Life As a Pile-Driver Operator
Occupation Description Operate pile drivers mounted on skids, barges, crawler treads, or locomotive cranes to drive pilings for retaining walls, bulkheads, and foundations of structures, such as buildings, bridges, and piers.
Daily Life Of a Pile-Driver Operator
- Conduct pre-operational checks on equipment to ensure proper functioning.
- Move levers and turn valves to activate power hammers, or to raise and lower drophammers that drive piles to required depths.
- Move hand and foot levers of hoisting equipment to position piling leads, hoist piling into leads, and position hammers over pilings.
- Drive pilings to provide support for buildings or other structures, using heavy equipment with a pile driver head.
- Clean, lubricate, and refill equipment.
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Pile-Driver Operator Skills
These are the skills Pile-Driver Operators say are the most useful in their careers:
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Types of Pile-Driver Operator Jobs
- Pile Driving Superintendent
- Pile Driving Technician
- Hydraulic Press-In Operator
- Pile Driver Foreman
- Pile Driver Operator
Is There Going to be Demand for Pile-Driver Operators?
There were about 3,700 jobs for Pile-Driver Operator in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 13.5% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 500 new jobs for Pile-Driver Operator by 2026. There will be an estimated 500 positions for Pile-Driver Operator per year.
The states with the most job growth for Pile-Driver Operator are Oregon, Florida, and Maryland. Watch out if you plan on working in Washington, Pennsylvania, or Mississippi. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Pile-Driver Operator Salary
Pile-Driver Operators make between $33,810 and $100,350 a year.
Pile-Driver Operators who work in Illinois, Massachusetts, or California, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Pile-Driver Operators in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
California | $80,030 |
Florida | $48,110 |
Georgia | $45,900 |
Illinois | $86,060 |
Louisiana | $51,020 |
Maryland | $56,230 |
Massachusetts | $80,110 |
Michigan | $72,440 |
Minnesota | $74,250 |
North Carolina | $40,540 |
Oregon | $72,290 |
Pennsylvania | $72,370 |
Rhode Island | $61,520 |
South Carolina | $43,340 |
Texas | $59,440 |
Virginia | $52,170 |
Washington | $74,570 |
What Tools & Technology do Pile-Driver Operators Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Pile-Driver Operators may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Data entry software
- Email software
- Global positioning system GPS software
How do I Become a Pile-Driver Operator?
What education or degrees do I need to become a Pile-Driver Operator?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where do Pile-Driver Operators Work?
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Related Careers
Those interested in being a Pile-Driver Operator may also be interested in:
Are you already one of the many Pile-Driver Operator in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Hic85 via Public Domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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