Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
Overview
SaveJob Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Experience
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Education
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Examples
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, desktop publishers, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters and simultaneous captioners, and medical assistants.
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.
Yearly Salary
| High: | $103K |
| Median: | $64K |
| Low: | $40K |
Demand
Core 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.
- Fire coal furnaces by hand or with stokers and gas- or oil-fed boilers, using automatic gas feeds or oil pumps.
- Maintain daily logs of operation, maintenance, and safety activities, including test results, instrument readings, and details of equipment malfunctions and maintenance work.
- Observe and interpret readings on gauges, meters, and charts registering various aspects of boiler operation to ensure that boilers are operating properly.
- Supervise the work of assistant stationary engineers, turbine operators, boiler tenders, or air conditioning and refrigeration operators and mechanics.
- Test boiler water quality or arrange for testing and take necessary corrective action, such as adding chemicals to prevent corrosion and harmful deposits.
- Monitor and inspect equipment, computer terminals, switches, valves, gauges, alarms, safety devices, and meters to detect leaks or malfunctions and to ensure that equipment is operating efficiently and safely.
- Switch from automatic to manual controls and isolate equipment mechanically and electrically to allow for safe inspection and repair work.
- Adjust controls and/or valves on equipment to provide power, and to regulate and set operations of system or industrial processes.
- Perform or arrange for repairs, such as complete overhauls, replacement of defective valves, gaskets, or bearings, or fabrication of new parts.
- Clean and lubricate boilers and auxiliary equipment and make minor adjustments as needed, using hand tools.
- Develop operation, safety, and maintenance procedures or assist in their development.
- Investigate and report on accidents.
- Test electrical systems to determine voltages, using voltage meters.
- Contact equipment manufacturers or appropriate specialists when necessary to resolve equipment problems.
- Weigh, measure, and record fuel used.
- Install burners and auxiliary equipment, using hand tools.
- Receive instructions from steam engineers regarding steam plant and air compressor operations.
- Operate mechanical hoppers and provide assistance in their adjustment and repair.
- Check the air quality of ventilation systems and make adjustments to ensure compliance with mandated safety codes.
- Provide assistance to plumbers in repairing or replacing water, sewer, or waste lines, and in daily maintenance activities.
- Ignite fuel in burners, using torches or flames.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Mechanical
82%
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Chemistry
68%
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.
Public Safety and Security
67%
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.
Engineering and Technology
64%
Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Physics
64%
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.
Computers and Electronics
62%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
English Language
62%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Mathematics
62%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Production and Processing
62%
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Building and Construction
60%
Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Top 10 Skills
Operations Monitoring
80%
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control
68%
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Active Listening
65%
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.
Critical Thinking
65%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Equipment Maintenance
65%
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Repairing
65%
Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Troubleshooting
65%
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Active Learning
63%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Complex Problem Solving
63%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Coordination
63%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Top 10 Abilities
Near Vision
78%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Problem Sensitivity
75%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Oral Comprehension
73%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
70%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Deductive Reasoning
65%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
65%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Information Ordering
65%
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Perceptual Speed
65%
The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
63%
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Auditory Attention
63%
The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
Top 10 Work Activities
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
89%
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
89%
Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
86%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Controlling Machines and Processes
84%
Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
82%
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
81%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Getting Information
81%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
81%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Processing Information
80%
Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
78%
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Detailed Work Activities
- Operate pumping systems or equipment.
- Operate energy production equipment.
- Adjust equipment controls to regulate gas flow.
- Adjust equipment controls to regulate flow of water, cleaning solutions, or other liquids.
- Monitor equipment fluid levels.
- Troubleshoot equipment or systems operation problems.
- Monitor equipment operation to ensure proper functioning.
- Record operational or production data.
- Test chemical or physical characteristics of materials or products.
- Watch operating equipment to detect malfunctions.
- Inspect production equipment.
- Operate energy distribution equipment.
- Repair production equipment or tools.
- Adjust flow of electricity to tools or production equipment.
- Clean production equipment.
- Lubricate production equipment.
- Plan production or operational procedures or sequences.
- Test electrical equipment or systems to ensure proper functioning.
- Confer with others to resolve production problems or equipment malfunctions.
- Measure ingredients or substances to be used in production processes.
- Exchange information with colleagues.
- Assemble electromechanical or hydraulic systems.
- Maintain production or processing equipment.
- Ignite fuel to activate heating equipment.
- Direct operational or production activities.
- Investigate accidents to determine causes.
- Notify others of emergencies, problems, or hazards.
- Adjust equipment to ensure optimal performance.
- Operate industrial equipment.
Education
Interests
Realistic
100%
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
Conventional
67%
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
Investigative
47%
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
Enterprising
18%
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
Social
16%
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Artistic
15%
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.
Work Values
Support
72%
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
67%
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
53%
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
53%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Achievement
39%
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.
Recognition
34%
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.