Underground Plumber / Excavator Operator

Lead Heavy Equipment Operator – Water & Sewer

Mini Backhoe Services
Philadelphia / Montgomery County & Surrounding Areas
Pay: $35.00 per hour
Full-Time Position

Mini Backhoe Services is looking for an experienced Lead Machine Operator to join our excavation and underground utility team. This is not an entry-level operator position. We are looking for someone who is highly experienced around residential and commercial properties and can confidently take the lead on all excavation projects.

Mini Backhoe Services is an **excavation and site services contractor** serving homeowners, businesses, plumbers, electricians, utility contractors, and other trades throughout the Philadelphia and surrounding areas. We frequently work **B2B alongside contractors**, providing the equipment and experienced operators needed to excavate, shore, and maintain safe access to underground utilities so their crews can perform repairs, replacements, and installations.

Our capabilities include **utility trenching and excavation, water and sewer work, pipe bursting, site preparation, selective demolition, land clearing, grading and drainage, concrete and asphalt removal, and the decommissioning and removal of abandoned underground tanks**. From providing excavation support for another contractor to handling a complete site project, Mini Backhoe Services brings the equipment, experience, and field knowledge needed to get the job done safely and efficiently.The right candidate should be able to show up to a job, understand the scope of work, safely perform the excavation, work with the crew, and help get the project completed correctly and efficiently.

Minimum Requirements

• Minimum 5 years of heavy equipment operating experience
• Minimum 5 years of hands-on water and sewer line experience
• Pipe bursting experience is REQUIRED
• Experienced operating mini excavators, excavators, skid steers and compact track loaders
• Experience excavating for water services, sewer laterals, stormwater and underground utilities
• Comfortable digging around gas, electric, communication, water and other existing utilities
• Able to excavate around homes, foundations, driveways, sidewalks and other structures
• Experience with trenching, shoring and excavation safety
• Able to properly establish grades and elevations
• Experience trailering and fastening down equipment.
• Installing PVC, cast iron, HDPE, copper and other underground piping
• Knowledge of proper pipe bedding, backfilling and compaction
• Able to read site plans and understand utility markings
• Experience loading trucks and handling excavated material
• Experience with pavement/concrete removal and restoration preparation
• Valid driver's license with a good driving record
• Reliable transportation
• Able to work outdoors year-round
• Dependable and able to arrive on time every day
• Will jump out of the machine to help our plumbing, electrical, concrete, and builders on the job when the machine isn't needed.
• THIS ONE IS BIG!!!! Understand when it's time to dig by hand to expose underground utilities vs. risking it with the machine and causing utility damage.

Pipe Bursting & Underground Utility Experience

Because we offer trenchless water and sewer replacement and is an important part of our work, pipe bursting experience is a must.

Experience with any of the following is also especially valuable:

• Hydraulic attachments for mini excavators such as auger, breaker, thumb, etc...
• Sewer pipe bursting
• Water-service bursting
• HDPE fusion
• Pulling heads and bursting heads
• Setting up hydraulic bursting equipment
• Launch and receiving pits
• Sewer camera inspection
• Locating sewer lines
• Trenchless water and sewer replacement
• Conventional excavation and replacement
• Sewer cleanouts
• Water-service taps and connections
• Working around live utilities

We're Looking for More Than an Operator

This is a lead position. We're looking for someone who understands the entire excavation jobnot someone who only knows how to move dirt.

A strong candidate will be able to:

• Think ahead and plan the excavation before digging
• Keep the crew productive
• Work solo or with team members from our company or from other company's.
• Communicate with project managers and customers
• Recognize potential problems before they become expensive problems
• Protect lawns, driveways, buildings and customer property
• Keep jobsites organized and professional
• Take care of company equipment
• Perform daily equipment inspections
• Grease and maintain machines
• Recognize mechanical problems before equipment breaks down
• Help train less-experienced employees
• Maintain a safe excavation at all times
• Take pride in leaving a clean, professional jobsite

Equipment Experience We'd Like to See

Experience operating equipment such as:

• Mini excavators
• Midi excavators
• Skid steers / compact track loaders
• Mini backhoes
• Backhoes
• Hydraulic breakers
• Hydraulic thumbs
• Augers
• Trench compactors
• Plate compactors and jumping jacks
• Concrete/asphalt saws
• Pipe-bursting equipment
• HDPE fusion equipment
• Sewer cameras and locating equipment

Compensation & Benefits

Starting pay: $35.00/hour, based on meeting the experience requirements.

Potential benefits/perks may include:

• Full-time, year-round work
• Performance bonuses
• Annual pay reviews
• Company uniforms
• Work boots / boot allowance
• Company-provided safety equipment
• Paid training and certifications
• OSHA and competent-person training
• Advancement opportunities
• Newer, well-maintained equipment
• Company trucks and trailers
• Consistent schedule
• Opportunity to move into other positions

Why Work With Mini Backhoe Services?

We're a growing excavation and underground utility company specializing in business to business trench work for water, sewer, drainage and trenchless work. We're looking for experienced people who want to become a long-term part of the company.

We value operators who know their craft. If you can safely operate equipment, understand underground utilities, lead a crew and get jobs completed properly, we want to talk to you.

This isn't a position where an experienced operator will spend every day doing basic labor, or just sitting in a machine all day. We want to put your experience to use and give you responsibility in the field.

To Apply

Please send your name, phone number, work history and a brief description of your equipment, water/sewer and pipe-bursting experience.

Applicants without at least 5 years of equipment operating experience and 5 years of water/sewer experience should not apply. Pipe-bursting experience is required.

Mini Backhoe Services
Excavation • Water • Sewer • Trenchless Solutions

Mini Backhoe Services is an **excavation and site services contractor** serving homeowners, businesses, plumbers, electricians, utility contractors, and other trades throughout the Philadelphia and surrounding areas. We frequently work **B2B alongside contractors**, providing the equipment and experienced operators needed to excavate, shore, and maintain safe access to underground utilities so their crews can perform repairs, replacements, and installations.

Our capabilities include **utility trenching and excavation, water and sewer work, pipe bursting, site preparation, selective demolition, land clearing, grading and drainage, concrete and asphalt removal, and the decommissioning and removal of abandoned underground tanks**. From providing excavation support for another contractor to handling a complete site project, Mini Backhoe Services brings the equipment, experience, and field knowledge needed to get the job done safely and efficiently.