Geological Sample Test Technicians

Description

Test or analyze geological samples, crude oil, or minerals to detect presence of petroleum, gas, or mineral deposits indicating potential for exploration or production or to determine physical or chemical properties to ensure that products meet quality standards.

Tasks

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.
Assemble, operate, and maintain field and laboratory testing, measuring, and mechanical equipment, working as part of a crew when required.
Compile and record testing and operational data for review and further analysis.
Adjust or repair testing, electrical, or mechanical equipment or devices.
Supervise well exploration, drilling activities, or well completions.
Inspect engines for wear or defective parts, using equipment or measuring devices.
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.
Plot information from aerial photographs, well logs, section descriptions, or other databases.
Assess the environmental impacts of development projects on subsurface materials.
Collaborate with hydrogeologists to evaluate groundwater or well circulation.
Prepare, transcribe, or analyze seismic, gravimetric, well log, or other geophysical or survey data.
Participate in the evaluation of possible mining locations.
Participate in the evaluation of possible geothermal energy plant locations.
Test and analyze samples from potential underground carbon sequestration sites.

Knowledge

Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Chemistry: 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.
Mechanical: Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Clerical: Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Geography: 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.
Physics: 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.

Skills

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Science: Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Abilities

Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning: The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Category Flexibility: The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Flexibility of Closure: The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.

Work Activities

Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Work Context

Indoors, Environmentally Controlled: How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Face-to-Face Discussions: How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Telephone: How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Electronic Mail: How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Freedom to Make Decisions: How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets: How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?
Exposed to Contaminants: How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate: How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Work With Work Group or Team: How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Structured versus Unstructured Work: To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?

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.
Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Work Style

Attention to Detail: Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Dependability: Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Integrity: Job requires being honest and ethical.
Initiative: Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Adaptability/Flexibility: Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Independence: Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Leadership: Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Cooperation: Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Concern for Others: Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Achievement/Effort: Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

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.
Relationships: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Independence: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Achievement: Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
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.
Recognition: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

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Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers

Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Power Distributors and Dispatchers

Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders

Ship Engineers

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

Lay Titles

Acid Tester

Chalk Tester

Consulting Petroleum Geologist

Core Inspector

Crude Tester

Electron Microprobe Operator

Environmental Field Services Technician

Environmental Geologist

Environmental Sampling Technician

Environmental Scientist

Gas Analyst

Gas Prover

Gas Tester

Gasoline Tester

Geological Sample Tester

Geological Technician

Geologist

Geology Technician

Geotechnicial Properties Technician

Hydrology Technician

Laboratory Assistant

Laboratory Manager

Laboratory Technician

Laboratory Worker

Marine Geologist

Materials Technician

Mineral Technologist

Mud Analysis Operator

Mud Analysis Well-Logging Captain

Mud Analysis Well-Logging Operator

Mud Logger

Oil Analyst

Oil Field Tester

Oil Laboratory Analyst

Oil Tester

Oil Well Logger

Ore Tester

Petroleum Analyst

Petroleum Geologist

Quality Control Technician (QC Technician)

Research Associate

Specialist Field Engineer

Temperature Logging Operator

Test Engine Evaluator

Test Engine Operator

Test Technician

Tester

Well Logger

National Wages and Employment Info

Median Wages (2008):: $25.34 hourly, $52,700 annual.

Employment (2008):: 15,360 employees