Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
Operate a variety of drills such as rotary, churn, and pneumatic to tap subsurface water and salt deposits, to remove core samples during mineral exploration or soil testing, and to facilitate the use of explosives in mining or construction. Includes horizontal and earth boring machine operators.
Sample of reported job titles:
Blast Hole Driller, Diamond Driller, Drill Operator, Driller, Hard Rock Drill Operator, Highwall Drill Operator, Rock Drill Operator, Underground Drill Operator, Water Well Driller, Well Driller
Occupation-Specific Information
Tasks
- Regulate air pressure, rotary speed, and downward pressure, according to the type of rock or concrete being drilled.
- Verify depths and alignments of boring positions.
- Start, stop, and control drilling speed of machines and insertion of casings into holes.
- Select the appropriate drill for the job, using knowledge of rock or soil conditions.
- Operate controls to stabilize machines and to position and align drills.
Technology Skills
- Mobile location based services software:Global positioning system GPS software
- Office suite software:Microsoft Office
- Spreadsheet software:Microsoft Excel
- Word processing software:Microsoft Word
Occupational Requirements
Work Activities
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials:Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
- Controlling Machines and Processes:Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
- Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment:Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment:Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
- Getting Information:Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Detailed Work Activities
- Assemble products or production equipment.
- Clean equipment or facilities.
- Collect geological samples.
- Decontaminate equipment or sites to remove hazardous or toxic substances.
- Design energy production or management equipment or systems.
Work Context
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets:84% responded"Every day"
- Outdoors, Exposed to Weather:79% responded"Every day"
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls:76% responded"Continually or almost continually"
- Face-to-Face Discussions:75% responded"Every day"
- Exposed to Hazardous Equipment:71% responded"Every day"
Worker Requirements
Skills
- Operations Monitoring:Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- 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.
- Equipment Maintenance:Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Monitoring:Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Knowledge
- Mechanical:Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
- Administration and Management: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.
- Transportation:Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
- Public Safety and Security: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:Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Education
How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:
- 73%High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
- 15%Less than a High School Diploma
- 12%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)
Worker Characteristics
Abilities
- Control Precision:The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
- Arm-Hand Steadiness:The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
- Multilimb Coordination:The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
- Reaction Time:The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
- Manual Dexterity:The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Interests
- Realistic:Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
- Investigative:Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
- Conventional:Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
- Support:Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
- Independence:Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
- Working Conditions:Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Work Styles
- Dependability:Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Attention to Detail:Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Adaptability/Flexibility:Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
- Stress Tolerance:Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
- Initiative:Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
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