# Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

> Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties.
- **Entity Type:** role
- **Schema Version:** role.v1
- **Soc Code:** 47-2073.00
- **Summary:** Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties.

## Aliases

- Equipment Operator (EO)
- Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO)
- Machine Operator
- Operating Engineer
- Back Hoe Operator
- Engineering Equipment Operator
- Forklift Operator
- Hot Mix Asphalt Operator
- Motor Grader Operator
- Track Hoe Operator
- Angle Dozer Operator
- Asphalt Roller Operator

## Tasks

| Text | Type | Iwa |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Learn and follow safety regulations. | Core | 4.A.2.b.3.a |
| Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.v |
| Check fuel supplies at sites to ensure adequate availability. | Supplemental | 4.A.1.a.2.b |
| Start engines, move throttles, switches, or levers, or depress pedals to operate machines, such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, or backhoes. | Core | 4.A.3.a.3.c |
| Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members. | Core | 4.A.3.a.1.j |
| Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work. | Core | 4.A.1.b.2.g |
| Align machines, cutterheads, or depth gauge makers with reference stakes and guidelines or ground or position equipment, following hand signals of other workers. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.v |
| Signal operators to guide movement of tractor-drawn machines. | Core | 4.A.4.b.1.b |
| Repair and maintain equipment, making emergency adjustments or assisting with major repairs as necessary. | Core | 4.A.3.b.5.a |
| Load and move dirt, rocks, equipment, or other materials, using trucks, crawler tractors, power cranes, shovels, graders, or related equipment. | Core | 4.A.3.a.1.f |
| Drive and maneuver equipment equipped with blades in successive passes over working areas to remove topsoil, vegetation, or rocks or to distribute and level earth or terrain. | Core | 4.A.3.a.3.c |
| Operate tractors or bulldozers to perform such tasks as clearing land, mixing sludge, trimming backfills, or building roadways or parking lots. | Core | 4.A.3.a.3.c |

## Emerging Tasks


## Activities

| Name | Iwa |
| --- | --- |
| Update job related knowledge or skills. | 4.A.2.b.3.a |
| Position construction or extraction equipment. | 4.A.3.a.2.v |
| Operate heavy-duty construction or installation equipment. | 4.A.3.a.3.c |
| Operate equipment or vehicles to clear construction sites or move materials. | 4.A.3.a.3.c |
| Locate equipment or materials in need of repair or replacement. | 4.A.1.b.2.g |
| Monitor construction operations. | 4.A.1.a.2.b |
| Load or unload materials used in construction or extraction. | 4.A.3.a.1.f |
| Move construction or extraction materials to locations where they are needed. | 4.A.3.a.1.j |
| Maintain construction tools or equipment. | 4.A.3.b.5.a |
| Install equipment attachments or components. | 4.A.3.a.2.at |
| Select construction equipment. | 4.A.2.b.1.j |
| Test air quality at work sites. | 4.A.1.b.2.k |
| Compact materials to create level bases. | 4.A.3.a.1.g |
| Review blueprints or specifications to determine work requirements. | 4.A.1.a.1.b |
| Communicate with clients about products, procedures, and policies. | 4.A.4.a.1.b |
| Signal equipment operators to indicate proper equipment positioning. | 4.A.4.b.1.b |
| Operate road-surfacing equipment. | 4.A.3.a.3.c |
| Assist skilled construction or extraction personnel. | 4.A.3.a.1.g |
| Record operational or environmental data. | 4.A.3.b.6.h |
| Drive trucks or truck-mounted equipment. | 4.A.3.a.4.a |
| Operate pumps or compressors. | 4.A.3.a.3.b |
| Remove debris or vegetation from work sites. | 4.A.3.a.1.e |

