CDL A Heavy Equipment Operator – Railroad

Job Type: Full-Time | Direct Hire
Starting Pay: $26.00/hour — higher pay available depending on experience
Schedule: 40 hours guaranteed weekly + significant overtime
Availability: 24/7 emergency on-call
Benefits: Full-time benefits
Position Overview
Seeking a Class A CDL professional for railroad recovery and heavy equipment operations. This is a hands-on field position where driving makes up approximately 10% of the job. The majority of the work involves operating equipment, rigging, material handling, railroad recovery, and physical job-site support.
Employees must be comfortable responding to emergency calls 24/7, including weekends and holidays.

Responsibilities

• Complete DOT-compliant pre- and post-trip inspections of trucks, trailers, and equipment.
• Transport equipment and materials to and from work sites.
• Inspect transported loads and verify permits for overweight and oversized equipment.
• Review daily work plans and participate in safety briefings.
• Load, unload, move, and stage equipment and materials for field operations.
• Support train rerailing, load transfers, railroad car repair, and track maintenance, repair, and construction.
• Assist with the setup, inspection, assembly, and operation of cranes and other heavy equipment.
• Perform rigging using chains, cables, and winches.
• Operate equipment when qualified, including cranes, backhoes, grapple trucks, dump trucks, and excavators.
• Perform specialty lifting, rerailing, grading, load transfer, and railroad construction activities.
• Use hydraulic tools, welding equipment, cutting torches, electrical tools, and common hand tools.
• Monitor vehicles and equipment for safe and reliable operation.
• Perform and document minor equipment and vehicle service.
• Report more complex mechanical issues to the appropriate supervisor.
• Assist with equipment disassembly and loading after assignments.
• Restock vehicles and equipment with necessary parts, components, and supplies.
• Clean and organize equipment, vehicles, tools, and work areas.
• Assist other departments as needed.
• Follow all required safety procedures and regulations.

Equipment Experience
3+ years of heavy equipment operation is preferred, including experience with:

• Backhoes
• Bulldozers
• Excavators
• Front-end loaders
• Grapple trucks
• Rail-bound equipment
• Tractors
• Skid-steer loaders

Equivalent combinations of relevant training and hands-on experience may be considered.

Qualifications

• Valid Class A CDL with a good driving record.
• Construction labor or similar physically demanding work experience.
• Ability to safely operate heavy equipment.
• Ability to complete required qualification testing, training, and safety programs.
• Comfortable working in emergency-response situations and extended-hour assignments.
• Able to perform physically demanding work in field conditions.
• Must be available 24/7 for emergency calls, including weekends and holidays.

Schedule & Additional Compensation

• 40 hours guaranteed per week.
• Significant overtime; typical combined regular and overtime hours average 60+ hours per week, with some weeks reaching approximately 70 hours.
• Hours worked outside Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–4:00 PM are paid at time-and-a-half.
• Per diem, hotel pay for travel, and layover pay may be available when applicable.
• When not responding to emergencies, employees may assist with safety training, preventive maintenance, and equipment-related shop work.

Pre-Employment Requirements

• Pre-employment drug screening
• Background check
• Required qualification and safety testing

Interview: Candidates must bring steel-toed boots to the interview.