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Pushback Operator Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Confidence in partnering directly with senior hiring managers and executives, including delivering thoughtful pushback when the market doesn't match the brief. * Self-directed operating style ...

Confidence in partnering directly with senior hiring managers and executives, including delivering thoughtful pushback when the market doesn't match the brief. * Self-directed operating style ...

Confidence in partnering directly with senior hiring managers and executives, including delivering thoughtful pushback when the market doesn\'t match the brief. * Self-directed operating style ...

Confidence in partnering directly with senior hiring managers and executives, including delivering thoughtful pushback when the market doesn't match the brief. * Self-directed operating style ...

... pushback on roadmap tradeoffs, and driving accountability against agreed success metrics. * Establish and manage partner operating cadence including business reviews, planning sessions, issue ...

... operating safely and securely. We perform at the highest level for our customers every day, and ... Perform aircraft pushback, wing walking and related guide man functions. * Maintain a secure work ...

$17.75/hr

... operating safely and securely. We perform at the highest level for our customers every day, and ... Perform aircraft pushback, wing walking and related guide man functions. * Maintain a secure work ...

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Pushback Operator information

What is the difference between Pushback Operator vs Forklift Operator?

AspectPushback OperatorForklift Operator
CredentialsTypically requires a valid driver’s license and safety trainingRequires forklift certification and safety training
Work EnvironmentAirport ground operations, aircraft pushbackWarehouses, manufacturing plants, shipping docks
Industry UsageAirline and airport logisticsLogistics, manufacturing, retail warehouses
Common TasksGuiding aircraft during pushback, safety checksMoving pallets, loading/unloading goods

While both roles involve vehicle operation and safety protocols, Pushback Operators focus on aircraft ground handling at airports, whereas Forklift Operators handle material movement within warehouses and industrial settings. Understanding these differences helps clarify job expectations and required skills in logistics and transportation industries.

How much does a pushback driver make?

A pushback operator typically earns between $15 and $25 per hour, with annual salaries ranging from approximately $30,000 to $50,000 depending on experience, location, and employer. The role often requires operating specialized airport ground support equipment and may involve shift work, including nights and weekends.

What is a push back operator job description?

A push back operator is responsible for maneuvering aircraft on the ground using specialized equipment to push or pull aircraft into parking positions or along the tarmac. They typically operate pushback tractors, follow safety protocols, and communicate with ground crew and pilots to ensure efficient aircraft movement. This role requires attention to safety, communication skills, and often certification in ground handling procedures.

What are Pushback Operators?

Pushback Operators are trained ground crew members at airports responsible for safely moving aircraft backwards away from the gate using specialized vehicles called pushback tractors or tugs. They play a critical role in ensuring that planes can depart safely without using their own engines, which helps prevent accidents and damage on the ramp. Pushback Operators must communicate closely with pilots and ground control to coordinate movements and follow strict safety procedures. Their work is essential to efficient airport operations and the safe handling of aircraft on the ground.

What job makes $10,000 a month without a degree?

A pushback operator can potentially earn $10,000 a month through experience and overtime, especially in industries like manufacturing or logistics that require operating heavy machinery. High-paying roles in sales, real estate, or skilled trades may also reach this income level without a formal degree, often relying on skills, certifications, and performance. However, such earnings are typically associated with specialized skills, experience, or commission-based pay structures.

What are some common challenges faced by Pushback Operators during aircraft towing operations?

Pushback Operators often encounter challenges such as coordinating closely with ground crew and flight deck personnel to ensure clear communication, especially in busy or low-visibility conditions. Navigating tight spaces on the ramp while adhering to strict safety protocols requires constant attention and precision. Additionally, operators must be prepared to handle unexpected mechanical issues with towing equipment and adapt to rapidly changing weather conditions, all while minimizing turnaround times to keep flight schedules on track.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Pushback Operator, and why are they important?

To excel as a Pushback Operator, you need a valid driver's license, knowledge of ground handling procedures, and familiarity with airport safety regulations. Experience with specialized ground support equipment, such as tugs and tow bars, and certifications like an Airport Movement Area Access permit are typically required. Strong attention to detail, situational awareness, and effective communication help ensure safe and efficient aircraft movements. These skills and qualifications are vital for preventing accidents, minimizing delays, and maintaining operational safety on the airfield.

What jobs pay 500,000 a year in the US?

