Plant Operator jobs in the UK

Live plant operator roles plus reconciled 2026 salary data by region.

1068 live plant operator roles

Telehandler

£20.00 - £22.00 per hour

We are currently looking for an experienced Telehandler Operator to join a busy construction site in East Grinstead .

Construction
4 days ago Apply on WhatJobs

Telehandler

West Lothian

£21/hr

We are currently seeking an experienced Telehandler Operator for a busy new-build residential housing site in Broxburn, West Lothian.

Construction Contract
4 days ago Apply on WhatJobs

Telehandler

Derbyshire

£21/hr

We are currently seeking an experienced Telehandler Operator for a busy new-build residential housing site in Bolsover, Chesterfield .

Construction Contract
4 days ago Apply on WhatJobs

Dumper Driver

Scottish Borders

£19–£22/hr

First People Solutions require 2 x Groundowrkers with Dumper and Roller tickets for an immediate start on a major project in Hawick, Scottish Borders

Construction Contract
4 days ago Apply on WhatJobs

Plant Operative

Deeside

£16–£18/hr

Hexagon Recruitment is looking for a Blending Operative to join a manufacturing client in Deeside, working rotating shifts Monday to Friday.

Manufacturing & Production
4 days ago Apply on WhatJobs

360 Excavator

Primrose Hill

See advert for pay

Driver required to assist with excavations on the refurbishment of a residential property in North London

Construction Contract
4 days ago Apply on WhatJobs

Telehandler

North Yorkshire

£20–£21/hr

Search is an equal opportunities recruiter and we welcome applications from all suitably skilled or qualified applicants, regardless of their race…

Construction
4 days ago Apply on WhatJobs

Telehandler

North Yorkshire

£20/hr

Albion Search require a telehandler operator in Stillington, North Yorkshire for one of our regional housing clients.

Construction Contract
4 days ago Apply on WhatJobs

Biogas Plant Operative

North Yorkshire

£28,000

Astute's Renewables team are working exclusively with an established Anaerobic Digestion business, who are looking to recruit a Plant/Site Operative…

Engineering Permanent
4 days ago Apply on WhatJobs

Plant Operator salary by region (2026)

RegionSalary range (median)
London (indicative)
no live adverts yet: baseline range
£36,000 – £48,000 (midpoint £42,000)
South East (indicative)
no live adverts yet: baseline range
£33,000 – £44,000 (midpoint £38,500)
East of England (indicative)
12 live adverts
£29,000 – £45,760 (midpoint £37,960)
Scotland (indicative)
no live adverts yet: baseline range
£32,000 – £43,000 (midpoint £37,500)
Midlands (indicative)
no live adverts yet: baseline range
£31,000 – £42,000 (midpoint £36,500)
North West (indicative)
no live adverts yet: baseline range
£31,000 – £42,000 (midpoint £36,500)
Yorkshire (indicative)
no live adverts yet: baseline range
£30,000 – £40,000 (midpoint £35,000)
South West (indicative)
19 live adverts
£20,000 – £50,000 (midpoint £31,718)
Wales (indicative)
8 live adverts
£24,000 – £39,699 (midpoint £30,463)

Methodology: medians reconcile live advertised UK salaries for this role and region; 25th–75th percentiles are shown only where at least 5 live salaried listings back them. They are measured or omitted, never interpolated. Rows marked indicative are anchored to our curated 2026 baseline ranges until enough live data accrues. Listings advertising an implausible annual figure (a mislabelled hourly or daily rate) are excluded rather than converted, because converting one means guessing the hours behind it.

Market view. The ticket is the career: CPCS or NPORS categories determine what you can be booked for, and multi-ticket operators (telehandler + 360 + dumper) stay busiest. Infrastructure and rail possessions pay above general build, and long-shift weeks make real earnings strongly hours-driven.
Full salary guides →

FAQs

What does a plant operator earn in the UK?

Indicatively £30,000–£48,000 employed, with multi-ticketed 360/telehandler operators on infrastructure at the top.

CPCS or NPORS: which do employers want?

Both are recognised; major contractors and infrastructure frameworks most commonly specify CPCS.

Which plant tickets pay best?

360 excavator (above and below 10 tonnes) and telehandler, especially combined, and rail-cleared operators earn a further premium.

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