipment Operator

Orange County Water District; Fountain Valley (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Orange County Water District is seeking a Heavy Equipment Operator to perform skilled-level duties across our sites, including Anaheim/FHQ and Prado locations. The role involves operating bulldozers, graders, backhoes, and other machinery, maintaining logs, and ensuring safety compliance. A valid CDL and related licenses are expected.

The position supports road maintenance, drainage work, and wetlands operations with a team, requiring physical ability and reliability in field environments.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of heavy equipment operating techniques and safety.
• Ability to read hydraulic gauges and maintain records.
• Experience with heavy equipment operation and related licenses.

Responsibilities

• Operate bulldozers to build dikes, roads, and push material.
• Operate motor graders to level roads and perform weed abatement.
• Operate backhoes to dig trenches and load equipment.
• Maintain equipment and driver’s logs.
• Follow safety rules and coordinate with team.

Skills

Operating heavy equipment

Tying down equipment

Reading hydraulic gauges

Record keeping

Communication

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Two years of heavy equipment operation experience

Job description

Description

Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

The Heavy Equipment Operator is the second level in a three-level heavy equipment operator series. Incumbents are responsible for performing skilled-level heavy equipment operator duties. The Heavy Equipment Operator is distinguished from the Senior Heavy Equipment Operator, which has occasional lead responsibility and the ability to operate most, if not all, heavy equipment at Field Headquarters (FHQ) and Prado.

This position requires flexibility to work at both our Anaheim (FHQ) and Corona (Prado) locations. Work assignments may be scheduled at either location based on operational needs.

Examples of Duties

The following essential job functions are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed job functions and/or may be required to perform additional or different job functions from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices. Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

• Operates bulldozers to build dikes and levees, make roads or pads, level rivers, clean silt from banks, reshape slopes, and push material.

• Operates motor graders to make, level or smooth roads, and to perform weed abatement.
• Operates rubber tire loaders and/or dump trucks to load trucks, fill sand plant hoppers, and haul materials.
• Operates backhoes to dig holes or trenches, clean trash racks, load and unload trucks, set pipes and pumps, and move or place rock or dirt.
• Operates heavy equipment scrapers to clean silt from percolation basins andholding ponds, cut roads, and haul material.
• Assists in hauling heavy equipment from one location to another by loading, chaining equipment down and driving a pilot car. Heavy Equipment Operators may additionally operate low‑bed trailers and semi trucks.
• Operates water trucks to support road maintenance, dust control, and vegetation establishment.
• Operates forklifts to load and unload trucks and to move items from place to place.
• Operates excavators to dig holes and trenches, remove material from ponds and channels.
• Operates mowing equipment to mow roads, levees, and slopes.
• Loads and unloads trucks and moves heavy objects.
• Performs a variety of hand work including but not limited to, digging trenches by hand, turning valves, sweeping, weed whacking, painting, fish clean‑up, washing trucks, etc.
• Maintains equipment and driver’s log.
• Handles job stress.
• Interacts effectively with others in the workplace.
• Follows all workplace and job safety rules and policies.
• Performs other duties of a similar nature or level as required.
• Coordinate with biologists and recognize vegetation habitat, nesting birds, and other animals.
• In addition to the duties described above, employees in these classifications may be asked to assist with wetlands operations, such as operating in heavy vegetation, spraying herbicide chemicals; operating a small boat with an outboard motor; supporting planting by operating and maintaining an irrigation system and water truck; placing and removing stop logs using a backhoe and manual effort; moving water control valves; removing and trimming trees using chainsaws, chippers, and other equipment.

Typical Qualifications

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of:

• Heavy equipment operating techniques, procedures, and maintenance (i.e. bulldozer, backhoe, etc.).
• Methods used to tie down heavy equipment.
• Basic understanding of drainage systems.
• Applicable Federal, state, and local laws, codes, rules, and regulations.
• Safe work practices.
• Basic construction.

Ability and Skills in:

• Operating a piece of heavy equipment.
• Tying down heavy equipment.
• Reading hydraulic gauges.
• Maintaining a variety of reports and records.
• Communication, interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisor, the general public, etc. sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE GUIDELINES

Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education/Training: High School Diploma or General Equivalency Degree.

Experience: Two years of directly related heavy equipment operation; or an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above.

License: Valid California Class “C” Driver’s License. In addition, a valid California Class “A” Commercial Driver’s License with tank endorsement and with no transmission or airbrake restrictions must be obtained within six (6) months of employment at employee’s sole expense.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Physical: Positions in this class typically require climbing, balancing, stooping, reaching, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions. Medium Work: Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally (80 pounds at Prado), and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently (40 pounds at Prado), and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Incumbents may be subjected to moving mechanical parts, vibrations, fumes, odors, dusts, poor ventilation, chemicals, oils, extreme temperatures, intense noises, and travel. Incumbents require sufficient physical ability to work in a field setting; stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; operate heavy equipment including use of hand tools, and other related equipment.

Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction; vision sufficient to read computer screens and printed documents; and to operate assigned equipment.

Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.

DISASTER SERVICE WORKERS

All Orange County Water District employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109). Employees are required to complete all related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

Supplemental Information

SCHEDULE: 6:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m..; 9/80 B-Friday Schedule

LOCATION: This position requires flexibility to work at both our Anaheim (FHQ) and Corona (Prado) locations. Work assignments may be scheduled at either location based on operational needs. Employees will generally be notified of their assigned work location at least one day in advance. In the event of a same-day reassignment, travel between sites will occur during paid work time using a company vehicle.

• Prado Wetlands: 14980 River Rd, Corona, CA 92880
• Field Headquarters:4060 E. La Palma Ave, CA 92807

Candidates given an offer of employment will be required to pass a medical examination and background check. EOE