## Capabilities

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Operation and Control | transferable_skill | 4.12 |
| Control Precision | ability | 4.12 |
| Depth Perception | ability | 4 |
| Multilimb Coordination | ability | 3.88 |
| Near Vision | ability | 3.88 |
| Far Vision | ability | 3.62 |
| Mechanical | knowledge | 3.56 |
| Rate Control | ability | 3.5 |
| Reaction Time | ability | 3.38 |
| English Language | knowledge | 3.33 |
| Operations Monitoring | transferable_skill | 3.25 |
| Equipment Maintenance | transferable_skill | 3.25 |
| Problem Sensitivity | ability | 3.25 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | ability | 3.25 |
| Response Orientation | ability | 3.25 |
| Public Safety and Security | knowledge | 3.13 |
| Monitoring | essential_skill | 3.12 |
| Oral Comprehension | ability | 3.12 |
| Perceptual Speed | ability | 3.12 |
| Visualization | ability | 3.12 |
| Manual Dexterity | ability | 3.12 |
| Active Listening | essential_skill | 3 |
| Troubleshooting | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Time Management | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Oral Expression | ability | 3 |
| Deductive Reasoning | ability | 3 |
| Inductive Reasoning | ability | 3 |
| Information Ordering | ability | 3 |
| Selective Attention | ability | 3 |
| Time Sharing | ability | 3 |
| Finger Dexterity | ability | 3 |
| Static Strength | ability | 3 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | ability | 3 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | ability | 3 |
| Auditory Attention | ability | 3 |
| Speech Recognition | ability | 3 |
| Speech Clarity | ability | 3 |
| Reading Comprehension | essential_skill | 2.88 |
| Speaking | essential_skill | 2.88 |
| Critical Thinking | essential_skill | 2.88 |

## Skills

| Name | Type |
| --- | --- |
| Depth Perception | Common Skill |
| English Language | Common Skill |
| Equipment Maintenance | Specialized Skill |
| Visualization | Specialized Skill |
| Time Management | Common Skill |
| Speech Recognition | Specialized Skill |
| Microsoft Windows | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Outlook | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Excel | Common Skill |
| Information Ordering | Specialized Skill |
| Inductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Finger Dexterity | Common Skill |
| Deductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Active Listening | Common Skill |
| Reading Comprehension | Common Skill |
| Critical Thinking | Common Skill |
| Complex Problem Solving | Common Skill |
| Active Learning | Common Skill |
| Mathematics | Common Skill |
| Social Perceptiveness | Common Skill |
| Instructing | Specialized Skill |
| Equipment Selection | Specialized Skill |
| Learning Strategies | Specialized Skill |
| Writing | Common Skill |
| Systems Analysis | Specialized Skill |
| Negotiation | Common Skill |
| Geography | Specialized Skill |
| Physics | Specialized Skill |
| Chemistry | Specialized Skill |
| Biology | Specialized Skill |
| Telecommunications | Specialized Skill |
| Installation | Specialized Skill |
| Foreign Language | Common Skill |
| Psychology | Specialized Skill |

## Tools

| Example | Category | Hot | In Demand |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Outlook | Electronic mail software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Windows | Operating system software | yes | no |
| Maintenance record software | Facilities management software | no | no |
| Work record software | Time accounting software | no | no |

## Work Context

| Name | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions | 5 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | 4.98 |
| Consequence of Error | 4.86 |
| Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams | 4.84 |
| Frequency of Decision Making | 4.83 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Equipment | 4.69 |
| Contact With Others | 4.65 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | 4.65 |
| Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results | 4.56 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | 4.51 |
| Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers | 4.37 |
| In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment | 4.35 |
| Health and Safety of Other Workers | 4.33 |
| Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions | 4.19 |
| Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals | 4.16 |
| Telephone Conversations | 4.08 |
| Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team | 4.04 |
| Time Pressure | 4.04 |
| In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment | 4.01 |
| Freedom to Make Decisions | 4.01 |
| Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment | 3.99 |
| Exposed to Whole Body Vibration | 3.94 |
| Importance of Being Exact or Accurate | 3.91 |
| Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable | 3.83 |
| Physical Proximity | 3.79 |
| Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures | 3.63 |
| Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities | 3.52 |
| Deal With External Customers or the Public in General | 3.49 |
| Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings | 3.36 |
| Spend Time Sitting | 3.16 |
| Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled | 3.1 |
| Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body | 3.07 |
| Level of Competition | 2.92 |
| Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions | 2.91 |
| Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People | 2.83 |
| Conflict Situations | 2.82 |
| Spend Time Standing | 2.79 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | 2.74 |
| Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection | 2.59 |
| Outdoors, Under Cover | 2.41 |

