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Career Details

19-4043.00 - Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians


Assist scientists or engineers in the use of electronic, sonic, or nuclear measuring instruments in laboratory, exploration, and production activities to obtain data indicating resources such as metallic ore, minerals, gas, coal, or petroleum. Analyze mud and drill cuttings. Chart pressure, temperature, and other characteristics of wells or bore holes.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
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Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Test and analyze samples to determine their content and characteristics, using laboratory apparatus or testing equipment.
  • Collect or prepare solid or fluid samples for analysis.
  • Compile, log, or record testing or operational data for review and further analysis.
  • Prepare notes, sketches, geological maps, or cross-sections.
  • Participate in geological, geophysical, geochemical, hydrographic, or oceanographic surveys, prospecting field trips, exploratory drilling, well logging, or underground mine survey programs.
  • Prepare or review professional, technical, or other reports regarding sampling, testing, or recommendations of data analysis.
  • Adjust or repair testing, electrical, or mechanical equipment or devices.
  • Read and study reports in order to compile information and data for geological and geophysical prospecting.
  • Interview individuals, and research public databases in order to obtain information.
  • Plot information from aerial photographs, well logs, section descriptions, or other databases.
  • Assemble, maintain, or distribute information for library or record systems.
Generic
  • Apply new technologies, such as improved seismic imaging techniques, to locate untapped oil or natural gas deposits.
  • Collect data on underground areas, such as reservoirs, that could be used in carbon sequestration operations.
  • Collect geological data from potential geothermal energy plant sites.
  • Compile data used to address environmental issues, such as the suitability of potential landfill sites.
  • Conduct geophysical surveys of potential sites for wind farms or solar installations to determine their suitability.
  • Evaluate and interpret seismic data with the aid of computers.
Supplemental
  • Operate or adjust equipment or apparatus used to obtain geological data.
  • Plan and direct activities of workers who operate equipment to collect data.
  • Set up or direct set-up of instruments used to collect geological data.
  • Record readings in order to compile data used in prospecting for oil or gas.
  • Create photographic recordings of information, using equipment.
  • Measure geological characteristics used in prospecting for oil or gas, using measuring instruments.
  • Participate in the evaluation of possible mining locations.
  • Assess the environmental impacts of development projects on subsurface materials.
  • Evaluate and interpret core samples and cuttings, and other geological data used in prospecting for oil or gas.
  • Supervise well exploration, drilling activities, or well completions.
  • Inspect engines for wear or defective parts, using equipment or measuring devices.
  • Develop and design packing materials and handling procedures for shipping of objects.
  • Collaborate with hydrogeologists to evaluate groundwater or well circulation.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 71%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Mathematics
  • 69%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 Engineering and Technology
  • 69%
    Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
 English Language
  • 69%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Chemistry
  • 63%
    Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
 Physics
  • 63%
    Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
 Geography
  • 62%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 52%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 Mechanical
  • 51%
    Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
 Public Safety and Security
  • 51%
    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
 Design
  • 51%
    Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
 Administration and Management
  • 51%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Cameras
  • 35 millimeter cameras
  • Digital cameras
 Length and thickness and distance measuring instruments
  • Abney levels
  • Electronic distance meters
  • Laser rangefinders
  • Survey altimeters
 Pipettes and liquid handling equipment and supplies
  • Automatic burets
  • Digital micropipettes
  • Glass dropping pipettes
 Viewing and observing instruments and accessories
  • Binocular polarizing microscopes
  • Fluorescence microscopes
  • Hand lenses
  • Phase contrast microscopes
  • Scanning electron microscopes SEM
  • Surveillance binoculars
 Gas analyzers and monitors
  • Carbon hydrogen nitrogen CHN analyzers
  • Digital chlorine testers
  • Total sulfur analyzers
 Laboratory boring and grinding and cutting and crushing and pressing equipment
  • Chipmunk crushers
  • Laboratory pulverizers
  • Rotary pulverizers
  • Shatterboxes
 Electrochemical measuring instruments and accessories
  • Conductivity indicators
  • Digital pH meters
  • Dissolved oxygen meters
  • Dissolved salt meters
  • Terrain conductivity meters
 Geophysical and geotechnical instruments
  • Cryogenic magnetometers
  • Directional compasses
  • Gravitational field indicators
  • Magnetometers
  • Pocket transits
  • Proton magnetometers
  • Spinner magnetometers
 Computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Personal computers
 Seismological instruments
  • Digital seismographs
 Liquid and solid and elemental analyzers
  • Dissolved organic carbon analyzers
 Soil measuring equipment
  • Earth drills
  • Hydraulic vibracorers
  • Sample microsplitters
  • Soil augers
  • Soil core samplers
 Measuring and layout tools
  • Electronic digital levels
  • Hand levels
 Land surveying instruments
  • Electronic digital theodolites
  • Stadia rods
  • Total stations
 Weight measuring instruments
  • Electronic laboratory balances
  • Top-loading electronic balances
 General laboratory glassware and plasticware and supplies
  • Erlenmeyer flasks
  • General purpose burets
  • Glass beakers
  • Glass funnels
  • Glass graduated cylinders
  • Volumetric flasks
 Spectroscopic equipment
  • Fluorescence spectrophotometers
  • Fourier transfer infrared FTIR spectrometers
  • Inductively coupled plasma ICP optical emission spectrometers
  • Mass spectrometers
  • Optical particle detectors
  • Spectrophotometers
  • Ultraviolet-Visible UV/VIS spectrophotometers
  • X ray fluorescence XRF spectrometers
 Chromatographic measuring instruments and accessories
  • Gas chromatography equipment
  • High pressure liquid chromatograph HPLC equipment
 Forming tools
  • Geological hammers
  • Rock picks
 Crucibles
  • Glass laboratory crucibles
 Audio and visual equipment
  • Global positioning system GPS receivers
 Radar and sonar systems and components
  • Ground penetrating radar GPR systems
 Laboratory pumps and tubing
  • Groundwater sampling peristaltic pumps
  • Laboratory vacuum pumps
 Laboratory ovens and accessories
  • Laboratory drying ovens
 Computer data input devices
  • Portable dataloggers
 Rock drills
  • Power rock coring drills
 Crystallography equipment
  • Single crystal x ray diffractometers
 Sampling equipment
  • Water sampling bailers
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe IllustratorHOT
  • Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft PowerPointHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
 Industry specific software
  • Autodesk AutoCADHOT
  • Dynamic Graphics EarthVisionHOT
  • Halliburton ProMAX
  • IHS PETRA
  • Landmark GeoGraphix
  • Landmark SeisWorks
  • Midland Valley 2DMoveHOT
  • Parallel Geoscience SPW
  • Petroleum Software Technologies
  • petroWEB Global Seismic Library
  • Schlumberger GeoFrame
  • Seismic Micro-Technology KINGDOM
  • Techsia Techlog
 Information exchange software
  • Clark Labs IDRISI Andes
  • ESRI ArcGIS softwareHOT
  • Geographic information system GIS softwareHOT
  • Geographic resources analysis support system GRASS
  • Golden Software Surfer
  • Juniper Systems LandMark Mobile
  • Leica Geosystems ERDAS IMAGINE
  • Martin D Adamiker's TruFlite
  • Surface III
 Data management and query software
  • Database software
  • Microsoft AccessHOT
  • SAP BusinessObjects Crystal Reports
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific certifications are listed for this career
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Online Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College
Mountain Empire Community College
Mountain Gateway Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Virginia Peninsula Community College
Wytheville Community College