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Occupation AtlasPaving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

O*NET · 47-2071.00

Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

Operate equipment used for applying concrete, asphalt, or other materials to road beds, parking lots, or airport runways and taxiways or for tamping gravel, dirt, or other materials. Includes concrete and asphalt paving machine operators, form tampers, tamping machine operators, and stone spreader operators.

Also called Asphalt Distributor Operator · Asphalt Distributor Tender · Asphalt Equipment Crew Member · Asphalt Equipment Operator · Asphalt Paver · Asphalt Paver Operator · Asphalt Paving Machine Operator · Asphalt Paving Operator
52 more

Asphalt Plant Operator · Asphalt Raker · Asphalt Roller Operator · Asphalt Screed Operator · Asphalt Screedman · Asphalt Spreader Operator · Asphalt Surface Heater Operator · Asphalt Tamping Machine Operator · Bituminous Paving Machine Operator · Black Top Machine Operator · Black Top Paver Operator · Black Top Roller · Black Top Spreader Machine Operator · Blacktop Paver Operator · Concrete and Asphalt Equipment Operator · Concrete Equipment Crew Member · Concrete Finishing Machine Operator · Concrete Paving Machine Operator · Crew Member · Curb Machine Operator · EO · Equipment Operator (EO) · Form Grader · Form Tamper · Form Tamper Operator · Heater Planer Operator · Joint Cleaning Machine Operator · Joint Grooving Machine Operator · Joint Machine Operator · Loader Operator · Machine Operator · Maintenance Equipment Operator (MEO) · Mechanical Spreader Operator · MEO · Mud Jack Operator · Paver Operator · Paving Crew Member · Paving Equipment Operator · Paving Machine Operator · Paving Operator · Reinforcing Steel Machine Operator · Road Mixer Operator · Road Oiling Truck Driver · Road Packer Operator · Road Roller Operator · Roller Machine Operator · Roller Operator · Screed Operator · Steam Roller Operator · Stone Spreader Operator · Strike Off Machine Operator · Tamping Machine Operator

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCI35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCIRealistic · Conventional · Investigative — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic7.00
  • C Conventional3.69
  • I Investigative1.72
  • A Artistic1.00
  • S Social1.00
  • E Enterprising1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma41%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent38%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate21%
Related work experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (46%)
On-site or in-plant training
None (47%)
On-the-job training
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (25%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Operations Monitoring3.63.1Level 4 looks like: Monitor machine functions on an automated production line
  • Operation and Control3.43.1Level 4 looks like: Adjust the speed of assembly line equipment based on the product being assembled
  • Monitoringbasic3.32.9Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Coordination3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Work with others to put a new roof on a house
  • Repairing3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Troubleshooting3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Equipment Maintenance2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Active Listeningbasic2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.92.5Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Speakingbasic2.92.3Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Quality Control Analysis2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
Show the other 23
  • Time Management2.82.1Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Complex Problem Solving2.62.5Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Active Learningbasic2.62.1Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Equipment Selection2.52.1Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic2.52.1Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Social Perceptiveness2.51.8Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Systems Analysis2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Systems Evaluation2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Instructing2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Mathematicsbasic2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Service Orientation2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Persuasion1.91.8Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Management of Personnel Resources1.91.6Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Negotiation1.91.6Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Writingbasic1.91.6Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Installation1.60.9
  • Technology Design1.60.8
  • Management of Material Resources1.50.6
  • Operations Analysis1.50.6
  • Management of Financial Resources1.50.5
  • Sciencebasic1.1—
  • Programming1.0—

Tasks

14 core · 6 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Start machine, engage clutch, and push and move levers to guide machine along forms or guidelines and to control the operation of machine attachments.4.2
  2. Observe distribution of paving material to adjust machine settings or material flow, and indicate low spots for workers to add material.4.0
  3. Control paving machines to push dump trucks and to maintain a constant flow of asphalt or other material into hoppers or screeds.4.0
  4. Fill tanks, hoppers, or machines with paving materials.4.0
  5. Inspect, clean, maintain, and repair equipment, using mechanics' hand tools, or report malfunctions to supervisors.3.9
  6. Operate machines to spread, smooth, level, or steel-reinforce stone, concrete, or asphalt on road beds.3.9
  7. Coordinate truck dumping.3.9
  8. Set up and tear down equipment.3.9
  9. Drive machines onto truck trailers, and drive trucks to transport machines and material to and from job sites.3.9
  10. Light burners or start heating units of machines, and regulate screed temperatures and asphalt flow rates.3.7
  11. Shovel blacktop.3.6
  12. Control traffic.3.6
Show the other 8
  1. Operate oil distributors, loaders, chip spreaders, dump trucks, and snow plows.3.5
  2. Operate tamping machines or manually roll surfaces to compact earth fills, foundation forms, and finished road materials, according to grade specifications.3.5
  3. Place strips of material, such as cork, asphalt, or steel into joints, or place rolls of expansion-joint material on machines that automatically insert material.3.6
  4. Drive and operate curbing machines to extrude concrete or asphalt curbing.3.5
  5. Cut or break up pavement and drive guardrail posts, using machines equipped with interchangeable hammers.3.4
  6. Operate machines that clean or cut expansion joints in concrete or asphalt and that rout out cracks in pavement.3.4
  7. Install dies, cutters, and extensions to screeds onto machines, using hand tools.3.3
  8. Set up forms and lay out guidelines for curbs, according to written specifications, using string, spray paint, and concrete or water mixes.3.2

