How to hire an excavator backhoe operator

How to hire an excavator backhoe operator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step excavator backhoe operator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an excavator backhoe operator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new excavator backhoe operator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your excavator backhoe operator job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an excavator backhoe operator for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an excavator backhoe operator to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an excavator backhoe operator that fits the bill.

   This list presents excavator backhoe operator salaries for various positions.

   Type of Excavator Backhoe Operator	Description	Hourly rate
   Excavator Backhoe Operator	Material moving machine operators use machinery to transport various objects. Some operators move construction materials around building sites or excavate earth from a mine... Show more	$15-28
   Operator	Operators are skilled workers who are in charge of working on an industrial machine or a specific aspect of the manufacturing business. They are trained to operate machines, learning how to use them... Show more	$12-25
   Labour Operator	Labor operators typically drive, maneuver the heavy machinery used to construct buildings, bridges, roads, and other structures. Their tasks and duties include cleaning and maintaining construction equipment, reporting faulty mechanism to supervisors, driving and operating equipment, and ensuring that the standards for safety are met... Show more	$12-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CDL
   • Safety Procedures
   • Asphalt
   • OSHA
   • Manual Labor
   • Plumbing
   • Water Services
   • Sewer Lines
   • Hand Tools
   • Loaders
   • Backfill
   • Underground Utilities
   • Excavations
   • DOT

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • General mowing and weed eating.
   • Maintain park grounds through litter policing, mowing and trimming.
   • Operate all equipment: backhoe, skidsteer; mowers; tractors; dumptruck; aerators.
   • Operate machinery equip with shovels, scoops, or buckets to excavate and load loose materials.
   • Operate excavator (pipe crew) digging, sloping trenches, digging in trench boxes and around existing underground utilities.
   • Operate machinery to perform activities such as backfilling excavations, vibrating or breaking rock or concrete, and making winter roads.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your excavator backhoe operator job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An excavator backhoe operator can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, excavator backhoe operators' average salary in florida is 44% less than in rhode island.
   • Seniority. Entry-level excavator backhoe operators 45% less than senior-level excavator backhoe operators.
   • Certifications. An excavator backhoe operator with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an excavator backhoe operator's salary.

   Average excavator backhoe operator salary

   $45,041yearly

   $21.65 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level excavator backhoe operator salary

   $33,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing an excavator backhoe operator job description

   A job description for an excavator backhoe operator role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an excavator backhoe operator job description:

   Excavator backhoe operator job description example

   Backhoe Operator : Digs around existing buried utilities and exposes same for crossing with the cable plow. Digs lateral trenches from 3-5 feet deep to place cable in to pedestals General clean-up. You may have to dig by hand to verify exact utility locations prior to digging with the backhoe. Ripley’s uses John Deere rubber tire backhoes. The largest is a 410 SJ. We do not have any “Cat” branded backhoes. A Current CDL is preferred. 500 machine hours of operating a backhoe is preferred. Your interview will include a demonstration of your level of skill. Pay is based on your level of skill.

   JOB REQUIREMENTS:

   1.) Out of town travel as required
   2.) Ability to work in adverse weather conditions
   3.) Ability to lift 75 lbs.
   4.) Ability to kneel, squat, bend and twist as needed
   6.) Ability to use a variety of hand/power tools
   7.) Must have a current valid drivers license
   9.) Must maintain a current health certificate
   10.) Must perform prescribed job function in a timely and efficient manner
   11.) General clean up
   12.) Provide accurate daily timekeeping
   13.) Perform other duties as assigned

   TRAINING QUALIFICATIONS:

   New Hire on the job training for up to 2 weeks or as needed with an experienced employee
   Training with the company safety coordinator prior to working out in the field
   Daily instructions and directions from the company's foreman and equipment operators
   Vehicle operation instructions (when required)
   Knowledge of company's policies and procedures
   Participate in weekly toolbox meeting

   Benefits that Ripley’s offers:

   Above average pay, including entry level.

   Weekly Paid Travel time

   Daily Per Diem paid for overnight travel

   Company provided transportation

   Ripley’s pays for lodging

   Health Insurance Premiums paid year around for full time, seasonal employees

   Production Bonuses

   Ripley’s provides late model, state of the art equipment for their employees. We are a family owned company, founded in 1969 and is owned by Dave and Cragi Ripley. Four of the Ripley Brothers continue to oversee day to day operations.

   HIRING FOR THESE POSITIONS,

   Heavy Equipment Operators
   Backhoe Operators (experienced)
   Directional Drill Operators, CDL preferred
   Cable Locators (experienced)
   Small Cable Plow Operators (experienced)
   General Laborers (Training provided)

   
   
   #hc8250

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5. Post your job

   To find the right excavator backhoe operator for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with excavator backhoe operators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit excavator backhoe operators who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your excavator backhoe operator job on Zippia to find and recruit excavator backhoe operator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with excavator backhoe operator candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new excavator backhoe operator

   Once you've selected the best excavator backhoe operator candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new excavator backhoe operator. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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