Dredge Operators

Career Overview

Operate dredge to remove sand, gravel, or other materials in order to excavate and maintain navigable channels in waterways.

Also Known As

• Dredge Operator
• Dredger

Alternate Job Titles

• Dredge Boat Engineer
• Dredge Deckhand
• Dredge Engineer
• Dredge Hand
• Dredge Lever Operator
• Dredge Mate
• Dredge Operator
• Dredge Worker
• Dredgemaster
• Dredger
• Hydraulic Leverman

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

• Move levers to position dredges for excavation, to engage hydraulic pumps, to raise and lower suction booms, and to control rotation of cutterheads.
• Start and stop engines to operate equipment.
• Start power winches that draw in or let out cables to change positions of dredges, or pull in and let out cables manually.
• Pump water to clear machinery pipelines.
• Lower anchor poles to verify depths of excavations, using winches, or scan depth gauges to determine depths of excavations.
• Direct or assist workers placing shore anchors and cables, laying additional pipes from dredges to shore, and pumping water from pontoons.

Emerging Responsibilities

As this field evolves, you may also:

• Perform maintenance on dredge equipment, such as changing engine oil.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• Mechanical

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

1. Operation and Control

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Control Precision
• Multilimb Coordination
• Depth Perception
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
• Reaction Time
• Manual Dexterity
• Problem Sensitivity
• Far Vision
• Near Vision
• Finger Dexterity

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Dependability
• Cautiousness
• Attention to Detail
• Stress Tolerance
• Perseverance

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Support
• Relationships
• Working Conditions
• Independence
• Achievement

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Related Work Experience Needed: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years

On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months

Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Technology You'll Use

Tools & Equipment

• Anchor winches
• Chainsaws
• Clamshell buckets
• Crawler dozers
• Cutting torches
• Davit cranes
• Density meters
• Dragline cranes
• Fathometer sonar equipment
• Firefighting hoses
• Front end loaders
• Grease dispensing guns
• Heavy duty dump trucks
• Hydraulic suction dredges
• Life jackets

Work Environment

• Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
• Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
• Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
• Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable

Salary & Job Market

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$42,060
Median	$48,430
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$75,050

Workers Employed Nationally: 1,030

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.