Heavy Equipment Operator Foreman

Edwards Construction Group • Arroyo Grande, CA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Edwards Construction Group is seeking a skilled, motivated Operator Foreman for commercial construction projects in California. This is a working foreman role: the foreman spends most of the day operating heavy equipment while leading a small crew of operators and laborers. The role suits an accomplished operator ready to take on leadership, committed to precise and efficient production, safety, quality, and mentoring developing operators.

The foreman operates equipment and leads a crew of 2–4 operators and laborers on excavation, grading, and underground utility work. The position includes planning daily work, interpreting plans, coordinating deliveries, maintaining equipment, enforcing safety protocols, tracking production and time, and communicating with project leadership and other trades. Travel to job sites may be needed. The role requires working outdoors in heat, cold, dust, and noise, and performing physical tasks such as climbing on and off equipment, walking on uneven terrain, and lifting up to 50 pounds.

Requirements

• At least 5 years of heavy equipment operating experience in earthwork, grading, and underground utilities.
• Proficiency operating multiple machines, including excavators, dozers, loaders, and graders.
• Hands-on experience with GPS machine control (Trimble, Topcon, or Leica) and reading grade stakes and elevations.
• Experience with excavation, site preparation, trenching, wet/dry utility installation, and rough and finish grading.
• Working knowledge of trench safety, shoring, and sloping requirements.
• Ability to perform equipment inspections and routine maintenance.
• Strong communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
• Valid driver's license.
• Ability to operate heavy equipment for extended periods in heat, cold, dust, and noise.
• Ability to climb on and off equipment, bend, stoop, kneel, and walk on uneven terrain.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Comfort using a tablet or phone for daily logs and timesheets.
• Ability to travel to job sites as needed.
• Personal strengths: detail-oriented and organized; proactive and takes initiative; dependable; strong communicator; collaborative problem-solver; leads by example; conflict management and personal integrity.

Nice To Haves

• At least 1 year as a lead operator, foreman, or crew lead.
• Strong finish-grading skills.
• Class A CDL for hauling equipment.
• OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 certification.
• Competent Person certification in excavation/trenching.

Responsibilities

• Operate heavy equipment daily, including excavators, dozers, loaders, motor graders, scrapers, backhoes, skid steers, and compactors.
• Lead a crew of 2–4 operators and laborers on excavation, grading, and underground utility work while working alongside them.
• Perform mass excavation, trenching, backfilling, rough and finish grading, and compaction to plans and specifications.
• Operate GPS machine-control grading systems and set up and verify grades, elevations, and cut/fill using site plans and grade stakes.
• Interpret blueprints, site plans, and elevation drawings and translate them into daily crew work.
• Plan and sequence daily equipment work, coordinate truck and material deliveries, and keep production on schedule.
• Train and mentor operators in safe operation, machine techniques, grade work, and production targets.
• Perform pre-shift inspections and daily maintenance, including greasing, fluid checks, and minor repairs; report and schedule larger repairs.
• Enforce site safety protocols, including trench safety, utility locates, and equipment swing and blind-spot awareness, in compliance with OSHA and company regulations.
• Monitor soil conditions and compaction results and coordinate with testing inspectors.
• Load, haul, and unload equipment between job sites as needed.
• Keep daily production, equipment-hour, and crew-time logs; submit timesheets to the General Foreman or Superintendent.
• Communicate with the General Foreman, Superintendent, project managers, engineers, and other trades.
• Travel to job sites as needed.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Fringe benefits
• Continuing education bonus program
• Opportunities for career growth
• Prevailing wage on applicable public works jobs; public works follow California prevailing wage (DIR), federal work follows Davis-Bacon, and private work is competitively compensated.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed