How to hire roof bolters, mining

A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.

$37.76U.S. median hourly pay
$71,390–$81,860Middle half, yearly
2,160People in this job in the U.S.

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
• Drill bolt holes into roofs at specified distances from ribs or adjacent bolts.
• Dust rocks after bolting.
• Force bolts into holes, using hydraulic mechanisms of self-propelled bolting machines.
• Perform safety checks on equipment before operating.
• Perform tests to determine if methane gas is present.
• Perform ventilation tasks, such as hanging ventilation curtains and tubes.
• Position bolting machines, and insert drill bits into chucks.
• Pull down loose rock that cannot be supported.

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 critical thinking, monitoring, active listening and speaking skills
• Working knowledge of production and processing and education and training
• [Anything else you would really turn someone away for]

Pay and benefits
[Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $37.76 an hour ($78,540 a year).
[Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.]

How to apply
[Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]

Check your finished job post

Interview questions for roof bolters, 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.

  1. Tell me about a time you had to drill bolt holes into roofs at specified distances from ribs or adjacent bolts. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
  2. Tell me about a time you had to dust rocks after bolting. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
  3. Tell me about a time you had to force bolts into holes, using hydraulic mechanisms of self-propelled bolting machines. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
  4. Tell me about a time you had to perform safety checks on equipment before operating. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
  5. Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
  6. How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
  7. 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?
  8. 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 roof bolters, mining do

  • Drill bolt holes into roofs at specified distances from ribs or adjacent bolts.
  • Dust rocks after bolting.
  • Force bolts into holes, using hydraulic mechanisms of self-propelled bolting machines.
  • Perform safety checks on equipment before operating.
  • Perform tests to determine if methane gas is present.
  • Perform ventilation tasks, such as hanging ventilation curtains and tubes.
  • Position bolting machines, and insert drill bits into chucks.
  • Pull down loose rock that cannot be supported.

Skills that matter most

Critical ThinkingMonitoringActive ListeningSpeakingProduction and ProcessingEducation and Training

Education, experience and outlook for roof bolters, mining

  • Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
  • Related work experience most have: 3 to 6 months (O*NET)
  • Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
  • Job outlook: -18.9% over ten years, declining · about 100 openings a year (BLS)

What to pay roof bolters, mining

Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:

StateMedian yearly pay
West Virginia$79,400

See roof bolters, mining pay in every state

Related hiring guides

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Job 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.