Heavy Equipment Operator

RJS Grading; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 34,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

PTO

Holidays

SIMPLE IRA

Job summary

RJS Grading in Raleigh, NC, is seeking a Heavy Equipment Operator for future full-time openings on grading, sitework, and utilities projects in Wake County. This posting covers upcoming opportunities; no immediate start date is promised.

You will operate equipment safely, follow foreman directions, coordinate with spotters and truck drivers, and record work and times. Experience in grading, excavation, or utility work is preferred; valid CDL is optional for certain assignments.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated safe heavy-equipment operation on grading, excavation, or utility projects.
• Ability to follow grade instructions, maintain awareness around people and utilities, and communicate reliably with the crew.
• Dependable attendance and transportation to the reporting location; ability to perform outdoor site duties.

Responsibilities

• Operate equipment safely for excavation, grading, loading, backfill, or compaction as trained.
• Follow the work plan, grade references, and foreman's direction; report unclear instructions or changes.
• Perform daily inspections and routine care; report defects or service needs promptly.
• Coordinate with spotters, ground crews, and truck drivers; respect utility markings and safety requirements.

Skills

Heavy equipment

Grade references

Safety awareness

Attendance reliability

Outdoor duties

Tools

GPS machine control

Job description

RJS Grading

Heavy Equipment Operator

Future Openings | Grading and Sitework | Wake County, North Carolina

RJS Grading is accepting applications for future Heavy Equipment Operator openings. We welcome candidates with practical grading, excavation, or utility experience. This posting is for future opportunities; no immediate opening or start date is promised.

Company

RJS Grading is a Raleigh-based civil excavation and underground utility contractor. We perform grading, sitework, utilities, clearing, demolition, hauling, and related site services. We value ownership, honest communication, quality work, safety, and learning together.

Position type

Future full-time employee roles working at assigned jobsites under a foreman and field leadership. Work is primarily in Wake County, with rare travel to jobs up to two hours away. Overnight travel is not typical, but may occasionally be required depending on future projects. Typical crew hours are 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with seasonal and project-related changes.

Description of duties

• Operate assigned equipment safely for excavation, grading, loading, backfill, or compaction within your training and demonstrated ability.
• Follow the work plan, grade references, and foreman's direction. Check work quality and report unclear instructions or changed conditions before proceeding.
• Perform daily inspections and routine care; promptly report defects, leaks, damage, and service needs.
• Coordinate with spotters, ground crews, and truck drivers. Respect utility markings, exclusion areas, and site safety requirements; stop and report unsafe conditions.
• Record time, job codes, equipment use, and completed work accurately. Assist with other site tasks as assigned and trained.

Skills and requirements

• Demonstrated safe heavy-equipment operation on grading, excavation, utility, or similar construction projects.
• Ability to follow grade and work instructions, maintain awareness around people and utilities, and communicate reliably with the crew.
• Dependable attendance and transportation to the assigned reporting location; ability to perform essential outdoor site duties with or without reasonable accommodation.

Helpful experience: Finish grading, utility excavation, GPS/machine control, or proficiency across several equipment types is helpful. List the machines you operate confidently; a CDL is relevant only for assignments that require it.

Compensation

$25-$32 per hour, based on demonstrated equipment skills and relevant grading/sitework experience, plus overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. The upper end is intended for operators with strong finish-grading, utility-excavation, machine-control, or multiple-machine skills relevant to the assignment.

Benefits

• RJS pays 50% of employee-only medical premiums; employees pay the other 50% and the additional premium for spouse or child coverage. Optional dental and vision coverage is employee-paid. Insurance eligibility begins on day 91 of full-time employment, subject to plan enrollment requirements.
• Up to 80 hours of PTO (10 eight-hour days) per calendar year, earned evenly each pay period from day one and prorated for partial-year employment. Earned PTO may be used with approval; overtime does not increase accrual.
• Six paid holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Saturday holidays are observed on Friday; Sunday holidays on Monday.
• SIMPLE IRA retirement plan with company matching contributions up to 3% of compensation, subject to plan eligibility.