Description
Operate truck- or track-mounted auger drilling rigs to bore holes in soil and soft rock for foundations, utility poles, anchors, and geotechnical or environmental sampling. Set up, align, and stabilize rigs; select and assemble auger flights and cutting heads; monitor torque, rotation, and down pressure; manage cuttings; and maintain equipment and records.
- • Regulate rotational speed, torque, and down pressure to match soil or soft rock conditions.
- • Verify depths, diameters, and alignments of boring locations.
- • Start, stop, and control drilling speed and insertion or extraction of temporary casing.
- • Select auger size, flight type, teeth, and cutting head based on site conditions.
- • Operate controls to stabilize the rig and to position and align the mast and auger.
- • Attach auger flights and extensions, adding or removing sections as depth changes; change cutting heads as needed.
- • Bore holes for foundations, utility poles, anchors, tiebacks, and grouting.
- • Clear holes by retracting augers and using air or water to remove cuttings and debris.
- • Drive and position truck- or track-mounted rigs; level, outrig, and secure masts.
- • Perform routine maintenance, including lubricating components, replacing wear parts, and hardfacing teeth.
- • Drive drills and support trucks to and from job sites.
- • Record drilling progress, depths, refusal, and soil strata.
- • Retrieve lost tools or casing from holes using fishing equipment.
- • Assemble and position augers, casing, Kelly bars, and related tooling using hand and power tools.
- • Document soil formations encountered during drilling.
- • Use water or drilling aids as required to cool cutting heads and assist cuttings removal.
- • Operate hollow-stem and continuous-flight augers for geotechnical and environmental sampling.
- • Obtain and handle split-spoon, Shelby tube, or other soil samples through the auger string.
- • Retract augers to discharge spoils safely at designated locations.
- • Install temporary casing, forms, rebar cages, anchor rods, or grout tubes per specifications.
- • Review plans, stakeout, and client requirements to determine drilling feasibility and cost estimates.
- • Signal crane or forklift operators to move casing, tooling, or materials.
- • Inspect soil samples and classify materials; package and label samples for laboratory analysis.
- • Cut, weld, or modify casing, auger flights, or cutting heads as needed.
- • Lay out hole locations and spacing according to drawings and mark-outs.
- • Monitor gauges, torque meters, and machine sounds to assess drilling conditions and adjust methods or tooling.
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