Jobs that can pay $500,000 or more annually in the US typically include high-level executive roles such as CEOs, CFOs, and other C-suite positions, as well as successful entrepreneurs, top-tier surgeons, and certain specialized professionals like investment bankers and hedge fund managers. These roles often require extensive experience, advanced skills, and significant responsibility, and compensation may include bonuses, stock options, or profit sharing.
What job categories do people searching Pushback Operator jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Pushback Operator jobs in California are:
Infographic showing various Pushback Operator job openings in California as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 91% Full Time, and 9% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution.
Talent Sourcer

Talent Sourcer

Planet

San Francisco, CA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, PTO

Posted 23 days ago


Job description

Welcome to Planet. We believe in using space to help life on Earth.
Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. This constellation delivers an unprecedented dataset of empirical information via a revolutionary cloud-based platform to authoritative figures in commercial, environmental, and humanitarian sectors. We are both a space company and data company all rolled into one.
Customers and users across the globe use Planet's data to develop new technologies, drive revenue, power research, and solve our world's toughest obstacles.
As we control every component of hardware design, manufacturing, data processing, and software engineering, our office is a truly inspiring mix of experts from a variety of domains.
We have a people-centric approach toward culture and community and we strive to iterate in a way that puts our team members first and prepares our company for growth. Join Planet and be a part of our mission to change the way people see the world.
Planet is a global company with employees working remotely world wide and joining us from offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and The Netherlands.
About the Role:
Planet's mission to image the world every day depends on attracting the most capable engineers, operators, and commercial leaders in our industry - and that work begins long before a candidate ever applies. As a senior individual contributor on Planet's Talent Acquisition team, the Talent Sourcer will own pipeline development for our most complex North American searches, partnering with Talent Acquisition Partners across Space Systems, Software Engineering, Commercial, and Corporate functions to identify, engage, and convert the passive talent who will help shape what Planet builds next.
This role is for a deeply experienced sourcer who can operate with full autonomy on the hardest searches we run - including senior engineering, executive, and niche technical hires - and who treats sourcing as a craft. You will report to the Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition, and work closely with hiring leaders across Planet to translate ambiguous needs into actionable pipeline.
Impact You'll Own:
  • Build and own end-to-end candidate pipelines for Planet's hardest-to-fill North American roles, with a primary focus on Space Systems engineering and Commercial / G&A leadership searches.
  • Partner directly with Talent Acquisition Partners across all NAM pods to identify quarterly priorities and direct your sourcing effort to where it creates the most leverage for the business.
  • Develop deep market intelligence on the satellite, aerospace, earth-observation, and adjacent deep-tech talent landscapes - and translate that intelligence into actionable target lists, competitor mapping, and outreach strategy.
  • Run sophisticated passive candidate engagement end-to-end: research, outreach, screening, calibration, and warm handoff to the partnering Talent Acquisition Partner.
  • Lead market mapping and search strategy conversations directly with senior hiring managers and executives, including delivering candid pushback when market signals indicate a calibration misalignment.
  • Cultivate long-term talent communities and referral networks for Planet's recurring high-priority skill sets, building a sourcing engine that compounds over time.
  • Contribute to the team's sourcing playbook, tooling, and AI-enabled workflows - raising the standard for how sourcing is practiced across Planet.
  • Operate with full autonomy on strategic and executive searches, escalating only where org-level alignment is required.

What You Bring:
  • 6+ years of dedicated sourcing experience, including at least three years sourcing for technical engineering disciplines (hardware, systems, embedded, ML, software, or equivalent).
  • Demonstrated ownership of complex senior-level and executive searches end-to-end - from market mapping through candidate engagement, calibration, and conversion.
  • Mastery of LinkedIn Recruiter, Boolean search construction, GitHub, X-ray sourcing, and modern sourcing platforms (e.g., Gem, hireEZ, SeekOut), with practiced fluency in an applicant tracking system such as Greenhouse.
  • Track record of building market mapping deliverables that hiring leaders rely on as a primary input to search strategy.
  • Experience sourcing across multiple function types - engineering, commercial, and corporate - with the ability to context-switch and recalibrate quickly across roles.
  • Quantitative grasp of sourcing performance: response rates, conversion rates, pipeline velocity, and the diagnostic instinct to know when a search needs a different angle.
  • Confidence in partnering directly with senior hiring managers and executives, including delivering thoughtful pushback when the market doesn't match the brief.
  • Self-directed operating style - comfortable owning ambiguous, high-stakes searches with limited inbound demand and prioritizing across multiple pods and partners.
  • Demonstrated ability to craft outreach messaging that resonates with senior technical and commercial audiences.

