Journeyman Equipment Operator - AIT

Ahtna, Inc.; Palmer (AK); On-site; USD 41,328 - 55,104; Full time

Job summary

A construction firm in Alaska is seeking a qualified heavy equipment operator for field assignments primarily based in Anchorage or Palmer, AK. The role requires operating various types of heavy construction equipment and ensuring safety compliance on job sites. Candidates should have at least five years of experience and a high school diploma or GED. The position offers a full-time, seasonal employment with a pay rate of $35 per hour, requiring significant travel and safety equipment usage.

Qualifications

• Five years of experience as a journeyman-level operator.
• Knowledge of construction, machines, tools, and engineering principles.
• Ability to wear personal protective equipment.

Responsibilities

• Operate various heavy machinery on construction sites.
• Monitor job site for hazards and enforce safety protocols.
• Perform routine maintenance on equipment.

Skills

Heavy equipment operation

Safety compliance

Communication

Problem-solving

Education

High School Graduate or GED

Tools

Excavators

Bulldozers

Compactors

Crane equipment

Job description

Job Category: Proj - Craft Const&Public Work

Requisition Number: JOURN001960

Posted: April 6, 2026 | Full-Time

Locations

AK110
Anchorage Corporate Office
110 W 38th Ave
Anchorage, AK 99503, USA

This position will be based out of the Anchorage or Palmer, AK office and will primarily be a ‘Field Assignment Position’ within the state of Alaska and will report to the corresponding Project Manager or designee. Position operates one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, excavators, and front‑end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, and pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. This position requires 75% travel; hours worked while in travel status could be up to 12 hours per day.

The pay rate for this position is $35.00/hour Admin Rate. Please note this is a full‑time temporary seasonal position.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Operate various heavy equipment, including excavators, backhoes, and front‑end loaders on environmental and construction job sites.
• Operate precisely and safely in close proximity to others.
• Wear, use, and maintain personal respirator equipment and other personal protective equipment (PPE) on HAZWOPER sites.
• Monitor job site for hazards and challenge unauthorized personnel to maintain a safe working environment.
• Maintain constant awareness of surroundings, including eye contact with ground personnel, and recognize site‑specific hazards.
• Communicate effectively and take direction from environmental staff in all phases of field operations.
• Maintain safe excavation areas, including benching, shoring, and barricading as necessary.
• Learn and follow safety regulations.
• Take actions to avoid potential hazards and obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, and falling objects.
• Adjust hand wheels and depress pedals to control attachments such as blades, buckets, scrapers, and swing booms.
• Start engines, move throttles, switches, and levers, and depress pedals to operate machines such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, and backhoes.
• Monitor operations to ensure health and safety standards are met.
• Align machines, cutter heads, or depth gauge makers with reference stakes and guidelines or ground, or position equipment following hand signals of other workers.
• Load and move dirt, rocks, equipment, and materials using trucks, crawler tractors, power cranes, shovels, graders, and related equipment.
• Drive and maneuver equipment with blades in successive passes over working areas to remove topsoil, vegetation, and rocks and to distribute and level earth or terrain.
• Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members.
• Operate tractors and bulldozers to clear land, mix sludge, trim backfills, and build roadways and parking lots.
• Check fuel supplies at sites to ensure adequate availability.
• Perform routine maintenance in the field as needed or directed.
• Connect hydraulic hoses, belts, mechanical linkages, or power takeoff shafts to tractors.
• Operate loaders to pull out stumps, rip asphalt or concrete, rough‑grade properties, bury refuse, or perform general cleanup.
• Select and fasten bulldozer blades or other attachments to tractors using hitches.
• Test atmosphere for adequate oxygen and explosive conditions when working in confined spaces.
• Operate compactors, scrapers, and rollers to level, compact, and cover refuse at disposal grounds.
• Talk to clients and study instructions, plans, and diagrams to establish work requirements.
• Signal operators to guide movement of tractor‑drawn machines.
• Operate road watering, oiling, and rolling equipment, and street sealing equipment, such as chip spreaders.
• Perform specialized work using equipment such as pile drivers, dredging rigs, drillers, and concrete pumpers.
• Push other equipment when extra traction or assistance is required.
• Drive tractor‑trailer trucks to move equipment from site to site.
• Turn valves to control the air and water output of compressors and pumps.
• Operate equipment to demolish and remove debris and to remove snow from streets, roads, and parking lots.
• Operate conveyors to remove grit and debris from digesters.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by management.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Graduate or General Education Degree (GED).
• Five (5) years of experience as a journeyman‑level operator.
• Proficient operating skills – ability to finish road grade with a motor grader, excavate and install mainline utilities (waterline, sewer line, and storm sewer) to specified line and grade, operate an excavator while using a trench box productively, read and interpret grade stakes, install finish grade with a dozer and manage a fill site while operating a dozer.
• Knowledge of construction, machines, and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance, and the practical application of engineering science/technology.
• Ability to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) such as goggles, hard hats, safety shoes, etc.
• Valid driver’s license with a clean driving record and the ability to be insured by company policy.

Preferred Qualifications

• Operator’s certificate.
• Knowledge and experience with Alaska Native cultures.
• Proficiency with Topcon/Trimble/Leica surveying equipment.

Shareholder Preference

Pursuant to PL 93‑638, as amended, preference will be given to qualified Ahtna Native Corporation shareholders, descendants, and spouses in all phases of employment.

Physical Demands

• Frequent lifting, sitting, standing, stooping for prolonged periods of time, using hands/fingers requiring dexterity, and having good hand‑eye coordination during handling of tools and equipment.
• Reaching with hands and arms for items above and below sight level, talking, hearing, and seeing up close and at a distance, with depth and color perception, and the ability to adjust focus; walking from place to place within the project location with occasional use of stairs and no elevator available; bending, pushing, pulling, and standing for up to 12 hours.
• Communicate effectively with others using spoken and written words.
• Frequent lifting of up to 50 pounds; reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Work Schedule

Varies as business/operational needs dictate.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Equal Opportunity Employer / Protected Veterans / Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.