What You'll Do

  • 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.

Essential Skills

Operation and Control 3.75/5
Operations Monitoring 3.5/5
Critical Thinking 3.0/5
Coordination 3.0/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.0/5
Active Listening 2.88/5
Speaking 2.88/5
Monitoring 2.88/5
Troubleshooting 2.88/5
Social Perceptiveness 2.75/5
Complex Problem Solving 2.75/5
Equipment Selection 2.75/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to sense whether the day to day rhythm and focus of this path line up with what energizes you.

Top passions

  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Analyst: Investigating problems and finding patterns keeps you engaged.

Common styles

Concern for Others, Leadership, Dependability, Cooperation, Stress Tolerance

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Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Control Precision 4.0/5
Multilimb Coordination 3.75/5
Depth Perception 3.5/5
Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.38/5
Manual Dexterity 3.38/5
Reaction Time 3.38/5
Problem Sensitivity 3.25/5
Near Vision 3.25/5

Technologies & Tools

Global positioning system GPS software HYPACK DREDGEPACK Programmable logic controller PLC software Teledyne Odom Hydrographic ODOM eChart Trimble HYDROpro Web browser software

Work Environment & Style

Common Styles for This Career

  • Concern for Others (High importance: 4.28/5)
  • Leadership (High importance: 4.03/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 3.8/5)
  • Cooperation (High importance: 3.79/5)
  • Stress Tolerance (High importance: 3.63/5)

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How to Become One

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful but is usually not required. Training is often provided on the job.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Dredge Boat Engineer Dredge Deckhand Dredge Engineer Dredge Hand Dredge Lever Operator Dredge Mate Dredge Operator Dredge Worker Dredgemaster Dredger Hydraulic Leverman