Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas

Operate a variety of drills such as rotary, churn, and pneumatic to tap sub-surface 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. May use explosives. Includes horizontal and earth boring machine operators.

Median Annual Wage: $43,540

Education: High school diploma or equivalent (46%); Less than high school diploma (28%); Post-secondary certificate (15%)

Projected Growth: Faster than average (15% to 21%)

Related Job Titles: Driller; Blaster; Blast Hole Driller; Drill Operator; Well Driller; Blasting Production Technician; Hard Rock Drill Operator; Highwall Drill Operator; Overburden Drill Operator; Rock Drill Operator

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Source: O*NET OnLine information for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas.

More Construction and Extraction Careers

  • Verify depths and alignments of boring positions.
  • Monitor drilling operations, checking gauges and listening to equipment to assess drilling conditions and to determine the need to adjust drilling or alter equipment.
  • 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.
  • Select and attach drill bits and drill rods, adding more rods as hole depths increase, and changing drill bits as needed.
  • Drill or bore holes in rock for blasting, grouting, anchoring, or building foundations.
  • Operate machines to flush earth cuttings or to blow dust from holes.
  • Drive or guide truck-mounted equipment into position, level and stabilize rigs, and extend telescoping derricks.
  • Perform routine maintenance and upgrade work on machines and equipment, such as replacing parts, building up drill bits, and lubricating machinery.
  • Drive trucks, tractors, or truck-mounted drills to and from work sites.
  • Record drilling progress and geological data.
  • Retrieve lost equipment from bore holes, using retrieval tools and equipment.
  • Assemble and position machines, augers, casing pipes, and other equipment, using hand and power tools.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas.

  • Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • 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.
  • Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
  • Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Equipment Selection - Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas.

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