Heavy Equipment Operator (Antarctica)

About the role

Amentum is hiring a Heavy Equipment Operator for work in Antarctica. The role covers the safe operation of heavy and light equipment such as bulldozers, excavators, graders, backhoes, fork-lifts, trenchers, snow blasters, dump trucks and snow grooming equipment, in both dirt and snow conditions. The position also includes a SPOT assignment to the South Pole.

Key responsibilities

• Maintain a safe workplace and ensure safety is the highest priority.
• Operate heavy equipment for road grading, ditch cleaning, trench excavation, snow plowing, snow removal, loading/unloading of trucks and trailers, material handling, disabled vehicle recovery, road and airfield construction and maintenance, and loading/unloading of shipping containers.
• Perform daily equipment checks, fluid checks and safety inspections, and report repairs and maintenance needs to the foreman.
• Track equipment hours daily and notify supervisors when equipment is within 25 hours of its preventive maintenance due.
• Record time worked and equipment hours used daily in Maximo and the timecard.
• Comply with ASC environmental health, safety and quality assurance requirements and support Fleet Operations and ASC.
• SPOT only: operate a 9,000 lb knuckle boom crane, perform traverse and equipment recovery, fuel bladders, basic maintenance on sleds and housing modules, runway construction and maintenance, and recovery of science equipment including NASA payloads.
• SPOT only: operate on assigned traverse to the South Pole and back at least once (twice if assigned to SPOT 1 and 3).

Required profile

• High school diploma or GED; four years of experience as a heavy equipment operator preferred.
• Valid US driver's license; US citizenship required to obtain facility credentials at this location.
• Ability to deploy to Antarctica for extended periods, with successful medical, dental, drug screening and background checks (employer and federal).
• Physical ability to lift, climb in and out of equipment, crawl and work outdoors in extreme cold.
• Willingness to join community programs such as housekeeping, recycling and safety objectives.

Required skills

• Class A CDL driver's license preferred.
• Rigging certification preferred.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office and understanding of project schedules and planning preferred.
• Prior cold-climate equipment operation, snow grooming and austere environment experience preferred.
• Supervisory, leadership or project management experience preferred.