CDL A Railroad & Heavy Equipment Operator

Location: Kansas City, MO Job Type: Direct Hire | Full-Time Starting Pay: $26.00/hour — higher pay may be available depending on experience Schedule: 40 hours guaranteed weekly + significant overtime Availability: 24/7 emergency on-call Benefits: Full-time benefits Position Overview Hiring Class A CDL professionals for hands-on railroad field work involving train derailment recovery, track work, heavy equipment operation, and material handling. Driving is approximately 10% of the role. Most of the work involves operating construction equipment, physical field work, equipment handling, and supporting railroad recovery operations. This position requires 24/7 emergency availability, including weekends and holidays. Typical workweeks average 60+ hours, with some weeks reaching approximately 70 hours. What You'll Do Perform DOT-compliant pre- and post-trip inspectionsDrive tractor-trailers to and from work sites and safely transport equipment and materialsInspect transported loads and verify overweight/oversize permitsAttend daily safety briefings and review work plans before beginning assignmentsLoad, unload, move, and stage equipment and materialsSupport train derailment recovery, rerailing, load transfers, and track maintenance, repair, and constructionAssist with crane setup, inspection, assembly, and operationPerform rigging using chains, cables, and winchesOperate heavy equipment when qualified, including cranes, backhoes, grapple trucks, dump trucks, excavators, and other construction equipmentPerform specialty lifting, rerailing, grading, load transfer, and track-related workUse hydraulic tools, welding equipment, cutting torches, electrical tools, and common hand toolsMonitor vehicles and equipment to maintain safe and reliable operationPerform and document minor equipment and vehicle servicingReport more complex mechanical issues to the appropriate supervisorAssist with equipment disassembly and loading after assignmentsRestock vehicles and equipment with parts, components, and suppliesClean and organize vehicles, equipment, tools, and work areasAssist other departments when operational needs requireFollow all required safety policies and procedures Heavy Equipment Experience 3+ years of heavy equipment operation preferred, including: BackhoeBulldozerExcavatorFront-end loaderGrapple truckRail-bound equipmentTractorSkid-steer loader Equivalent combinations of training and experience may be considered. Qualifications Valid Class A CDL with a good driving recordConstruction labor or comparable physically demanding work experienceAbility to safely operate heavy equipmentAbility to pass required qualification testing and training programsComfortable performing physical labor in field conditionsWillingness to respond to emergency calls and work extended hoursMust be available 24/7, including weekends and holidays Schedule & Compensation 40 hours guaranteed per weekSignificant overtime; typical combined regular and overtime hours average 60+ hours/weekSome weeks may reach approximately 70 hoursHours worked outside Monday-Friday, 7:00 AM-4:00 PM are paid at time-and-a-halfAdditional compensation may include per diem, hotel pay for required travel, and layover pay when applicableDuring periods without emergency assignments, employees may perform safety training, preventive maintenance, and equipment-related shop work Pre-Employment Requirements Pre-employment drug screeningBackground checkRequired qualification and safety testing Interview: Candidates must bring steel-toed boots to the interview. We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.