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Gillett Excavating

Dirt Crew Foreman

Gillett Excavating, Detroit, Michigan, United States, 48228

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Lead the Dirt Work, Teach What You Know, and HelpBuild the Next Version of This Company In just ten years, we’ve grown from a small residential startup into a company trusted to build the infrastructure that millions of people rely on every day, most of it buried underground, unseen but essential.

We started by building assets; now we’re focused on building people.

We believe hard work should lead to real rewards, accountability should create opportunity, and every project is a chance to raise the standard for what this industry can be.

How You’ll Contribute I built this company with people who started with almost no experience, and now I’m looking for someone whose deep earthwork background can fill in our knowledge gaps. This is a chance to lead projects while helping me push the company forward.

What You'll Get To Do

Build $100K - $3M high-quality projects out of Earth's most basic material - DIRT

Drive smooth, efficient production with advanced planning, coordinating crews, tools, materials, information, and a multi-million dollar fleet of heavy iron

Turn raw dirt into the subdivisions and commercial sites of customers' dreams, owning the highest standards of quality

Help train and bring out the best in a 2-8 person crew

Create clarity and protect profitability by spotting changes and solving poor weather, soil, and groundwater conditions in the field, communicating change order opportunities early

Keep your office support team informed with daily reports

Take ownership of production quality and efficiency by operating equipment as needed

Work with a team of high performers who are hungry to grow, proud of the work they put in, and care about doing things right, not just fast. A crew that talks openly about what went wrong as often as what went right, learning from the "bummers" instead of burying them.

What You Bring

Deep experience (10+ years) in mass excavation/earthwork for subdivisions and large commercial sites (soil types and conditions, compaction, earth moving, topsoil management, cut‑fills, soil stabilization and amendment, sub‑base installation, specialty grading, and/or fine grading techniques)

You can operate equipment when the team needs your help (dozer, excavator, grader, scraper, etc.)

You know your way around blueprints, grading plans, cut‑fill maps, grade stakes, project schedules, and survey equipment such as rotary lasers, slope lasers, GPS, and total stations

5+ years of leadership, and you believe leadership is service. You guide your team, share what you know, and jump in wherever you’re needed without making it about ego or title.

You can spot potential problems long before they blow up and figure out how to keep the schedule and work on track.

You take extreme ownership of both quality and production efficiency, paying attention to cycle times, production rates, and anything that slows the work down without cutting corners to speed it up.

Even Better, But Not Required

You've got a CDL‑A

You've used any of the software we use (Microsoft Planner, Gantt Pro, Agtek, Insite Software, BlueBeam, and/or Excel)

You can do surveys

Typical Schedule: We work 5-12s in the peak season, and 4-10s in the winter with occasional Saturdays. Dirt Foreman may require after‑hours work for proper preparations. Most jobs are in the counties north of Detroit and out west towards Wayne and Washtenaw Counties. Per‑diem for projects over 1.5 hours away from the office.

What’s In It For You Position-Specific Perks

Company truck

Production bonus

Computer and tablet

Team training resources

Professional development and leadership training

Culture & Work Environment

Semi‑flexible hours and days off with year‑round work close to home

A culture built on accountability, consistency, and open feedback

The owner works alongside the team, leading from the field as much as the office

A company mindset focused on growth, constantly learning, improving, and evolving together

Tools, Tech, & Equipmemt

Late model heavy equipment, including multiple‑size excavators, dozers, off‑road haul trucks, wheel tractor scrapers, compactors, loaders, and more

In‑house survey capabilities

Trimble GPS

Large variety of crew support and safety equipment

Constant evolution of updated tech, old school methods, and machines to drive project success and efficiency

Modern estimating and project management tools, including Insite Elevation Pro, Bluebeam, PlanSwift, B2W, Dropbox, Microsoft Planner, and Gantt Pro

High‑end computers and software to keep performance fast and reliable

A tech‑forward team that’s always looking for smarter, more efficient ways to bid and build

Pay & Benefits

401K with 4% company match

100% medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees, and 50% for family

Paid bonus program tied to company and individual performance

Two weeks of paid time off

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other protected status. We are committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within our workplace and creating an environment where all individuals feel valued, respected, and supported. We comply with all applicable laws governing EEO and affirmative action, and we ensure that all employment decisions are made solely based on job‑related qualifications and merit.

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