Heavy Equipment Operator

Wallace P Johnson Plumbing &; Stockton (CA); On-site; USD 41,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Aflac

Paid time off

401(k)

Annual bonuses

Perks Program benefits

Job summary

Johnson Plumbing is seeking a Heavy Equipment Operator to join our Stockton main office, serving Northern CA. If you’re an operator first, comfortable in the seat of a backhoe or excavator all day, and willing to travel between job sites, we want to hear from you.

Responsibilities include digging, trenching, grading, and supporting the crew with loaders and skid steers, while reading grade stakes and site plans and maintaining equipment.

Qualifications

• Proven experience operating a backhoe/excavator; this is a must.
• Experience operating a loader and skid steer is required.
• Ability to read grade stakes and basic site plans.
• Plumbing or underground utility experience is a plus; priority is equipment skills.
• Able to lift up to 50 lbs and work outdoors in all weather.
• Valid driver's license and clean driving record.
• Committed to following all safety regulations and able to travel across Northern CA.

Responsibilities

• Operate a backhoe/excavator as the primary duty for digging, trenching, backfilling, and grading.
• Operate loader and skid steer to move material and support the crew.
• Read grade stakes, site plans, and job specs to dig and grade accurately.
• Inspect and maintain equipment daily and flag issues for mechanics.
• Work safely around trenches and utilities with the crew and foreman.
• Coordinate sequencing, staging, and daily priorities with the team.
• Assist with general plumbing/labor tasks when not operating equipment.

Skills

Backhoe operation

Loader operation

Skid steer operation

Grade stakes reading

Site plans reading

Driver's license

Travel willingness

Job description

Heavy Equipment Operator – Main Office: (Stockton) (Serving Northern CA)

$30–$45/hour (BOE)

Johnson Plumbing has been family-owned and operated since 1962, and even as we've grown across Northern California. If you're an operator first — comfortable in the seat of a backhoe/excavator all day — and don't mind traveling between job sites in the region, we want to hear from you.

What You'll Do

• Operate a backhoe/excavator as your primary, day-to-day responsibility — digging, trenching, backfilling, and grading for underground plumbing and site utility work
• Operate a loader and skid steer as needed to move material, clear sites, and support the crew
• Read grade stakes, site plans, and job specs to dig and grade accurately and safely
• Inspect and maintain equipment daily — fluids, filters, greasing, and basic troubleshooting — and flag anything that needs a mechanic
• Work safely around trenches, utilities, and an active crew, following all job site and OSHA safety requirements
• Coordinate with the foreman and crew on sequencing, staging, and daily priorities
• Help with general plumbing/laborer tasks when not running equipment (a plus, not the main job)

Why Johnson Plumbing

• Pay: $30–$45/hour based on experience
• Competitive pay with room to grow
• Health, dental, vision, and Aflac benefits
• Paid time off — sick, vacation, and holidays
• 401(k) options
• Eligibility for annual bonuses
• Access Perks Program benefits

Requirements

What You Bring

• Proven experience operating a backhoe/excavator — this is a must
• Experience operating a loader and skid steer
• Ability to read grade stakes and basic site plans
• Plumbing or underground utility experience is a plus, but the priority is strong equipment operating skills
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs. and work outdoors in all weather conditions
• A valid driver's license and clean driving record
• Commitment to following all industry safety regulations
• Willingness to travel to job sites across the Northern CA markets