Occupation

Geothermal Technicians

Human Advantage 68%

Significant human skills needed

AI Automation Risk Low Risk
2.9 / 10

This occupation requires complex human judgment, social interaction, and creative problem-solving that are difficult to automate.

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.

Also Known As: Corrosion Technician, Design Technician, Distribution Field Technician, Field Distribution Technician, Geothermal Field Technician, Geothermal HVAC Technician (Geothermal Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Technician), Geothermal Installer, Geothermal Service Technician +14 more

Video

Core Tasks

  1. Monitor and adjust operations of geothermal power plant equipment or systems.
  2. Prepare and maintain logs, reports, or other documentation of work performed.
  3. Identify and correct malfunctions of geothermal plant equipment, electrical systems, instrumentation, or controls.
  4. Collect and record data associated with operating geothermal power plants or well fields.
  5. Determine whether emergency or auxiliary systems will be needed to keep properties heated or cooled in extreme weather conditions.
  6. Perform pre- and post-installation pressure, flow, and related tests of vertical and horizontal geothermal loop piping.
  7. Identify equipment options, such as compressors, and make appropriate selections.

Supplemental Tasks (17)

  1. Adjust power production systems to meet load and distribution demands.
  2. Maintain electrical switchgear, process controls, transmitters, gauges, and control equipment in accordance with geothermal plant procedures.
  3. Calculate heat loss and heat gain factors for residential properties to determine heating and cooling required by installed geothermal systems.
  4. Maintain, calibrate, or repair plant instrumentation, control, and electronic devices in geothermal plants.
  5. Install and maintain geothermal plant electrical protection equipment.
  6. Design and lay out geothermal heat systems according to property characteristics, heating and cooling requirements, piping and equipment requirements, applicable regulations, or other factors.
  7. Install and maintain geothermal system instrumentation or controls.
  8. Prepare newly installed geothermal heat systems for operation by flushing, purging, or other actions.
  9. Weld piping, such as high density polyethylene (HDPE) piping, using techniques such as butt, socket, side-wall, and electro-fusion welding.
  10. Test water sources for factors, such as flow volume and contaminant presence.
  11. Install, maintain, or repair ground or water source-coupled heat pumps to heat and cool residential or commercial building air or water.
  12. Integrate hot water heater systems with geothermal heat exchange systems.
  13. Determine the type of geothermal loop system most suitable to a specific property and its heating and cooling needs.
  14. Dig trenches for system piping to appropriate depths and lay piping in trenches.
  15. Apply coatings or operate systems to mitigate corrosion of geothermal plant equipment or structures.
  16. Backfill piping trenches to protect pipes from damage.
  17. Operate equipment, such as excavators, backhoes, rock hammers, trench compactors, pavement saws, grout mixers or pumps, geothermal loop reels, and coil tubing units (CTU).

Education & Training

Job Zone 2 Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Education: These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Experience: Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
On-the-Job Training: Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
66%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
20%
Some College Courses
12%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
2%

Technology & Tools

Hot Technologies

  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Word
  • SAP software

Software (13)

  • ClimateMaster GeoDesigner
  • Distributed control system DCS
  • Email software
  • Geographic information system GIS systems
  • Geothermal Properties Measurement Tool
  • Thermal Dynamics Ground Loop Design GLD
  • WaterFurnace International Ground Loop Design PREMIER

Tools & Equipment (35)

  • Adjustable hand wrenches
  • Adjustable pipe wrenches
  • Air monitoring equipment
  • Air wrenches
  • Alignment clamps
  • Butt fusion machines
  • Channel lock pliers
  • Claw hammers
  • Coil tubing units
  • Deburring tools
  • Depth meters
  • Desktop computers
  • Grout mixers
  • Grout pumps
  • Laptop computers
  • Pavement saws
  • Personal computers
  • Phillips head screwdrivers
  • Pipe cutters
  • Pipe squeeze off tools
  • Portable welding equipment
  • Programmable logic controllers PLC
  • Protective respirators
  • Pyrometers
  • Ratchet sets
  • Safety glasses
  • Safety gloves
  • Socket wrench sets
  • Straight screwdrivers
  • Tracked excavators
  • Trench compacters
  • Valve wrenches
  • Well drilling rigs
  • Wire cutters
  • Wire strippers

Where This Career Leads

Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.

Industrial Machinery Advanced Manufacturing

Zone 1
Conveyor Operators and Tenders 77% match
Zone 2
Geothermal Technicians You are here
Zone 3
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators 93% match

Skilled Trades Advanced Manufacturing

Zone 1
Plasterers and Stucco Masons 77% match
Zone 2
Geothermal Technicians You are here
Zone 3
Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians 92% match

Equipment Operation & Maintenance Advanced Manufacturing

Zone 1
Logging Equipment Operators 78% match
Zone 2
Geothermal Technicians You are here
Zone 3
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment 80% match

Resume Builder

Select key tasks to generate action-oriented resume bullets for Geothermal Technicians positions.

Related Occupations

Compare skills gap with any of these related roles.

Geothermal Production ManagersClosely Related Hydroelectric Plant TechniciansClosely Related Power Plant OperatorsClosely Related Biomass Plant TechniciansClosely Related Stationary Engineers and Boiler OperatorsClosely Related Power Distributors and Dispatchers Wind Turbine Service Technicians Gas Plant Operators
Show all 20 related occupations
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians Biomass Power Plant Managers Wellhead Pumpers Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers Electrical Engineers Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door Solar Photovoltaic Installers Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators Mechanical Engineers

Real Talk

Hear from real Geothermal Technicianss about their work:

Reddit Day-in-the-life discussions Reddit Salary discussions YouTube Video day-in-the-life Glassdoor Reviews & salaries