What Makes You Stand Out:
  • Prior sourcing experience in space, aerospace, satellite, defense, geospatial, or adjacent deep-tech industries.
  • Experience supporting executive-level (Director-and-above) searches across both technical and commercial functions.
  • Familiarity with AI-assisted sourcing tools, automation workflows, or candidate intelligence platforms beyond standard ATS use.
  • Background working with security-cleared talent or U.S. government / federal-adjacent hiring environments.
  • Experience contributing to sourcing team standards, playbooks, training materials, or onboarding curriculum.

Application Deadline:
July, 21st, 2026 at 11:59p PT
Benefits While Working at Planet:
These offerings are dependent on employment type and geographical location, based upon applicable law or company policy.
  • Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision plans
  • Health Savings Account (HSA) with a company contribution
  • Generous Paid Time Off in addition to holidays and company-wide days off
  • 16 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave
  • Wellness Program and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Home Office Reimbursement
  • Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
  • Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
  • Equity
  • Commuter Benefits (if local to an office)
  • Volunteering Paid Time Off

Compensation:
The US base salary range for this full-time position at the commencement of employment is listed below. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary short-term and long-term incentives (bonus and equity). The final salary range is determined by job related experience, skills and location. The range displays our typical hiring range for new hire salaries in US locations only. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.
San Francisco Salary Range
San Francisco Fair Chance OrdinancePursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
#LI-REMOTE
San Francisco Salary Range
$128,400-$160,500 USD
San Francisco Fair Chance OrdinancePursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Why we care so much about Belonging.We're dedicated to helping the whole Planet, and to do that we must strive to represent all of it within each of our offices and on all of our teams. That's why Planet is guided by an ultimate north star of Belonging-dreaming big as we approach our ongoing work. If this job intrigues you, but you're thinking you might not have all the qualifications, please... do apply! At Planet, we are looking for well-rounded people from around the world who can contribute to more ways than just what is listed in this job description. We don't just fill positions, we aspire to fulfill people's careers, most excited about folks who are motivated by our underlying humanitarian efforts. We are a few orbits around the sun before we get to where we want to be, so we hope you're excited to come along for the ride.
EEO statement:Planet is committed to building a community where everyone belongs and we invite people from all backgrounds to apply. Planet is an equal opportunity employer, and committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Know Your Rights.
Accommodations:Planet is an inclusive community and we know that everyone has their own needs. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation during the hiring process, please reach out to accommodations@planet.com or contact your recruiter with your request. Your message will be confidential and we will be happy to assist you.
Privacy Policy: By clicking "Apply Now" at the top of this job posting, I acknowledge that I have read the Planet Data Privacy Notice for California Staff Members and Applicants, and hereby consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of my personal information as described therein.
Privacy Policy (European Applicants): By clicking "Apply Now" at the top of this job posting, I acknowledge that I have read the Candidate Privacy Notice GDPR Planet Labs Europe, and hereby consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of my personal information as described therein.
AI in Our Interviewing Process: Planet is committed to providing an exceptional interview experience for all candidates. We currently use Metaview to better focus on candidates and less on trying to capture notes. As such, with the candidate's consent, select interviews may be recorded and include a "Planet AI Notetaker" for transcription and summarization purposes. Should an interview involve use of AI interview technologies, the candidate will receive notification and have the ability to opt out both in advance and/or real-time. Opting out will not affect one's candidacy.
Candidate AI Policy: Planet embraces Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, and we encourage its responsible use. We understand that candidates may use various resources, including AI tools, to prepare for interviews and assessments. However, during any live interview stage or when actively completing assessments for this position, the use of AI tools-e.g. Large Language Models (LLMs), deep fake technology, etc.-is strictly prohibited unless explicitly prompted by an interviewer or assessment instructions. If you are unsure about acceptable use, please contact your recruiter for clarification. If an AI tool or similar technology is desired as an accommodation, please contact accommodations@planet.com with your request for assistance. Your message will be confidential, and we will be happy to assist you. Violation of this policy may result in disqualification of your application.