Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining
What Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining Do
Operate underground loading or moving machine to load or move coal, ore, or rock using shuttle or mine car or conveyors. Equipment may include power shovels, hoisting engines equipped with cable-drawn scraper or scoop, or machines equipped with gathering arms and conveyor.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 2.8%
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 2 of 5Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Job training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Mechanicalimportance 3.3/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 3.0/5
- Law and Governmentimportance 2.8/5
- English Languageimportance 2.8/5
- Production and Processingimportance 2.8/5
- Public Safety and Securityimportance 2.6/5
- Transportationimportance 2.5/5
- Administration and Managementimportance 2.5/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Exposed to Contaminants4.8/5
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.7/5
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.6/5
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.5/5
- Exposed to Hazardous Equipment4.5/5
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.5/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons94% skill match
- Rock Splitters, Quarry93% skill match
- Motion Picture Projectionists93% skill match
- Agricultural Equipment Operators93% skill match
- Crane and Tower Operators93% skill match
- Pile Driver Operators93% skill match
- Fallers92% skill match
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators92% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Operation and Controlimportance 3.4/5
- Operations Monitoringimportance 3.3/5
- Troubleshootingimportance 3.1/5
- Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
- Equipment Maintenanceimportance 3.0/5
- Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.9/5
- Repairingimportance 2.8/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.6/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Other Software Used
- Automated systems software
- Inventory management systems
- Maintenance management software
- Mine maintenance software
- Work time accounting software
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Stress Tolerance
- Attention to Detail
- Perseverance
- Integrity
- Self-Control
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- RealisticHigh
- ConventionalMedium
- InvestigativeLow
- ArtisticLow
- SocialLow
- EnterprisingLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 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.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where loading and moving machine operators, underground mining make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Beckley, WV121.10× national avg
- 2Wheeling, WV-OH62.57× national avg
- 3Tuscaloosa, AL28.69× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Hoist and Winch OperatorsCareer Change
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface MiningLateral Move
- Pile Driver OperatorsLateral Move
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsLateral Move
See the full career path from Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining →