Equipment Operator Jobs in Colorado
Equipment Operator jobs in Colorado are concentrated in construction, mining, oil and gas extraction, and infrastructure development, with openings at every level from entry-level laborer to senior heavy-equipment specialist. Denver, Colorado Springs, and Grand Junction are the most active hiring metros, anchored by employers like Kiewit, Hensel Phelps, and Freeport-McMoRan. The most in-demand specialties are excavator operation, bulldozer and grader work, and pipeline construction equipment. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Showing 5 of 82+ Equipment Operator jobs
ABOUT THE TEPA COMPANIES
Established in 2005 and owned by the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, The Tepa Companies deliver comprehensive and sustainable solutions to federal, state, local, and private-sector clients throughout the United States. The tribally owned companies work independently and collaboratively to provide wide-ranging construction, engineering, environmental, industrial, staffing, and technology services.
When you join Tepa Companies, you have the opportunity to expand your entrepreneurial skill set while growing professionally alongside the best in the industry. You will have the opportunity to impact your team, the organization as a whole, and subsequently, our Tribe.
We seek out top talent to provide the best services for our clients. We focus on being a responsible company for our employees and their families by creating a culture that reflects our core values and offering competitive pay and benefits package. Our benefits package includes comprehensive medical, dental, vision, generous paid time off and holidays, 401(k) plan with company match, life insurance, flexible spending and health savings account, mental health support and resources, short and long-term disability, and tuition reimbursement.
LOCATION: This position will support our Mountain States Region. You may be assigned to work at various project sites in the region as business needs require.
Pay range: $24.42 - $37.89 per hour + per diem for travelers 95+ miles from the job site.
ABOUT THE JOB
The Tepa Companies are seeking Heavy Equipment Operators to perform various equipment operating activities on active construction sites.
Job Functions:
- Operates various construction equipment safely and efficiently, including excavators, loaders, forklifts, graders, scrapers, skid loaders, and rollers.
- Performs daily equipment inspection and maintenance requirements with proper documentation in compliance with company policies.
- Offloads or loadouts of construction materials and/or debris.
- Reads and interprets surveying staking about grade control and utilities.
- Interacts with geotechnical engineers and interpret testing results.
- Performs other duties associated with the operation and maintenance of equipment.
- Identifies and operates hand and power tools of all types: air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, saws, power drills, surveying and measuring equipment, and a variety of other equipment and instruments.
- Cleans and prepares construction sites to eliminate possible hazards, including rubble and debris.
- Reads and interprets plans, instructions, and specifications.
- Controls passing traffic.
- Signals Equipment Operators to facilitate alignment, movement, and equipment adjustment.
- Identifies and follows safe working procedures.
- Identifies and stops unsafe work practices that present imminent danger to others.
- Performs other physical labor and responsibilities as assigned, including digging ditches and trenches, backfills excavations, sealing structural components, measuring and recording areas, unloading and identifying materials, assembling and erects equipment including scaffolding, pours concrete, and setting braces to support the sides of excavations.
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR
- 10+ years’ experience operating construction equipment, including: excavators, loaders, graders, scrapers, skid loaders, and rollers
- Knowledge of use of power and hand tools, materials, and equipment used on construction sites
- Knowledge of excavation and backfilling methods, practices and procedures
- Knowledge of safety practices and procedures specific to labor work, including OSHA standards
- Must be able to communicate clearly with Superintendents, Equipment Operators, Laborers and all other personnel on site
- Must be able to read and understand construction drawings
- Listen to and understand information and direction verbally
- Listen to and understand information and direction in writing
- Demonstrate willingness to take on job challenges
- Demonstrate energy and stamina to accomplish work tasks
- Demonstrate reliability, responsibility, and dependability
- Demonstrate careful attention to detail and thoroughness
- Ability to work with crew members
- Ability to travel as required
- Valid driver’s license
- Ability to pass a drug screen and back ground check in compliance with federal regulation
Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled
ABOUT THE TEPA COMPANIES
Established in 2005 and owned by the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, The Tepa Companies deliver comprehensive and sustainable solutions to federal, state, local, and private-sector clients throughout the United States. The tribally owned companies work independently and collaboratively to provide wide-ranging construction, engineering, environmental, industrial, staffing, and technology services.
When you join Tepa Companies, you have the opportunity to expand your entrepreneurial skill set while growing professionally alongside the best in the industry. You will have the opportunity to impact your team, the organization as a whole, and subsequently, our Tribe.
We seek out top talent to provide the best services for our clients. We focus on being a responsible company for our employees and their families by creating a culture that reflects our core values and offering competitive pay and benefits package. Our benefits package includes comprehensive medical, dental, vision, generous paid time off and holidays, 401(k) plan with company match, life insurance, flexible spending and health savings account, mental health support and resources, short and long-term disability, and tuition reimbursement.
LOCATION: This position will support our Mountain States Region. You may be assigned to work at various project sites in the region as business needs require.
Pay range: $24.42 - $37.89 per hour + per diem for travelers 95+ miles from the job site.