## Preparation

- **Job Zone:** 2
- **Job Zone Name:** Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- **Education:** Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- **Experience:** Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- **Svp Range:** (Below 6.0)

### Education Distribution

| Label | Percentage |
| --- | --- |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 1.39 |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 0.55 |

## Person Fit

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Realistic | career_interest_type | 7 |
| Transportation/Machine Operation | specific_interest_area | 6.51 |
| Physical/Manual Labor | specific_interest_area | 5.07 |
| Conventional | career_interest_type | 3.88 |
| Mechanics/Electronics | specific_interest_area | 3.69 |
| Engineering | specific_interest_area | 3.64 |
| Investigative | career_interest_type | 2.93 |
| Cautiousness | work_style | 2.5 |
| Construction/Woodwork | specific_interest_area | 2.46 |
| Dependability | work_style | 2.44 |
| Nature/Outdoors | specific_interest_area | 2.16 |
| Stress Tolerance | work_style | 1.8 |
| Perseverance | work_style | 1.61 |
| Integrity | work_style | 1.54 |
| Attention to Detail | work_style | 1.47 |
| Management/Administration | specific_interest_area | 1.32 |

## Related Roles

| Soc Code | Slug | Title | Tier |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 47-5022.00 | role-47-5022-00 | Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining | Primary-Short |
| 53-7041.00 | role-53-7041-00 | Hoist and Winch Operators | Primary-Short |
| 49-3042.00 | role-49-3042-00 | Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | Primary-Short |
| 47-5041.00 | role-47-5041-00 | Continuous Mining Machine Operators | Primary-Short |
| 53-7051.00 | role-53-7051-00 | Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | Primary-Short |
| 53-7021.00 | role-53-7021-00 | Crane and Tower Operators | Primary-Long |
| 47-2071.00 | role-47-2071-00 | Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators | Primary-Long |
| 47-2072.00 | role-47-2072-00 | Pile Driver Operators | Primary-Long |
| 47-2061.00 | role-47-2061-00 | Construction Laborers | Primary-Long |
| 49-9044.00 | role-49-9044-00 | Millwrights | Primary-Long |
| 47-5081.00 | role-47-5081-00 | Helpers--Extraction Workers | Supplemental |
| 47-5023.00 | role-47-5023-00 | Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas | Supplemental |

## Career Clusters

| Cluster | Slug |
| --- | --- |
| Construction | construction |

## Education Level

- **Category:** High school diploma or equivalent

## Study Programs

| Title | Slug |
| --- | --- |
| Transportation and Materials Moving | transportation-and-materials-moving |

## Market

- **Median Wage:** 58710
- **Mean Wage:** 65180
- **Pct10Wage:** 40080
- **Pct25Wage:** 47780
- **Pct75Wage:** 75750
- **Pct90Wage:** 100690
- **Employment:** 469270
- **Area Title:** U.S.

## Industries


### Top

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Median Wage | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 23 | 23 | Construction | Sector | 295700 | 60950 | 11.96 |
| 21 | 21 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | Sector | 26430 | 57840 | 15.14 |
| 56 | 56 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | Sector | 25950 | 51080 | 0.94 |
| 237130 | 237130 | Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction | National industry | 16380 | 59840 | 22.98 |
| 31-33 | 31-33 | Manufacturing | Sector | 9760 | 51950 | 0.25 |
| 42 | 42 | Wholesale Trade | Sector | 7780 | 47260 | 0.42 |
| 238110 | 238110 | Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors | National industry | 7770 | 71520 | 9.87 |
| 48-49 | 48-49 | Transportation and Warehousing | Sector | 6090 | 53930 | 0.27 |
| 561320 | 561320 | Temporary Help Services | National industry | 5020 | 44630 | 0.62 |
| 561730 | 561730 | Landscaping Services | National industry | 5020 | 52650 | 1.8 |
| 22 | 22 | Utilities | Sector | 4020 | 81040 | 2.28 |
| 238210 | 238210 | Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors | National industry | 3500 | 65890 | 1.07 |

