Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO)

position Summary

A Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) temporary hourly position is available with Colorado State University (CSU) and the Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands (CEMML) at Fort Stewart, Georgia. The minimum duration of this position is 3 months, depending on funding, however, employment will not exceed 9 months.

Support will involve work efforts that include operating heavy equipment (e.g., forestry shredder, tractor, loader/backhoe) for midstory thinning and vegetation management, equipment maintenance and repairs, transporting heavy equipment (5th wheel tractor/trailer), mowing/shredding midstory vegetation, mulching midstory hardwoods, and restoring native vegetation in the training lands. Additionally, this position may help maintain and enhance threatened and endangered species habitat through a variety of land management activities including, road maintenance, reforestation, wiregrass seed harvesting and planting support.

Fort Stewart is a United States Army installation located near Hinesville, Georgia, approximately 42 miles southwest of Savannah. The 280,000-acre installation hosts a variety of diverse training habitats including forest and woodland ecosystems. The installation supports year-round training from all branches of the armed services in a variety of realistic training scenarios.

Essential Job Duties

Heavy Equipment Operation – Habitat Restoration

• Operate and transport heavy equipment including, but not limited to, forestry shredders, dump trucks, skid steers, bull dozers, excavators, motor graders, backhoes, agricultural tractors, utility trailers, heavy-duty trailers, and semi-trucks. Determine appropriate equipment use, transport methods, and job site deployment.

• Duties performed may include but are not limited to, forest midstory hardwood thinning and vegetation management, land clearing, road maintenance, soil stabilization efforts, native grass seed collection and planting, and maintaining threatened and endangered species habitat.

Heavy Equipment Maintenance and Repairs

• Perform routine maintenance and repairs on a variety of gasoline and diesel-powered heavy construction equipment.

• Perform and document comprehensive pre-trip inspections on all heavy equipment, vehicles (e.g., dump trucks, pickup trucks, water trucks), and trailers. 

Reporting

• Complete administrative tasks to include online training, time reporting, and task deliverables. Detail-oriented tracking of materials, equipment, progress, and labor for preparation of daily/weekly/monthly/quarterly reports used to communicate with the supervisor and onsite government representative. 

Conditions of Employment

• Ability to work in-person at Fort Stewart, GA.
• Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for all new hires).
• Must have and maintain a valid driver’s license and Class A CDL and meet CSU standards for driving throughout the course of employment.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain the Georgia Level 1A Erosion and Sedimentation Certification required for moving/disturbing soil.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain CPR/First Aid certification.
• Be able to lift 50 pounds repeatedly without assistance. Physically able to work outdoors and perform strenuous labor under all hazardous working conditions (e.g., intense heat, cold, high humidity, noxious plants and animals).
• Must be able to comply with all applicable regulations to obtain and maintain a Department of Defense Common Access Card (CAC) and public trust clearance. Furthermore, candidates are required at a minimum to complete a NACI/SF85 and successfully pass a federal background check to remain eligible for employment by CSU.
• The successful candidate must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. by the proposed start date; CEMML will not provide visa sponsorship for this position.

Supervision

This position does not have supervisory duties.

Minimum Qualifications

• A High School Diploma, General education Development (GED), or equivalent.
• A minimum of two (2) years of professional experience operating heavy equipment in land management, restoration, rehabilitation, or another similar capacity utilizing equipment such as forestry shredders, bulldozers, dump trucks, excavators, front-end loaders/backhoes, skid steers, agricultural tractors, motor-graders, light and heavy-duty trailers, and semi-trucks.
• Experience performing operational, routine, and operator maintenance and inspections on all equipment to maintain operational readiness/safety and to keep machinery, equipment, and tools in good working condition.
• Able to properly load, secure, and transport all heavy equipment with a range of trailers on both paved and dirt roads.
• Experience in facilitating planting operations, land clearing, site preparations, soil stabilization, grading, and road maintenance.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; able to follow directions and work collaboratively with others as part of a team.
• Proficient use of computers, spreadsheets, and email programs for documenting work completion, communication, task tracking and other administrative tasks. Experience documenting and maintaining detailed records and creating electronic reports using the Microsoft Office suite of products.

Preferred Qualifications

• More than two (2) years professional experience operating heavy equipment in a land restoration, rehabilitation, management, or a similar capacity.
• Experience working on military lands.
• Experience collecting and planting native grass seeds.
• Pesticide/herbicide Application experience and experience in invasive species management.
• Experience with land rehabilitation, horizontal construction techniques, and erosion control practices specific to State and/or EPA approved Best Management Practices (BMPs) required to achieve compliance.
• Ability to read and navigate using maps, GIS applications, aerial photographs, compasses, and GPS units.

Salary Range$20.00 to $30.00 an hour

Employee Benefits

Colorado State University is not just a workplace; it’s a thriving community that’s transforming lives and improving the human condition through world-class teaching, research, and service. With a robust benefits package, collaborative atmosphere, and focus on work-life balance, CSU is where you can thrive, grow, and make a lasting impact.

• Review our detailed benefits information here.
• Explore the additional perks of working at CSU here.
• For the total value of CSU benefits in addition to wages, use our compensation calculator.
• Lastly, click here for more information about why Fort Collins is consistently ranked in the top cities to live in!

Background Check Policy Statement

Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.

EEO

Colorado State University (CSU) provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.