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Geothermal Technician

What Does it Take to Be a Geothermal Technician?

Career Description Perform technical activities at power plants or individual installations necessary for the generation of power from geothermal energy sources. Monitor and control operating activities at geothermal power generation facilities and perform maintenance and repairs as necessary. Install, test, and maintain residential and commercial geothermal heat pumps.

Life As a Geothermal Technician

  • Apply coatings or operate systems to mitigate corrosion of geothermal plant equipment or structures.
  • Maintain, calibrate, or repair plant instrumentation, control, and electronic devices in geothermal plants.
  • Operate equipment, such as excavators, backhoes, rock hammers, trench compactors, pavement saws, grout mixers or pumps, geothermal loop reels, and coil tubing units (CTU).
  • Backfill piping trenches to protect pipes from damage.
  • Install and maintain geothermal system instrumentation or controls.
  • Determine whether emergency or auxiliary systems will be needed to keep properties heated or cooled in extreme weather conditions.

Geothermal Technician Skills

These are the skills Geothermal Technicians say are the most useful in their careers:

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Types of Geothermal Technician

  • Geothermal HVAC Technician (Geothermal Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Technician)
  • Mechanical Technician
  • Geothermal Technician
  • Switchgear Operator
  • Geothermal System Installer

Job Demand for Geothermal Technicians

There were about 175,800 jobs for Geothermal Technician in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8.2% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 14,500 new jobs for Geothermal Technician by 2026. There will be an estimated 18,700 positions for Geothermal Technician per year.

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The states with the most job growth for Geothermal Technician are Utah, Florida, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Maine, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Salary for a Geothermal Technician

The typical yearly salary for Geothermal Technicians is somewhere between $24,630 and $65,120.

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Geothermal Technicians who work in Alaska, Hawaii, or Washington, make the highest salaries.

How much do Geothermal Technicians make in different U.S. states?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $38,210
Alaska $71,220
Arizona $42,760
Arkansas $40,260
California $46,210
Colorado $39,970
Connecticut $44,480
Delaware $40,340
District of Columbia $56,140
Florida $36,390
Georgia $38,890
Hawaii $60,340
Idaho $42,280
Illinois $48,290
Indiana $38,850
Iowa $42,830
Kansas $41,040
Kentucky $41,150
Louisiana $44,290
Maine $41,870
Maryland $44,700
Massachusetts $48,110
Michigan $45,170
Minnesota $46,200
Mississippi $43,430
Missouri $41,400
Montana $40,670
Nebraska $52,020
Nevada $48,750
New Hampshire $48,440
New Jersey $43,060
New Mexico $40,930
New York $40,390
North Carolina $40,360
North Dakota $50,710
Ohio $41,650
Oklahoma $42,840
Oregon $43,240
Pennsylvania $45,350
Rhode Island $47,220
South Carolina $41,570
South Dakota $44,980
Tennessee $37,540
Texas $41,320
Utah $40,160
Vermont $42,030
Virginia $43,810
Washington $55,610
West Virginia $39,660
Wisconsin $40,660
Wyoming $46,210

What Tools do Geothermal Technicians Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Geothermal Technicians may use on a daily basis:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Email software
  • SAP
  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Distributed control system DCS

How do I Become a Geothermal Technician?

Learn what Geothermal Technician education requirements there are.

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How many years of work experience do I need?

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References:

Image Credit: Airman 1st Class Alexis P. Docherty, 49th Wing Public Affairs via Public domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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