Occupation information for

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.

Currently Employed: 600

Projected Annual Job Openings: 70

Typical Hourly Wage: $28.73 - $38.62

Typical Annual Salary: $59,800 - $80,300

• 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 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.
• Monitor boiler water, chemical, and fuel levels, and make adjustments to maintain required levels.
• Observe and interpret readings on gauges, meters, and charts registering various aspects of boiler operation to ensure that boilers are operating properly.
• Test boiler water quality or arrange for testing and take necessary corrective action, such as adding chemicals to prevent corrosion and harmful deposits.
• Analyze problems and take appropriate action to ensure continuous and reliable operation of equipment and systems.
• 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.
• Fire coal furnaces by hand or with stokers and gas- or oil-fed boilers, using automatic gas feeds or oil pumps.
• Adjust controls and/or valves on equipment to provide power, and to regulate and set operations of system or industrial processes.
• Switch from automatic to manual controls and isolate equipment mechanically and electrically to allow for safe inspection and repair work.

• Gas welding or brazing or cutting apparatus
• Pneumatic sanding machines
• Pressure indicators
• Screwdrivers
• Voltage or current meters

• Data base user interface and query software
• Electronic mail software
• Facilities management software
• Spreadsheet software
• Word processing software