ABOUT THE JOB
The Tepa Companies are seeking Heavy Equipment Operators to perform various equipment operating activities on active construction sites.
Job Functions:
- Operates various construction equipment safely and efficiently, including excavators, loaders, forklifts, graders, scrapers, skid loaders, and rollers.
- Performs daily equipment inspection and maintenance requirements with proper documentation in compliance with company policies.
- Offloads or loadouts of construction materials and/or debris.
- Reads and interprets surveying staking about grade control and utilities.
- Interacts with geotechnical engineers and interpret testing results.
- Performs other duties associated with the operation and maintenance of equipment.
- Identifies and operates hand and power tools of all types: air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, saws, power drills, surveying and measuring equipment, and a variety of other equipment and instruments.
- Cleans and prepares construction sites to eliminate possible hazards, including rubble and debris.
- Reads and interprets plans, instructions, and specifications.
- Controls passing traffic.
- Signals Equipment Operators to facilitate alignment, movement, and equipment adjustment.
- Identifies and follows safe working procedures.
- Identifies and stops unsafe work practices that present imminent danger to others.
- Performs other physical labor and responsibilities as assigned, including digging ditches and trenches, backfills excavations, sealing structural components, measuring and recording areas, unloading and identifying materials, assembling and erects equipment including scaffolding, pours concrete, and setting braces to support the sides of excavations.
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR
- 10+ years’ experience operating construction equipment, including: excavators, loaders, graders, scrapers, skid loaders, and rollers
- Knowledge of use of power and hand tools, materials, and equipment used on construction sites
- Knowledge of excavation and backfilling methods, practices and procedures
- Knowledge of safety practices and procedures specific to labor work, including OSHA standards
- Must be able to communicate clearly with Superintendents, Equipment Operators, Laborers and all other personnel on site
- Must be able to read and understand construction drawings
- Listen to and understand information and direction verbally
- Listen to and understand information and direction in writing
- Demonstrate willingness to take on job challenges
- Demonstrate energy and stamina to accomplish work tasks
- Demonstrate reliability, responsibility, and dependability
- Demonstrate careful attention to detail and thoroughness
- Ability to work with crew members
- Ability to travel as required
- Valid driver’s license
- Ability to pass a drug screen and back ground check in compliance with federal regulation
Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled
See All 82 Equipment Operator Jobs in Colorado
Find roles in Colorado that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Equipment Operator JobsEquipment Operator Jobs by City in Colorado
Where Colorado roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Equipment Operator Job Market in Colorado
A snapshot from current Colorado openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Trucking
What Colorado Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in equipment operator jobs across Colorado.
- Valid CDL Class A or B license recognized by the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles
- Demonstrated experience operating heavy equipment such as excavators, bulldozers, or graders
- Knowledge of OSHA safety standards and jobsite hazard protocols
- Ability to read and interpret grade stakes, site plans, and blueprints
- Physical ability to work outdoors in Colorado's varied terrain and weather conditions
- NCCER Heavy Equipment Operations certification or equivalent industry credential preferred
Equipment Operator Jobs in Colorado: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a equipment operator in Colorado?
The most direct path is completing a Heavy Equipment Operations program through a Colorado community college, such as those offered at Aims Community College or Colorado Mountain College, or entering a union apprenticeship through the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 9, which covers Colorado. Employers typically require a valid CDL and hands-on equipment hours. NCCER certification strengthens applications considerably and is recognized by most Colorado contractors.
Which companies hire equipment operators in Colorado?
Companies currently hiring equipment operators in Colorado include City and County of Denver, Triple-S Steel, and United Companies, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Colorado's active construction corridor along the Front Range and ongoing energy projects in the western part of the state keep demand steady with large contractors and resource companies.
Which Colorado cities have the most equipment operator jobs?
Denver, Colorado Springs, and Grand Junction have the most equipment operator openings in Colorado. Denver leads because of its sustained urban infrastructure and commercial construction activity, Colorado Springs draws demand from military installation projects and regional growth, and Grand Junction is driven by energy extraction and pipeline work in Colorado's Western Slope region.
Are there remote equipment operator jobs in Colorado?
Yes, but they're rare. About 0% of equipment operator openings tied to Colorado are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, since the role is almost entirely hands-on and site-dependent. The small share of remote-adjacent work typically involves dispatch coordination, equipment fleet management, or remote monitoring roles that sit alongside field operations rather than replacing them.
How can I get hired as a equipment operator in Colorado with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry point is an apprenticeship through the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 9, which accepts candidates with no prior equipment experience and provides paid on-the-job training. Large Colorado contractors like Kiewit and Hensel Phelps also hire laborers and equipment helpers who can move into operator seats as hours accumulate. Earning an NCCER Level 1 credential before applying gives candidates a clear edge over other entry-level applicants.
Where can I find and apply to equipment operator jobs in Colorado?
You can find and apply to equipment operator jobs in Colorado on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from employers actively hiring in the state. Search the listings for roles that match your equipment experience and location, and apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 82 Equipment Operator Jobs in Colorado
Find roles in Colorado that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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