PLANT OPERATOR – EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI)

Best suited for: Australian citizens, Permanent Residents, New Zealand citizens, Subclass 485/491/191 visa holders who seeking an exceptional regional local government job experience in Isaac Region, Central Queensland.

About This Opportunity

Submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) for Plant Operator positions with Isaac Regional Council (IRC) opens the door to stable, rewarding civil construction careers across a vast regional network. Based in the resource-rich Isaac Region of Central Queensland, our infrastructure and field maintenance teams are the backbone of the community, managing thousands of kilometers of sealed and unsealed roads, civil grids, and municipal assets. As a Plant Operator, you will enjoy excellent job security, a supportive team environment, and modern machinery fleets. Council values experienced operators who take pride in precision work and supports its crews with competitive municipal packages, healthy work-life balance rosters, and a deeply embedded safety-first workplace culture.

Job Summary

Isaac Regional Council maintains an active Expression of Interest registry for versatile and motivated Plant Operators to deploy across various regional infrastructure development, road maintenance, and civil works networks. Reporting to the assigned Civil Crew Team Leader or Overseer, successful registrants will safely operate a range of heavy civil plant machinery and medium-to-heavy vehicles. This pipeline is ideal for operators seeking stable local routines, robust community alignment, and professional growth within a supportive local government ecosystem.

• Employer Name: Isaac Regional Council (IRC)
• Employment Type: Full-Time / Permanent / Temporary and Casual
• Required Education Level: General Construction Induction Card (White Card) and relevant certified national plant operator competency tickets.
• Work Arrangement: On-site / Mobile field operations deploying to road construction, maintenance, and civil works projects.
• Employment Location: (Clermont, Moranbah, Nebo, Dysart, Middlemount, Glenden or St Lawrence) Isaac Region, Queensland
• Application Deadline: Early applications are encouraged. The advertiser reserves the right to remove this listing without notice once the position is no longer available.

Key Responsibilities

• Safely and precisely operate various heavy civil plant machinery (such as graders, loaders, excavators, rollers, backhoes, or skid-steers) for road building, resheeting, clearing, and structural earthworks.
• Drive and operate medium-to-heavy combination vehicles (MR/HR/HC trucks) to transport materials, gravel, water, or civil equipment to and from regional field sites.
• Conduct comprehensive daily pre-operational safety and maintenance checks on all allocated machinery and vehicles, documenting and reporting any defects immediately.
• Perform routine field maintenance on plant equipment, including cleaning, greasing, and checking fluid levels to ensure asset reliability and minimize downtime.
• Willingly undertake general manual civil laboring duties (such as shoveling, pipe laying, tool work, and site cleanup) as a collaborative member of the civil crew when plant operations are stationary.
• Interpret clear construction plans, guide stakes, site level markers, and alignment instructions provided by supervisors or civil surveyors.
• Set up localized traffic management guidance and signs to secure work zones and ensure the safety of the crew and the traveling public.
• Adhere strictly to all Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) protocols, including completing routine Risk Assessments, Take-5 checks, and Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS).

Skills & Requirements

• Qualifications: Valid General Construction Induction Card (White Card) is mandatory.
• Licences & Tickets: Current, valid Australian Medium Rigid (MR) or Heavy Rigid (HR) Driver's Licence is highly regarded (Heavy Combination [HC] is an advantage).
• Plant Tickets: Current national operational competency tickets or statements of attainment for major civil plant (e.g., Grader [LG], Excavator [LE], Front End Loader [LL], Roller [LR], Backhoe [LB]).
• Demonstrated practical experience operating heavy plant machinery within civil construction, road maintenance, mining, agricultural, or municipal infrastructure environments.
• Proven ability to perform finish grading, subgrade preparation, material spreading, or precise excavation work depending on machine specialty.
• Strong physical fitness, manual dexterity, and the core stamina needed to operate heavy machinery and perform physical manual labor in hot, variable outdoor environments.
• Good interpersonal and verbal communication skills, with a proven track record of working positively and cooperatively within small, multi-skilled field crews.
• A reliable, safety-first attitude with an unwavering personal commitment to achieving a zero-harm workplace.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• Field Footprint: This position operates entirely in the field on active road networks and civil worksites, requiring constant alertness, sun safety compliance, and adaptability to regional weather conditions.
• Physical Demand: A highly active operational role that combines prolonged machine operation (subject to vibration) with physical manual tasks, climbing machinery cabins, and safe lifting.
• Pre-Employment Screening: Progression through the EOI pool is strictly conditional upon passing a comprehensive functional physical capacity medical, an asset-specific drug and alcohol screening, and a standard National Police Check.

Benefits

• Stable municipal career pathways with a progressive local government employer dedicated to civil infrastructure investment.
• Superb work-life balance through structured local roster setups (such as a 9-day fortnight arrangement) allowing regular long weekends.
• Generous paid leave entitlements, including 5 weeks of annual leave per annum with a 17.5% leave loading, plus 15 days of personal/sick leave.
• High-tier superannuation matching frameworks, with voluntary individual contributions enabling Council matching up to 14.5%.
• All high-visibility work uniforms, personal protective equipment (PPE), and specialized safety boots fully supplied and maintained by Council.
• Full access to confidential Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), health and wellbeing support systems, and active employee Social Clubs.

Important Applicant Information

• Visa Profile Matching: These local civil roles require full, unrestricted domestic working and open Australian heavy vehicle driving privileges at the time of application.
• Assessment Protocols: Applicants must supply valid proof of identity, right-to-work documentation, clean driving record profiles, and clear copies of all claimed plant tickets during the validation phases.
• Please note: The employer has not indicated that offshore international visa sponsorship is accessible for this placement.

Required Application Documents:

• An updated professional resume clearly detailing your civil machinery operational history, heavy vehicle experience, current tickets/licences, and contact information for two contactable work referees.
• Clear digital copies of your Driver's License, Construction White Card, and all relevant plant operator competency tickets or Statements of Attainment.

Eligible applicants include:

• Australian citizens
• Permanent Residents (PR)
• New Zealand citizens
• Subclass 485 / 491 / 191 visa holders holding full, unrestricted domestic working rights and valid Australian heavy vehicle licences.

About The Employer

Isaac Regional Council is a progressive, forward-thinking local government body managing a vast territory in Central Queensland known affectionately as the region that "feeds, powers, and builds the world." Driven by world-class resource extraction and agricultural sectors, Council maintains critical community utility systems, massive transport grids, and vital civic infrastructure across multiple unique regional townships. IRC champions values of accountability, safety, teamwork, and continuous improvement, providing technical tradespeople with clean, professional workshop assets, advanced industrial systems, and a supportive environment to achieve long-term professional growth.

Applicant Safety Reminder

• You must hold valid, recognized machine tickets and heavy vehicle licenses to operate plant assets safely and legally in this role.
• Never send funds or payments to secure an interview or employment offer.
• Do not share sensitive banking or credit card details during early stage recruitment screenings.
• Always verify employer credentials and position details directly through official council channels before accepting contract proposals.

Original Source: Isaac Regional Council Careers Portal — Plant Operator Expression of Interest (Isaac Region)