CAREER

Dredge Operators

Overview

Salary Median (2020)

$49,210

Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)

+4.5% (slower than the average)

Most Common Level of Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Career

What Dredge Operators Do

Operate dredge to remove sand, gravel, or other materials in order to excavate and maintain navigable channels in waterways.

Other Job Titles Dredge Operators May Have

Dredge Operator, Dredger

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

  • Move levers to position dredges for excavation, to engage hydraulic pumps, to raise and lower suction booms, and to control rotation of cutterheads.
  • Start and stop engines to operate equipment.
  • Start power winches that draw in or let out cables to change positions of dredges, or pull in and let out cables manually.
  • Pump water to clear machinery pipelines.
  • Lower anchor poles to verify depths of excavations, using winches, or scan depth gauges to determine depths of excavations.

This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.