Career Overview
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.
Also Known As
- Boiler Operator
- Operating Engineer
- Stationary Engineer
- Utilities Operator
Alternate Job Titles
- Air Compressor Engineer
- Air Compressor Operator
- Air Conditioning Engineer (AC Engineer)
- Air Plant Engineer
- Auxiliary Operator
- Blowing Engineer
- Boiler Engineer
- Boiler Fireman
- Boiler Operator
- Boiler Plant Equipment Mechanic
- Boiler Plant Operator
- Boiler Room Operator
- Boiler Service Technician (Boiler Service Tech)
- Boiler Technician (Boiler Tech)
- Breaker Engineer
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- 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.
- Maintain daily logs of operation, maintenance, and safety activities, including test results, instrument readings, and details of equipment malfunctions and maintenance work.
- Test boiler water quality or arrange for testing and take necessary corrective action, such as adding chemicals to prevent corrosion and harmful deposits.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Mechanical
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Operations Monitoring
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Near Vision
- Problem Sensitivity
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Perceptual Speed
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Information Ordering
- Written Comprehension
- Manual Dexterity
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Stress Tolerance
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Support
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
- Independence
- Achievement
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
Education Details: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Experience Required: 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.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- SAP software
Tools & Equipment
- Adjustable wrenches
- Amp meters
- Bench lathes
- Bourdon tubes
- Claw hammers
- Colorimeters
- Combustion analyzers
- Conductivity meters
- Descalers
- Dial calipers
- Dial indicators
- Digital multimeters
- Drill presses
- Dropping pipettes
- Electric drain augers
Work Environment
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Health and Safety of Other Workers
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $47,310 |
| Median | $75,190 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $121,200 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 30,780
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Power Plant Operators
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $99,670
Biomass Plant Technicians
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $99,670
Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $74,690
Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $71,510
Mechanical Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $102,320
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.