FIFO Plant Operator Jobs

Operators run the machines that move the ore and the waste: haul trucks, excavators, dozers, graders, loaders and water carts. On an open pit mine they are the largest single workforce, and on construction projects the civil crews need the same skills on smaller gear. This page lists the operator roles employers have advertised as FIFO or DIDO.

What employers ask for

The RII competency units for each machine you operate, for example RIIMPO320 for excavators or RIIMPO337 for haul trucks, plus logged hours on that machine. Most sites want experience on the specific model class they run, such as CAT 793 or Komatsu 830 trucks, and they say so in the listing. A manual driver's licence, a police clearance and the pre-employment medical are standard. Entry level operator programs do exist and those are marked on the entry level page.

Rosters and where

Production operators mostly work 2:1 or 8/6 in WA and 7/7 in Queensland, on twelve hour day and night shifts. MACA has listed excavator operators for Western Australia on this board. Contractors on civil projects may run 3:1 or 4:1 for the life of the job.

Truck driving on public roads rather than in the pit is on the truck driver page.