Heavy Equipment Operator Jobs in South Dakota

A Heavy Equipment Operator in the construction industry operates large machinery, such as bulldozers, excavators, and cranes, which are utilized for construction projects. Their key responsibilities include maneuvering heavy equipment safely and efficiently, performing basic maintenance checks, and ensuring the machinery is in good working order. They are essential to the construction process as they clear and grade land, excavate earth, lift heavy materials, and perform other tasks that require specialized equipment. They also should have a thorough understanding of safety protocols and procedures to prevent accidents on the job site.

Potential Heavy Equipment Operators should possess excellent hand-eye coordination, physical stamina, technical skills, and mechanical knowledge. They should also understand how to read blueprints and topographic maps. It's crucial for them to have certification from a recognized heavy equipment operator training school, and some states may require a commercial driver's license (CDL). Before becoming a Heavy Equipment Operator, a person may have roles such as a Construction Laborer, Forklift Operator, or Truck Driver. These positions can provide valuable experience in the construction industry, and help individuals gain familiarity with different types of machinery.

1-15 of 32 Jobs

Heavy Equipment Operator (CDL Class A po...

  • Brookings, SD
  • 1 hour ago
  • Brookings, SD
  • 1 hour ago

Brookings, SD Construction Heavy Equipment Operator (CDL Class A position) Heavy Equipment Operator (CDL Class A position) Brookings County Brookings, SD US Posted/Updated: 4 days ago Job Description...

Excavator operator

  • Spearfish, SD
  • 2 days ago
  • Spearfish, SD
  • 2 days ago

Excavator Operator Company: First General Services Location: Spearfish, SD Salary: $20$30 per hour (negotiable based on experience) Job Type: Full-time About Us: First General Services is a...

Traveling Equipment Operator

  • Brookings, SD
  • 4 days ago
  • Brookings, SD
  • 4 days ago

Discover a more connected Equipment Operator career At TelCom Construction, as a Traveling Equipment Operator on our team, you'll use and take care of special machines for putting in phone and...

SIMON Equipment Operator

  • Rapid City, SD
  • 5 days ago
  • Rapid City, SD
  • 5 days ago

Simon is a subsidiary of Colas USA with operations throughout Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming. We specialize in aggregate, asphalt, and ready-mix concrete materials production, with...

Ag Equipment Operator

  • Lodgepole, SD
  • 6 days ago
  • Lodgepole, SD
  • 6 days ago

$0.00 Per Hour DOE (Depends on Experience) Ag Equipment Operator (Suppressed) Occupation: Agricultural Equipment Operators Location: Lodgepole, SD - 57640 Positions available: 8 Job #: 16855651...

Asphalt Paving Equipment Operator

  • Sioux Falls, SD
  • 7 days ago
  • Sioux Falls, SD
  • 7 days ago

With over 110 years in business in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Black-Top Paving, a division of Journey Group, is growing and seeking a safety minded Asphalt Paving Equipment Operator to join our...

Loader Operator

  • Vermillion, SD
  • 7 days ago
  • Vermillion, SD
  • 7 days ago

Operates straight or articulated rubber-tired tractor-type vehicle equipped with front-mounted hydraulically powered bucket or forks to lift and transport bulk materials to and from storage yard...

Scraper - Heavy Equipment Operator - Lemmon, SD

  • Lemmon, SD
  • 7 days ago
  • Lemmon, SD
  • 7 days ago

Scraper-Heavy Equipment Operator Type: Full time Salary: DOE Position Overview The Scraper-Heavy Equipment Operator is required to excavate, move, grade, and/or compact earth under general supervision...

Site Work Specialists Heavy Equipment Operator

  • Rapid City, SD
  • 12 days ago
  • Rapid City, SD
  • 12 days ago

Site Work Specialists Heavy Equipment Operator Job Description Job Summary: At Site Work Specialists, a heavy equipment operator uses a variety of machines for site development, excavation, grading,...

Advanced Equipment Operator - Streets

  • Brookings, SD
  • 12 days ago
  • Brookings, SD
  • 12 days ago

Operate and maintain light to medium duty capacity dump trucks, tractors, trailers, and trucks with specialized equipment to include sand spreader, hot oil distributor, patching machine, crack sealing...

Heavy Equipment Operator - Streets

  • Brookings, SD
  • 12 days ago
  • Brookings, SD
  • 12 days ago

Heavy Equipment Operator - Streets Full Time Skilled Craft City of Brookings, Brookings, SD, US 1 Attachments 8 days ago Requisition ID: 1216 Apply Salary Range: $25.18 To $34.06 Hourly Position Open...

Equipment Operator

  • Watertown, SD
  • 13 days ago
  • Watertown, SD
  • 13 days ago

What you will do: Under general supervision of Plant Manager, operates various equipment including water trucks, graders, front-end loaders and pickup trucks. Performs routine inspection and...

Forklift Operator

  • North Sioux City, SD
  • 14 days ago
  • North Sioux City, SD
  • 14 days ago

Salary Not Available Forklift Operator RED'S ALL NATURAL Occupation: Production Workers, All Other Location: NORTH SIOUX CITY, SD - 57049 Positions available: 1 Job #: 10698386 Source: IowaWORKS...

Seasonal Loader Operator

  • Wilmot, SD
  • 20 days ago
  • Wilmot, SD
  • 20 days ago

Back to search " Seasonal Loader Operator Job ID: 18367 Location: WILMOT, SD, US, 57279 Date posted: Mar 19, 2025 Employment Type: Hourly Schedule: Seasonal Job ID: 18367 Work Arrangement: On-Site...

Heavy Equipment Operator

  • Brookings, SD
  • 20 days ago
  • Brookings, SD
  • 20 days ago

A highly-respected Heavy Civil Contractor in the area with a backlog of projects is seeking a Heavy Equipment Operator to join their team....

Demographic Data for South Dakota

Moving to South Dakota? Find some basic demographic data about South Dakota below.


Local
National
884,808
27,563

Heavy Equipment Operator Online Courses and Training Opportunities

iHireConstruction curates thousands of courses in order to recommend the best ones to help further your career. If you register for a course using the links on our site, we may receive a small commission.
Heavy Equipment Operator Certification- Accredited
Heavy Equipment Operator Course: Excavator & Skid Steer CertificationOur comprehensive Heavy Equipment Operator Course offers online training and expert instruction on two essential pieces of...
Heavy Metal 101
This is not a metallurgy class! Learn everything you ever wanted to know about Heavy Metal music. Topics of this video lecture series include musicology, history, metal culture, music theory,...
Load Securement for Heavy Equipment (US) Course
The North American Cargo Securement Standard forms the basis for the cargo securement and distribution regulations in the United States and Canada. The regulations are designed to ensure cargo...

Title Synonyms

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Salary for Heavy Equipment Operator Jobs in South Dakota

Estimated salary range based on data from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and iHireConstruction research efforts.


Highest Education Level

Heavy Equipment Operators in South Dakota offer the following education background
High School or GED
48.6%
Vocational Degree or Certification
23.3%
Associate's Degree
10.7%
Bachelor's Degree
10.2%
Some College
2.9%
Master's Degree
2.1%
Some High School
1.8%
Doctorate Degree
0.4%

Average Work Experience
Here's a breakdown of the number of years' experience offered by Heavy Equipment Operators in South Dakota
2-4 years
36.6%
Less than 1 year
26.8%
1-2 years
19.9%
4-6 years
16.3%
None
0.4%


Other Career Titles

Here are some other career titles that require similar skills



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