Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
Construction and Extraction
Machines are started, filled with paving material, and steered along forms or guidelines while levers control the attachments. Dump trucks are coordinated and sometimes pushed so asphalt or concrete keeps flowing into the hopper or screed; the spread is watched and settings are changed, or crew members are pointed to low spots. Equipment is set up and torn down, driven onto trailers, and hauled between job sites, then inspected, cleaned, and repaired or reported when it fails. Work is on road beds, parking lots, and airport runways and taxiways. It suits people who like steering large equipment and matching machine settings to the material coming off the hopper.
Typical education: Less than a High School Diploma
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$53'340
Median Wage Market Position
$53'340
What you might do
- Guide paving machines along forms or guidelines
- Keep a steady flow of asphalt into the hopper
- Fill tanks and hoppers with paving material
- Watch how material spreads and point out low spots
- Coordinate dump trucks as they unload material
- Clean, inspect, and repair equipment between jobs
Skills that matter
- Paver control along forms and guidelines
- Constant asphalt feed into hoppers
- Visual checks for thin or low spots
- Dump trucks staged with the machine
- Daily inspection and on-site repairs
- Crew talk while the paver is moving
AI & the future of this role
Operators guide paving and tamping machines across roads and lots where surfaces, weather, and traffic vary constantly. Some machine guidance could automate routine passes, but on-site judgment and equipment control in unpredictable conditions still matter.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details