Horizontal Directional Drill Operator

Innovien Solutions; Reno (NV); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Innovien Solutions in Reno, NV is seeking an HDD Operator to run Vermeer and Ditch Witch rigs on a fiber construction project. You will read plans, pilot bore, ream and pullback to install underground conduit and fiber, and maintain safety on a live job site.

You will coordinate with the locator, document drilling progress, and lead briefings. This on-site role requires hands-on expertise, a valid driver's license, and the ability to travel between active sites as crews expand.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of hands-on HDD operation in telecom or fiber construction.

Responsibilities

• Operate HDD rigs (Vermeer, Ditch Witch) through pilot bore, reaming, and pullback for underground conduit and fiber installations.

Skills

HDD operation

Directional drilling

Reading drawings

Safety leadership

Team coordination

Tools

Vermeer rigs

Ditch Witch rigs

Job description

Innovien is supporting a major fiber infrastructure build powering data center growth. We're hiring an HDD Operator to run the rig, read the ground, and make the calls on site. This is steady, direct hire work on a build that keeps expanding, with a crew you'll grow with instead of cycling through.

What You’ll Do

• Operate HDD rigs (Vermeer, Ditch Witch) through pilot bore, reaming, and pullback for underground conduit and fiber installations
• Execute bore paths to approved plans, profiles, and drawings, adjusting technique in real time as soil, rock, and obstructions change
• Coordinate continuously with the locator to hold depth, alignment, and clearance, and manage drilling fluid mix to protect bore integrity
• Lead job briefings, enforce safety and OSHA standards at every stage, and stop work when conditions call for it
• Complete drilling logs, bore records, and daily production reports, keeping the crew and supervision aligned on status

What You Bring

• 2+ years of hands on experience operating HDD equipment in telecom or fiber construction, including pilot bore, reaming, and pullback on live production jobs
• Working knowledge of bore planning, directional drilling technique, and underground utility safety across varying soil, rock, and unmarked obstructions
• Ability to read construction drawings, bore profiles, and specifications and translate them into accurate line and grade in the field
• Valid driver's license, with travel between active job sites and safe transport of tooling and equipment
• Leadership, communication, and problem solving as part of a coordinated crew, with ownership of decisions made on site

Nice to Have

• CDL to support moving heavier rigs and equipment between sites
• OSHA 10/30 or other formal safety certification