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Building and Construction3.75.6
  • Mechanical3.33.8Level 4 looks like: Replace a valve on a steam pipe
  • Mathematics2.82.8
  • Customer and Personal Service2.72.9
  • Physics2.73.0Level 4 looks like: Calculate the speed of a falling object
  • Public Safety and Security2.72.7
  • Chemistry2.52.6
  • Administration and Management2.42.3Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
Show all 33
  • Design2.42.8
  • English Language2.42.2Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Law and Government2.42.3Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Education and Training2.32.1Level 1 looks like: Show someone how to bowl
  • Engineering and Technology2.32.9
  • Geography2.22.1Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Production and Processing2.21.9Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Transportation2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Computers and Electronics1.92.1Level 1 looks like: Operate a media player to watch a training video
  • Personnel and Human Resources1.91.8Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Psychology1.92.0Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Biology1.81.2Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Communications and Media1.80.8Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Administrative1.71.5Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Foreign Language1.70.9Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Sales and Marketing1.71.2Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Therapy and Counseling1.70.9Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • History and Archeology1.61.3Level 1 looks like: Take a class in US history
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.61.2Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Economics and Accounting1.51.2Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Fine Arts1.51.1Level 1 looks like: Attend a popular music concert
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.51.0Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Telecommunications1.51.0Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Food Production1.41.2Level 1 looks like: Grow herbs in the kitchen
  • Philosophy and Theology1.41.5Level 1 looks like: Watch a TV show on family values

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Control Precision3.83.9Level 4 looks like: Adjust farm tractor controls
  • Problem Sensitivity3.62.9Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Multilimb Coordination3.44.0Level 4 looks like: Operate a forklift truck in a warehouse
  • Rate Control3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Keep up with a car that changes speed
  • Reaction Time3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Press a button to stop operation when a warning light goes off
  • Far Vision3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Static Strength3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Pull a 40-pound sack of fertilizer across the lawn
  • Trunk Strength3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Shovel snow for half an hour
Show all 52
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Deductive Reasoning3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Depth Perception3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Operate a crane to move materials from a truck bed to the ground
  • Extent Flexibility3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Information Ordering3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Manual Dexterity3.02.9
  • Oral Comprehension3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Understand a television commercial
  • Oral Expression3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Place an order at a restaurant drive-thru
  • Response Orientation3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Use either the brake or gas pedal when your vehicle is skidding
  • Selective Attention3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Speech Clarity3.02.6
  • Speech Recognition3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Visualization3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Finger Dexterity2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Near Vision2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Spatial Orientation2.92.5Level 2 looks like: Use the floor plan to locate a store in a mall
  • Time Sharing2.92.9Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Category Flexibility2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Sort paintbrushes based on length
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Inductive Reasoning2.82.5Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Perceptual Speed2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Stamina2.82.4Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Auditory Attention2.62.9Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Gross Body Coordination2.62.1Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Flexibility of Closure2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Dynamic Strength2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.42.0Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
  • Written Comprehension2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Peripheral Vision2.32.3Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Glare Sensitivity2.12.4Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Speed of Limb Movement2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.01.8Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Memorization2.01.8Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Number Facility2.02.0Level 1 looks like: Add 2 and 7
  • Speed of Closure2.01.8
  • Explosive Strength1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
  • Originality1.91.6Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Sound Localization1.91.5Level 2 looks like: Listen to a sound system to determine which speaker is working
  • Written Expression1.91.6Level 1 looks like: Write a note to remind someone to take food out of the freezer
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.81.0Level 2 looks like: Hand pick a bushel of apples from a tree
  • Fluency of Ideas1.81.5Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Night Vision1.81.0Level 2 looks like: Read street signs at dusk (just after sunset)

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Controlling Machines and Processes4.44.8Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.44.0Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment4.04.8Level 4 looks like: Drive an 18-wheel tractor-trailer
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.94.9Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.73.4Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.64.1Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.63.1Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
Show all 41
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.63.6Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment3.63.5Level 4 looks like: Change the oil on a tractor
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.63.6Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.52.9
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.53.6Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Training and Teaching Others3.53.4Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Getting Information3.43.1Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.44.3Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.33.0Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Manage a small team of employees in a dynamic workplace
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.23.3Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Developing and Building Teams3.23.1Level 4 looks like: Lead an assembly team in an automobile plant
  • Thinking Creatively3.22.9
  • Assisting and Caring for Others3.12.9
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.13.6Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.12.4Level 1 looks like: Make appointments for patients using a predetermined schedule
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.04.9Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.72.7
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others2.73.3Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Processing Information2.72.3Level 1 looks like: Calculate the costs for shipping packages
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.62.0Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.62.7
  • Documenting/Recording Information2.52.2Level 1 looks like: Record the weight of a patient during a routine health exam
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.52.5Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public2.42.7
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others2.32.6
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.31.9Level 1 looks like: Work as a server responsible for keeping track of utensils
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.22.2Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others2.22.7
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.21.5Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Working with Computers2.22.1Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment2.01.7Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area
  • Selling or Influencing Others1.91.9Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Exposed to Hazardous Equipment4.3
  • Exposed to Whole Body Vibration4.3
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.3
  • Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions4.3
  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.3
  • Exposed to Contaminants4.2
  • Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.2
  • Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures4.2
  • In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment4.2
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.2

Technology

9 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (4)

  • Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
Other tools (5)
  • Database software
  • Email software
  • HCSS HeavyBid
  • Time report software
  • Warehouse management system WMS

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Construction Laborers
  2. Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
  3. Segmental Pavers
  4. Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
  5. Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
  6. Pile Driver Operators
  7. Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
  8. Pipelayers
  9. Hoist and Winch Operators
  10. Highway Maintenance Workers

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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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. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.