The minimum requirement to get a job as a heavy equipment operator in the oil and gas industry is a high school diploma. Many companies also look for experience operating heavy equipment in an open-pit mine environment, in an industrial capacity, or driving trucks and trailers on highways. A commercial driver’s license is generally required, and some states have special licenses for the operators of backhoes, loaders, and bulldozers. Job applicants may also be asked to pass a medical exam, drug-screening test, or aptitude test.