### Concentrated

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 237130 | 237130 | Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction | National industry | 16380 | 22.98 |
| 21 | 21 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | Sector | 26430 | 15.14 |
| 23 | 23 | Construction | Sector | 295700 | 11.96 |
| 238110 | 238110 | Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors | National industry | 7770 | 9.87 |
| 221114 | 221114 | Solar Electric Power Generation | National industry | 280 | 6.59 |
| 221112 | 221112 | Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation | National industry | 690 | 3.18 |
| 238140 | 238140 | Masonry Contractors | National industry | 1180 | 2.7 |
| 22 | 22 | Utilities | Sector | 4020 | 2.28 |
- **Count:** 36

## Ai Signals

| Source | Label | Score | Scale | Release |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| frey_osborne | Computerization probability | 0.95 | 0-1 probability | 2013-baseline-2016-employment-snapshot |
| felten_aioe | AI occupational exposure | -0.8815078 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |
| felten_image_generation_aioe | Image generation occupational exposure | -0.0701881 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |
| felten_language_modeling_aioe | Language modeling occupational exposure | -1.173767 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |

## Ai Outlook


### Index

- **Value:** 20
- **Percentile:** 17
- **Band:** Low
- **Version:** ai-exposure-index-v1

#### Components

| Percentile | Source |
| --- | --- |
| 22 | felten_aioe |
| 9 | openai_gpts_are_gpts |
| 30 | microsoft_working_with_ai |
- **Component Count:** 3

### Exposure

| Source | Label | Value | Percentile | Band | Note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| felten_aioe | Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) | -0.8815078 | 22 | Low | How much this job's abilities overlap with what AI systems can do, across many AI capabilities. A relative research score, not a forecast of job loss. |
| eloundou_gamma | LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) | 0.06521739130434782 | 9 | Low | Share of this job's tasks where a large language model plus simple tools could cut the time to do them by at least half. γ is capped at 1.0 and many jobs reach that ceiling, so treat a top score as 'in the top group', not a precise rank. |
| microsoft_applicability | AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) | 0.09775787528854832 | 30 | Low | How applicable today's AI assistants are to this job's activities, measured from real Microsoft Copilot conversations. Applicability is not the same as replacement. |

### Frey Historical

- **Source:** frey
- **Label:** Computerization probability (Frey & Osborne, 2013)
- **Value:** 0.95
- **Percentile:** 89
- **Band:** High
- **Note:** A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
- **Teleworkable:** no

### Eloundou

- **Alpha:** 0.043478260869565216
- **Beta:** 0.05434782608695652
- **Gamma:** 0.06521739130434782

### Usage Tasks


### Bls

- **Growth Percent:** 3.6
- **Growth Percentile:** 59
- **Direction:** About average
- **Annual Openings Thousands:** 41.9
- **Annual Openings Percentile:** 88
- **Employment2024Thousands:** 489.3
- **Employment2034Thousands:** 507.1

### Sources

| Source | Version |
| --- | --- |
| bls_employment_projections | 2024-2034 |
| dingel_neiman | dingel-neiman-workathome |
| felten_aioe | felten-raj-seamans-aioe |
| frey_osborne | frey-osborne-automation |
| microsoft_working_with_ai | working-with-ai |
| openai_gpts_are_gpts | gpts-are-gpts |

## Counts

- **Tasks:** 26
- **Skills:** 34
- **Capabilities:** 120
- **Tools:** 6
- **Related Roles:** 20

## Source

- **Dataset:** gold.onet_role_starter_surface
- **Version:** 30.3
- **Generated At:** 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00
- **Content Hash:** f56b0cbf26eade91