How to become a Geothermal Technician
Official title: Geothermal Technicians
Also called: Geothermal Service Technician, I and C Technician (Instrument and Controls Technician), I and E Technician (Instrumentation and Electrical Technician), I C and E Technician (Instrumentation, Control, and Electrical Technician), Operations and Maintenance Technician (O and M Technician), Operations Technician, Operator Technician, Plant Electrical Technician, Plant Mechanic, Plant Technician
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.
Main tasks
- Monitor and adjust operations of geothermal power plant equipment or systems.
- Prepare and maintain logs, reports, or other documentation of work performed.
- Identify and correct malfunctions of geothermal plant equipment, electrical systems, instrumentation, or controls.
- Collect and record data associated with operating geothermal power plants or well fields.
- Determine whether emergency or auxiliary systems will be needed to keep properties heated or cooled in extreme weather conditions.
- Perform pre- and post-installation pressure, flow, and related tests of vertical and horizontal geothermal loop piping.
- Identify equipment options, such as compressors, and make appropriate selections.
How to become one
Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Ground Heat Exchanger Installer (Nof).
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $49,230 a year The middle half earn $42,170 to $61,900.
- About 205,200 people work in this job now, and about 210,600 are projected by 2035. (+2.6%)
- People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.
Related jobs
- Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers
- Commercial Divers
- Locksmiths and Safe Repairers
- Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers
- Riggers
- Signal and Track Switch Repairers
Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz
Questions people ask
How do I become a Geothermal Technician?
Ways in include: Ground Heat Exchanger Installer (Nof).
How much does a Geothermal Technician earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $49,230 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $42,170 to $61,900.
Is a Geothermal Technician a growing career in the US?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 3% by 2035, from about 205,200 to about 210,600 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become a Geothermal Technician?
Usually not. Only 12% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Ground Heat Exchanger Installer (Nof).
Will AI change the work of a Geothermal Technician?
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.