Description
Operate or maintain stationary engines, boilers, or other mechanical equipment to provide utilities for buildings or industrial processes. Operate equipment such as steam engines, generators, motors, turbines, and steam boilers.
Interests
- Realistic
- Conventional
- Investigative
Work Values
- Support
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
Work Styles
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Independence
- Adaptability/Flexibility
Tasks
- Operate or tend stationary engines, boilers, and auxiliary equipment, such as pumps, compressors, or air-conditioning equipment, to supply and maintain steam or heat for buildings, marine vessels, or pneumatic tools.
- Activate valves to maintain required amounts of water in boilers, to adjust supplies of combustion air, and to control the flow of fuel into burners.
- Monitor boiler water, chemical, and fuel levels, and make adjustments to maintain required levels.
- Analyze problems and take appropriate action to ensure continuous and reliable operation of equipment and systems.
- Observe and interpret readings on gauges, meters, and charts registering various aspects of boiler operation to ensure that boilers are operating properly.
Work Activities
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
Detailed Work Activities
- Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
- Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
- Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
- Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Technology Skills
- Electronic mail software
- Presentation software
- Facilities management software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Spreadsheet software
Abilities
- Near Vision
- Problem Sensitivity
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Deductive Reasoning
Skills
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Equipment Maintenance
Knowledge
- Mechanical
- Chemistry
- Public Safety and Security
- Physics
- Engineering and Technology
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
Certificate name
Stationary EngineerCertifying Organization
International Union of Operating Engineers
Type
Core
Certificate name
High Capacity Fossil Fuel Fired Plant (Boiler) OperatorCertifying Organization
American Society of Mechanical Engineers International
Type
Advanced
Certificate name
National Board New Construction Inspector CommissionCertifying Organization
The National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors
Type
Advanced
Certificate name
National Board Inservice Inspector CommissionCertifying Organization
The National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors
Type
Advanced
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
| Income Percentile | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $47,789 |
| Median (50%) | $66,001 |
| High (90%) | $96,346 |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
Entry Level  | $62,060 |
| Mid Level | $79,558 |
| Senior Level | $84,455 |
| Expert Level | $102,063 |
Employability
There are currently 35,500 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 36,900 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 4%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of 4%
Related Careers
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.
Career Resources
Search All Careers
Compare Careers
Income Outlook
Career Pathways
Career Clusters
Job Suite Home
CV Templates
Resume Templates
Cover Letter Templates
All Templates
Job Resources
Blog Articles
Podcast