How to hire excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Become familiar with digging plans, machine capabilities and limitations, and efficient and safe digging procedures in a given application. • Create or maintain inclines or ramps. • Move levers, depress foot pedals, and turn dials to operate power machinery, such as power shovels, stripping shovels, scraper loaders, or backhoes. • Move materials over short distances, such as around a construction site, factory, or warehouse. • Observe hand signals, grade stakes, or other markings when operating machines so that work can be performed to specifications. • Operate machinery to perform activities such as backfilling excavations, vibrating or breaking rock or concrete, or making winter roads. • Receive written or oral instructions regarding material movement or excavation. • Set up or inspect equipment prior to operation. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: High school diploma or equivalent] • Strong monitoring, active learning, active listening, critical thinking, reading comprehension and speaking skills • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $27.61 an hour ($57,430 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to become familiar with digging plans, machine capabilities and limitations, and efficient and safe digging procedures in a given application. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to create or maintain inclines or ramps. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to move levers, depress foot pedals, and turn dials to operate power machinery, such as power shovels, stripping shovels, scraper loaders, or backhoes. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to move materials over short distances, such as around a construction site, factory, or warehouse. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
- Tell me about something new you had to learn quickly for work. How did you learn it?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining do
- Become familiar with digging plans, machine capabilities and limitations, and efficient and safe digging procedures in a given application.
- Create or maintain inclines or ramps.
- Move levers, depress foot pedals, and turn dials to operate power machinery, such as power shovels, stripping shovels, scraper loaders, or backhoes.
- Move materials over short distances, such as around a construction site, factory, or warehouse.
- Observe hand signals, grade stakes, or other markings when operating machines so that work can be performed to specifications.
- Operate machinery to perform activities such as backfilling excavations, vibrating or breaking rock or concrete, or making winter roads.
- Receive written or oral instructions regarding material movement or excavation.
- Set up or inspect equipment prior to operation.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 6 months to 1 year (O*NET)
- Experience usually needed to start: Less than 5 years (BLS)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +1% over ten years, little or no change · about 2,400 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Illinois | $80,600 |
| New Jersey | $80,310 |
| California | $74,500 |
| Washington | $64,270 |
| Nevada | $63,810 |
| Texas | $49,000 |
| Kentucky | $47,780 |
| Oklahoma | $47,100 |
See excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining pay in every state
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Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.