Vacancy
360° Excavator / Machine Operator
Operate the excavator for a Thames Water clean-water civils team — deep excavation, shoring, pipe installation and lifting duties.
Location
Thames Water clean-water sites — projects primarily within about an hour of Purton, Swindon
Experience
3+ years' recent excavator experience in utilities or heavy civil engineering
You'll safely operate the excavator and its attachments for deep excavation, shoring, pipe installation, chamber construction, backfilling and reinstatement on Thames Water sites — working under the direction of the Supervisor/Ganger and an authorised Slinger/Signaller during lifting operations.
What we're looking for
- Recent experience operating 360° excavators on water, utility or heavy civil-engineering projects
- Excavating deep trenches and chamber pits using a progressive shoring sequence
- Working safely close to live underground and overhead services
- Digging accurately to formation level without disturbing supporting ground
- Installing and removing trench boxes, sheets, frames and shoring systems using an excavator
- Lifting and positioning pipes, fittings, valves and precast chamber units
- Working confidently with machine load charts and safe working limits
Your day-to-day duties
- Complete and record daily plant inspections, and report any defects
- Confirm the excavation route and existing services have been located and marked before digging
- Excavate in controlled stages to suit the approved temporary-works system
- Install and remove shoring in the approved sequence
- Maintain communication with the authorised signaller, and stop lifting if that communication is lost
- Lower pipes, fittings, valves and chamber components in line with the lift plan
- Assist with controlled placement of bedding, surround and backfill materials
- Park, isolate and secure the machine at the end of each shift
Essential qualifications & tickets
- Current CPCS or NPORS 360° Excavator certification for the relevant machine size and configuration
- Excavator lifting-operations endorsement, where the machine will lift suspended loads
- Current EUSR National Water Hygiene and SHEA Water registration
- An appropriate, role-based CSCS, CPCS or NPORS competency card
Useful to have
- CPCS/NPORS Slinger/Signaller
- Forward-tipping dumper, ride-on roller or telehandler tickets
- Quick-hitch or attachment-specific familiarisation
This role is part of a 3-person team — see the full project overview and the other roles.