Operator

Mcaninch Corp.

Des Moines (IA)

Hybrid

USD 45,000 - 82,000

Full time

4 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

No experience required (apprenticeship

Paid training and safety courses

ESOP (employee stock ownership plan)

100% benefits after minimum hours

Paid overtime

Job summary

McAninch Corporation offers heavy equipment operator apprenticeship roles in Des Moines, Iowa, with paid training and hands-on field experience under Local 234 Operating Engineers. Apprentices gain real-world skills, mentorship, and safety training across GPS and earthwork systems while advancing toward journeyman status.

Travel to Iowa and eastern Nebraska sites is possible; positions emphasize learning, hard work, and teamwork within a union, employee-owned company.

Qualifications

Willing to learn and adapt quickly on site.
Strong safety awareness and adherence to rules.
Ability to work with foremen, safety managers and project teams.
Physically able to handle demanding outdoor work.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with foremen, safety managers, and project managers.
Perform daily equipment inspections and maintenance.
Assist in mass grading projects including housing developments, industrial buildings, factories, and highways.
Provide manual labor and spotting for other operators as needed.
Abide by safety requirements and job site regulations.
Travel to job sites throughout Iowa and eastern Nebraska on a project basis as needed.

Skills

Willing to learn

Safety awareness

Team collaboration

Physical stamina

Tools

GPS technology

Earthwork systems

Job description

Heavy Equipment Operator Construction Jobs In Iowa

Heavy equipment operators at McAninch have the opportunity to contribute to major infrastructure and site development projects for residential, data center, commercial, and industrial clients. No experience is required to apply for our heavy equipment operator apprenticeship jobs in Iowa. Whether you’re an experienced operator or early in your career, our dirt work jobs in Des Moines provide hands‑on experience operating a wide range of heavy equipment while building a long‑term career at McAninch.

Heavy Equipment Operator Job Requirements, No Experience Needed

McAninch is known for our groundwork and site development expertise, so it’s only fitting that we believe in leveling the playing field for job seekers, too. Our heavy equipment operator job requirements focus less on prior experience and more on finding individuals willing to learn, ready to work hard, and eager to ask questions. Along with operating various equipment, individuals in this role will:

Collaborate with foremen, safety managers, and project managers
Perform daily inspections and equipment maintenance
Assist in mass grading projects including housing developments, industrial buildings, factories, and highways
Provide manual labor and spotting for other operators as needed
Abide by safety requirements and job site regulations
Travel to job sites throughout Iowa and eastern Nebraska on a project basis as needed

Learn On The Job: Heavy Equipment Operator Apprenticeship Jobs In Des Moines

Join McAninch as an apprentice to gain real‑world job experience alongside seasoned crew members in the field. Our heavy equipment operator apprenticeship jobs offer paid‑training in conjunction with Local 234 Operating Engineers. Apprenticeships are completed after 6,000 hours on the job. Along the way, apprentices receive extensive safety training, exposure to a broad range of equipment, and mentorship from veteran employees.

In partnership with Local 234 Operating Engineers, we use the off‑season to prepare for hands‑on work in the field. For three weeks every winter, we focus exclusively on building confidence and safety skills for our heavy equipment operator apprentices. Trainings cover essential skills and best practices to safely navigate a job site, including HAZMAT, OSHA, and confined space training. We also educate apprentices on everyday job expectations, including how to read equipment load charts, understand proper rigging techniques, utilize GPS and earthwork systems on the job site, communicate as a signal person, maintain situational awareness around active equipment, follow PPE requirements, and more.

Working Alongside Experienced Professionals Promotes Job Readiness

Our dirt work jobs in Des Moines allow apprentices to get experience on job sites within days of starting the apprenticeship. Hands‑on work in the field allows you to quickly get familiar with job site basics, including understanding grade stakes and hubs to safely navigate the site, as well as advanced GPS technology to improve earthmoving accuracy. You’ll also quickly be in the driver’s seat operating a wide range of equipment, including: quad tracks, dozers, excavators, scrapers, water wagons, dingos, and skid loaders.

From day one at McAninch, you join an experienced group of professionals ready to welcome you to the crew. Ride along with veteran operators to gain tips and tricks for the job before getting behind the wheel yourself. Ask questions and hear firsthand from fellow operators who have been in your shoes. Every day is a new opportunity to learn a new skill or approach while making yourself an indispensable member of the team.

A Day In The Life Of A Heavy Equipment Operator At McAninch

As an operator, you’ll play a critical role in our earthwork and underground utilities installation , seeing projects through from start to finish with a dedicated crew. From hauling materials and clearing land to digging trenches and grading dirt, those in our heavy equipment operator construction jobs lay the foundation for construction‑ready job sites across Iowa.

Spend up to 12 hours each day on active job sites

Get behind the controls of a wide range of heavy equipment

Shape the groundwork for large‑scale construction projects

Build new skills and advance your career through off‑season training

Why McAninch: Competitive Heavy Equipment Operator Benefits

Many operators at McAninch have built long‑term careers by continuing to learn, taking on new challenges, and committing to growing their skillsets in the field. Close to ⅓ of our employees have been with McAninch for over a decade, reflecting the opportunities for growth and advancement available at McAninch.

Whether you’re seeking a heavy equipment operator construction job with no experience or wanting to fill a senior position, we’re here to help you develop as an employee and individual. We’re proud to be an employee‑owned, union employer, offering competitive compensation for our workers, including:

Starting wages between $21.81 and $39.36 per hour
100% benefits paid including health, dental, and vision after meeting minimum hour requirement
Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)
Paid overtime after 40 hours per week

What drew me to this position was growing up doing this before coming to McAninch. I loved the work and wanted to keep my career playing in dirt. When I first came, I didn’t know a whole lot about the GPS system in the equipment I had never used before. Now I have the chance to help people out with my capabilities to answer questions that they have with it. I also have the occasion to help train new employees on equipment.

Katelyn Nielsen, 4 years at McAninch

Why McAninch?