MightyRecruiterLogging equipment operators run specialty vehicles such as tractors, skidders and harvesters to fell trees and transport timber. Their responsibilities may include trimming limbs, cutting trees and slicing logs into shorter pieces. They may also drive trucks to and from jobsites and assist with machine maintenance and repair.
Detail-oriented people tend to do well in these positions, as they are likely to monitor gauges, dials and other devices and make adjustments that result in greater safety and reliability. Because working effectively with other team members requires excellent communication skills, you could include that in the requirements of your logging operator job description.
Experience helps equipment operators make good snap judgements when there is little time to consult or room for error. You can build an attention-grabbing post by using our logging operator job description as a guide.
Logging Operator Job Summary
Are you looking to spend your work days breathing fresh, evergreen-scented air? We’re in need of a logging operator to run our harvester and other vehicles. Pack a lunch, because you’ll watch the sunrise with your fellow crew members and return to town after a long and satisfying day in the woods for an evening of rest. You’ll enjoy working with us, as we only run top-of-the-line, late-model equipment. We’re looking for someone who can make decisions on the fly while always following safety protocols. When the weather or terrain gets rough, we need someone who will stick to assigned tasks and maintain a positive attitude. If all of the above sounds like a description of you, please fill out and submit an application.
Job Responsibilities
- Operate tractors, harvesters and other vehicles with care during day or night hours
- Check fuel, oil and brake fluid levels along with conducting a 360-degree inspection at the beginning of each workday to ensure it is safe to start equipment and move freely to the harvest location
- Use your machine proficiently to cut trees, shear limbs, slice downed logs and move timber while navigating vehicles through tight spaces
- Remain attentive at all times, employing hand-eye coordination and multitasking skills such as operating equipment while observing signals from a colleague over a two-way radio
- Wear personal protective equipment that is suitable to the environment and tasks being carried out, despite vibrations, jarring movements and sudden weather changes
- Purchase supplies and replacement parts and assist with vehicle repairs and maintenance
- Navigate forest roads using physical maps and/or GPS
- Weigh logs, confirm species, load transporter trucks and prepare receipts and other documents as needed
Job Skills & Qualifications
Reqiured:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Active CDL driver’s license with medical certification
- Able to safely operate heavy equipment in dusty conditions, snow and rain
- Strength to repetitively lift up to 50 pounds
- Excellent listener and verbal communicator
Preferred:
- Vocational training in heavy equipment
Logging Equipment Operator Job Responsibilities
Finding the most qualified worker for the job often means writing the best job description out there the moment you are looking to hire. That means refining sections of your logging equipment operator job description until they are as clear and easy to understand as possible, and since the responsibilities section is the meatiest part of the description, it takes a fair amount of planning to create one that reflects the quality of candidate you hope to attract.
Organizing your approach to writing out the logging equipment operator job responsibilities means finding a way to deliver complex information concisely. Active wording helps with that, and it works even better when you use specific terms that reflect the tools and tasks involved in fulfilling the role. Start each bullet point with an action that defines the scope of that point, and limit yourself to the 6-8 most vital tasks for the role to deliver a sharp, high-quality logging equipment operator job description. Here are a few examples you can adapt to your own efforts.
- Control hydraulic equipment used to clamp down on, move and cut forestry products
- Grade logs according to various characteristics that include knot placement and size
- Drive straight or articulated tractors with a variety of blades and other heavy construction and logging equipment attached
- Inspect equipment and provide basic maintenance
- Document all equipment malfunctions for repair teams
Logging Equipment Operator Job Specifications
Determining the right logging equipment operator job specifications to include in your skills and qualifications section can be a challenge if you do not have personal experience in the role. That is why it is important to find help. Working with a hiring manager or talking to the supervisors who oversee this role is a great idea because it allows you to get feedback on this section before you submit a complete logging equipment operator job description for publication.
As you write the list, maintain the active voice and try to make it as concise as possible through your use of detailed language. You may also want to consult online resources to make sure you do not miss any prerequisite skills simply because they seem to be too obvious, such as certification, because any skills or qualifications that do not make the list will not be on jobseekers’ radars as necessary.
Use these examples of vital skills to flesh out your logging equipment operator job description, and remember to adapt them as necessary to reflect the specific pieces of equipment in your operation.
- Heavy equipment operator certification
- Well-developed core strength with strong multi-limb coordination
- At least two years of experience in the logging industry
- High school diploma or equivalent
