Heavy Equipment Operator

About this role

We're hiring a Heavy Equipment Operator based in or near Asheville or Fletcher, NC. This is hands-on construction work: run dozers, excavators, loaders, skid steers and dump trucks on residential and commercial job sites. You’ll be expected to work safe, stay on schedule, and support general site needs. Ideal candidates have solid civil construction experience, know how to load/unload material, perform basic equipment maintenance, and enforce safety procedures on site. Local commute preferred — candidates based in Asheville, Fletcher or nearby communities will be prioritized.

What you'll do

• • Operate heavy equipment (dozer, excavator, loader, grader, skid steer, backhoe, dump truck, forklift) for earthwork, grading, hauling and site prep
• • Load and unload materials, set up machines, and secure loads for transport
• • Perform daily equipment checks, basic maintenance, and report defects
• • Follow site safety plans, enforce PPE use, and work with crew to keep the site safe and organized
• • Support general site operations: assist with concrete work, excavation/trench tasks, and traffic control as needed
• • Keep accurate equipment logs, report hours, and communicate with supervisors on progress and issues

What we're looking for

• • Proven experience operating dozers, excavators, loaders, skid steers, backhoes and dump trucks
• • Hands-on experience with loading/unloading material, excavation/trench work, and basic concrete work
• • Ability to perform general heavy equipment maintenance and pre-start inspections
• • Strong knowledge of civil construction site practices and ability to enforce safety procedures
• • Forklift operation experience and certification preferred; comfortable with grade work and site layout
• • Able to commute to Asheville or Fletcher area and work varying hours, including possible overtime

Qualifications

• • Valid driver's license and clean driving record; CDL Class B preferred for dump truck duties
• • OSHA-10 (or OSHA-30 preferred) or willingness to obtain upon hire
• • Forklift certification (preferred) and experience with excavator/dozer attachments
• • Comfortable reading grade stakes and basic site plans; able to follow verbal and written instructions
• • English required; Spanish or bilingual skills a plus

What we offer

• • Competitive pay (paid weekly) and overtime opportunities
• • Local routes — mainly Asheville/Fletcher area, minimizing long hauls
• • Health insurance and paid time off (where applicable) or access to local benefits packages
• • PPE provided and basic tool allowance; training and equipment safety refreshers
• • Consistent, steady work on a range of residential and commercial projects

Jobs find you

Skillit connects craft workers directly with contractors hiring for your trade. No resumes, no chasing listings. Build your profile once and let jobs find you.

• Get discovered automatically: Contractors search for talent like you every day.
• No more chasing listings: Skillit surfaces your profile when a job matches your skills and certs.
• Sam does the legwork: Your craft hiring assistant works 24/7 to connect you with active hiring contractors.