Dump Truck / Dozer / Grader Operator
$140,000 – $200,000
About the role
Multi-skilled Dozer and Grader Operators are the highest-paid heavy equipment operators on Australian mines. Where a haul truck operator drives one machine, an experienced dozer or grader hand runs the equipment that shapes the pit itself — pushing coal or iron ore into stockpiles, ripping hard ground for the shovels, maintaining haul roads, building ramps and cleaning bench floors. The role requires genuine skill: reading ground conditions, feeling the machine, judging grade and slope by eye, and holding a haul road to a tolerance that keeps 400-tonne trucks safe at 60km/h. Because these skills take years to build, a multi-ticketed operator with dozer, grader, water cart and loader VOCs is one of the most sought-after workers on any site. Base salaries typically start at $140,000 and climb toward $200,000 for senior operators who move between machines, work night shift and cover shutdowns. Coal mines in the Bowen Basin and Hunter Valley pay particularly well for graders because road maintenance is critical to trucking productivity. Iron ore mines in the Pilbara pay premium rates for dozer operators who can safely push high tip heads. Rosters range from 7:7 residential in Queensland to 2:1 FIFO out of Perth. Progression paths include Trainer Assessor, Production Supervisor, and Mine Controller. The main challenge is patience: it typically takes 3–5 years of consistent seat time on one machine before an operator is trusted on the next, and operators who chop between labour hire firms too often can struggle to accumulate the VOCs that unlock the top of the pay band.
Certificates & qualifications required
- Standard 11 Generic Mining Induction
- HR licence (useful, not always essential)
- Verification of Competency (VOC) on each specific machine model
- Cert II or III in Surface Extraction Operations (RII20220 / RII30820)
- First Aid
- Site inductions for each employer
How to get a job in this field
- Start as a Haul Truck Operator and let your Supervisor know you want cross-training.
- Take every VOC opportunity — water cart is often the first step off trucks.
- Progress water cart → dozer → grader over 3–5 years.
- Consider a private dozer / grader training school in Queensland or WA to get initial seat time.
- Once multi-ticketed, target coal shutdown work and iron ore road crews for the top pay.
