American Rooter is hiring Skilled Excavation Laborers to join our Northeast Pennsylvania excavation crew. Our team repairs and replaces underground water and sewer lines, helping customers resolve problems that require skilled work below the surface.
We’re looking for someone who knows their way around a construction site, is comfortable using tools, and takes pride in doing the work properly. You’ll work alongside our crew leads and equipment operators, contributing to everything from site preparation and digging to pipe work, backfilling, and restoration.
Experience with underground water and sewer work is especially valuable. We’ll also consider candidates with a solid construction background who are ready to learn this work.
Pay & Benefits
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Hourly pay based on experience and demonstrated ability, paid weekly.
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Medical, dental, and vision insurance: American Rooter pays 75% of premiums after 90 days.
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Paid holidays beginning on day one.
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Paid time off: 40 hours after 90 days, increasing to 80 hours after one year.
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401(k) with a company match after six months, subject to plan eligibility and terms.
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Company shirts and safety gear provided.
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Opportunities to develop your skills in underground pipe work, equipment use, and excavation operations.
What You’ll Do
- Assist with underground water and sewer line repairs, replacements, and installations.
- Perform hand digging, shoveling, trench preparation, and careful excavation around existing utilities.
- Assist with measuring, cutting, fitting, and connecting pipe based on your experience and direction from the crew lead.
- Prepare pipe bedding and assist with pipe placement, alignment, and grade.
- Use concrete saws, jackhammers, hand tools, and power tools for access and site work.
- Backfill trenches and operate compaction equipment as trained and assigned.
- Assist with grading, yard restoration, and cleanup after repairs are completed.
- Load, unload, organize, and stage tools, equipment, and materials so the crew has what it needs.
- Work safely around excavation equipment and help protect customers’ property.
- Follow crew instructions, trench safety procedures, and utility protection requirements, and speak up promptly about hazards or concerns.
What We’re Looking For
- Previous hands-on experience in excavation, underground utilities, concrete work, site construction, or a similar construction trade.
- Experience using common construction tools and performing physical outdoor work.
- The ability to follow instructions, complete assigned tasks, and recognize when to ask a question before proceeding.
- Initiative to help keep the crew supplied, organized, and productive throughout the day.
- Dependability, teamwork, and respect for customers’ property.
- A valid driver’s license and a driving record that meets company insurance requirements.
- The ability to perform the essential duties of the position, including digging, lifting and moving tools and materials, bending, kneeling, and working outdoors and in trenches, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Additional experience we value:
- Installing or repairing underground water and sewer piping.
- Preparing pipe bedding and working to grade.
- Backfilling and operating compactors.
- Using concrete saws and jackhammers.
- Restoring yards and other disturbed areas after excavation.
- Operating construction equipment safely within your training and experience.
Schedule & Location
Full-time, Monday–Friday, with occasional overtime.
This position is based at our main office:
1934 State Route 940
Freeland, PA 18224
Our excavation crew serves Hazleton, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, and surrounding Northeast Pennsylvania communities.
You must have your own reliable transportation to and from our Freeland shop. Daily work takes place at customer job sites throughout our service area.
American Rooter is a Pennsylvania plumbing, drain cleaning, sewer, and excavation company headquartered in Freeland, with operations serving Northeast Pennsylvania, Central Pennsylvania, and the Philadelphia area.
Our Service and Excavation teams handle everything from everyday plumbing repairs and drain blockages to underground water and sewer replacements, acoustic leak detection, and trenchless pipe lining. Our office staff and management team support that work through scheduling, customer communication, billing, and coordination throughout the day.
We value quality workmanship, clear communication, dependability, and people who follow through. Whether your experience is in the field or in the office, we’re interested in what you can contribute and what you’re ready to learn.
For select field positions, we’re willing to train the right candidates in specialized services such as underground acoustic leak detection and CIPP pipe lining. Individual job postings explain the experience, responsibilities, and opportunities available for each role.
