Dredge operator
Also known as: port dredger operator, dredde operator, dredger operator, port dredge operator, dredge operatr
About this occupation
Dredge operators work with industrial equipment to remove underwater material in order to make the area accessible to ships, to establish ports, to lay cables or for other purposes, and move the material to the desired location.
Essential skills and knowledge
- maintain dredging equipment
- position dredger
- use safety equipment in construction
- prevent damage to utility infrastructure
- mechanical systems
- measure water depth
- dredging consoles
- use rigging tools
- follow health and safety procedures in construction
- collect samples
- work ergonomically
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Dredge Operators (O*NET 53-7031.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- 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.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Investigative
Top skills: Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Active Listening
US median pay: US$49,640 a year (2025), 1,040 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- MetalworkO*NET: MechanicalVery important (4.1)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageImportant (3.4)
- Business Studies or EntrepreneurshipO*NET: Administration and ManagementImportant (3.1)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- 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.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Hoist and Winch Operators
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
- Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
- Helpers--Extraction Workers
- Continuous Mining Machine Operators
- Riggers
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
- Crane and Tower Operators
- Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.