Heavy Equipment Operator

Amentum is a global leader in advanced engineering and innovative technology solutions, trusted by the United States and its allies to address their most significant and complex challenges in science, security and sustainability. Our people apply undaunted curiosity, relentless ambition and boundless imagination to challenge convention and drive progress. Our commitments are underpinned by the belief that safety, collaboration and well-being are integral to success. Headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia, we have approximately 50,000 employees in more than 70 countries across all 7 continents. 

Position Responsibilities: 

All Heavy Equipment Operators: 

• Implements and maintains a safe workplace program and ensures that safety is the highest priority in the workplace.  

• Is responsible for the safe and technically proficient operation of heavy and light equipment such as bulldozers, articulating loaders, excavators, graders, backhoes, fork-lifts, trenchers, snow blasters, traverse equipment, tracked agricultural tractors, PistenBully, Mattracks, dump trucks, snow moving and grooming equipment, etc.  

• Operates heavy equipment as required, including but not limited to the following activities in both dirt and snow: Road grading, ditch cleaning, trench excavation, movement, stockpiling, loading of aggregate/snow, snow plowing, snow removal, loading/unloading of trucks/trailers, material handling, disabled vehicle recovery, road construction and maintenance, airfield construction and maintenance, loading/unloading of shipping containers.  

• Performs physical activities daily including heavy lifting, climbing in and out of tall vehicles/heavy equipment, crawling as needed, working outdoors in extreme cold, snow shoveling, ice-chipping, walking long distances daily and other forms of manual labor are required.   

• Performs daily equipment checks to ensure all equipment is properly maintained and in safe operating condition.  Notates any repair or maintenance needs on the daily check list and notifies foreman of these items daily.  Checks all fluids and immediately notifies the foreman or supervisor of any deficiencies and takes corrective action prior to operation.  

• Performs daily safety inspection per the manufacturers daily check list and performs minor maintenance as required prior to operation of any equipment.  

• Tracks equipment hours daily and notifies Fleet Operations, Traverse Shop Foreman, or immediate supervisor any time equipment is within 25 hours of its PM due hours.  

• Performs general duties as required in support of Fleet Operations and ASC. 

• Complies with all ASC Environmental Health & Safety and Quality Assurance requirements and goals.  

• Provides documentation to these divisions as necessary. 

• Works to achieve ASC goals and contractual commitments.  

• Read and understand the manufacturers operating manual for each piece of equipment prior to operation.  

• Accurately records time worked, and equipment hours used daily in Maximo and timecard.  

• Performs other duties as required.  

SPoT Only: 

• Operates heavy equipment as required, including the following activities: Grading, 9,000lb knuckle boom crane operation, snow removal, traverse and equipment recovery operations, fueling bladders, loading/unloading cargo, perform basic maintenance on sleds and housing modules, runway construction and maintenance, recovery of science equipment including NASA payloads.  

• Operates on assigned traverse for no less than a 50 day duration to the South Pole and back at least once, (twice if assigned to SPOT 1 and 3).  

• Lubricates, checks fluids, and performs safety inspection and minor maintenance as required prior to operation of any equipment.  

• Arranges equipment maintenance according to manufacturer recommendations or as directed by the Vehicle Maintenance Facility and Supervisor, Fleet Operations.  

Required Education, Experience, Certificates and Licenses: 

• High School diploma or GED 

• Four years of experience as a heavy equipment operator  

Expected Skills and Competencies:  

• Team player and group dynamics are of the utmost importance.    

Preferred:   

• High school graduate or equivalent.  

• Class “A” CDL Driver’s License  

• A clear understanding of grade and drainage.   

• Rigging certifications.  

• Familiarity with Microsoft Office.  

• General knowledge and understanding of project schedules and planning.  

• Prior cold-climate equipment operations experience.  

• Snow grooming, moving experience.  

• Prior experience working in austere environments. 

• Prior supervisory/leadership experience, and/or project management experience.  

• Ability to thrive in an equipment and resource limited environment.  

Physical and/or Other Requirements: 

• Willingness and ability to deploy to Antarctica for extended periods  

• Successful completion of Medical and Dental examinations required by the NSF for deployment to Antarctica 

• Successful completion of drug screening and background check required by employer 

• Successful completion of Federal Background Check required by the NSF 

• Must be willing and able to lift and move items, parts, assemblies, and equipment up to the safety regulation maximum as required by the position.  

• Must be willing and able to perform physical activities including heavy lifting, climbing in and out of equipment, crawling, and working outdoors in extreme cold as required by the position.  

• Must participate in community programs, such as “house-mouse” (chores), “daisy-picking” (cleaning-up around the station), recycling efforts & safety objectives.  

• Valid Driver’s License issued in the United States 

• Must be able to obtain and maintain facility credentials/authorization. Note: US Citizenship is required for facility credentials/authorization at this work location.