Careers > Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators

Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators

$67.12K Median Salary 4K Job Openings (Annual Projection) 5.9% Job Growth

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About This Career

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.

Reported Job Titles

Auxiliary Operator, Boiler Operator, Boiler Technician (Boiler Tech), Operating Engineer, Operator, Plant Utilities Engineer, Recovery Boiler Operator, Stationary Engineer, Stationary Steam Engineer, Utilities Operator

Career data shown for:

Skills You'll Need

Click on skills to find related courses.

Abilities

Near Vision

Problem Sensitivity

Oral Comprehension

Oral Expression

Deductive Reasoning

Inductive Reasoning

Information Ordering

Perceptual Speed

Arm-Hand Steadiness

Auditory Attention

Category Flexibility

Control Precision

Finger Dexterity

Manual Dexterity

Multilimb Coordination

Reaction Time

Selective Attention

Written Comprehension

Far Vision

Speech Clarity

Speech Recognition

Written Expression

Knowledge

Mechanical

Chemistry

Public Safety and Security

Physics

Engineering and Technology

English Language

Computers and Electronics

Mathematics

Production and Processing

Skills

Operations Monitoring

Operation and Control

Active Listening

Critical Thinking

Equipment Maintenance

Repairing

Troubleshooting

Active Learning

Complex Problem Solving

Coordination

Judgment and Decision Making

Monitoring

Quality Control Analysis

Reading Comprehension

Speaking

Time Management

Technology Skills

Electronic mail software

Presentation software

Facilities management software

Data base user interface and query software

Spreadsheet software

Graphics or photo imaging software

Enterprise resource planning ERP software

Office suite software

Word processing software

Analytical or scientific software

Internet browser software

Web platform development software

Operating system software

Tools

Screwdrivers

Pressure indicators

Pneumatic sanding machines

Gas welding or brazing or cutting apparatus

Voltage or current meters

Remote reading thermometers

Pipe or tube cutter

Dial indicator or dial gauge

Multimeters

Masks or accessories

Air pumps

Drill press or radial drill

Calipers

Heat tracing equipment

Psychrometers

Levels

Cutting die

Cleaning scrapers

Opacity or dust or visibility sensors

Hammer drills

pH meters

Socket sets

Squares

Tapping machine

Respiration air supplying self contained breathing apparatus or accessories

Explosimeters

Tracer or duplicating or contouring lathe

Protective gloves

Hydraulic truck cranes

Temperature transmitters

Pressure or vacuum recorders

Laboratory graduated cylinders

Pressure or steam cleaners

Ear plugs

Taps

Threading taps

Pressure sensors

Drain or pipe cleaning equipment

Oil gun

Claw hammer

Microcontrollers

Shielded metal arc welding or stick welding machine

Floor or platform scales

Grapples

Pressure transmitters

Two way radios

Ladders

Micrometers

Grease guns

Ratchets

Ohmmeters

Hydraulic press frames

Scaffolding

Safety glasses

Forklifts

Power drills

Dropping pipettes

Hydrometers

Locking pliers

Thermocouples

Turbidimeters

Adjustable wrenches

Personal computers

Pipe wrenches

Power meters

Colorimeters

Conductivity meters

Power saws

Abilities

Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
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 that there is a problem.
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).
Information Ordering: 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: 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: 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: The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
Category Flexibility: The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Control Precision: The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Finger Dexterity: The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Manual Dexterity: The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Multilimb Coordination: The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Reaction Time: The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Far Vision: The ability to see details at a distance.
Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Knowledge

Mechanical: Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
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.
Public Safety and Security: 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.
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.
Engineering and Technology: 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.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Production and Processing: Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Skills

Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
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.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Repairing: Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Technology Skills

Electronic mail software: IBM Notes; Microsoft Exchange; Microsoft Outlook
Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint
Facilities management software: Maintenance management software
Data base user interface and query software: Blackboard software; Database software; Microsoft Access; Yardi software
Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
Graphics or photo imaging software: SmugMug Flickr
Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne; Oracle PeopleSoft; Oracle PeopleSoft Financials; SAP software
Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
Word processing software: 3M Post-it App; Evernote; Google Docs; Microsoft Word
Analytical or scientific software: Statistical analysis software; TapRooT
Internet browser software: Web browser software
Web platform development software: Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP
Operating system software: Microsoft Windows

Tools

Screwdrivers: Mini screwdriver sets
Pressure indicators: Pressure meters
Pneumatic sanding machines:
Gas welding or brazing or cutting apparatus: Brazing torches
Voltage or current meters: Digital voltmeters DVM
Remote reading thermometers: Non-contact thermometers
Pipe or tube cutter: Flange facing machines
Dial indicator or dial gauge: Dial indicators
Multimeters:
Masks or accessories: Dust masks
Air pumps: Aeration pumps
Drill press or radial drill: Drill presses; Punch presses; Radial drills
Calipers: Dial calipers; Digital calipers; Vernier calipers
Heat tracing equipment: Infrared thermometers
Psychrometers:
Levels: Optical levels
Cutting die: Cutting dies
Cleaning scrapers:
Opacity or dust or visibility sensors: Opacity meters
Hammer drills: Underwater hammer drills
pH meters: pH monitors
Socket sets: Socket wrench sets
Squares:
Tapping machine: Horizontal tapping machines; Semi-automatic tapping machines
Respiration air supplying self contained breathing apparatus or accessories: Self-contained breathing apparatus
Explosimeters:
Tracer or duplicating or contouring lathe: Lathes
Protective gloves: Safety gloves
Hydraulic truck cranes: Hydraulic booms
Temperature transmitters: Electronic temperature sensors
Pressure or vacuum recorders: Pressure gauges
Laboratory graduated cylinders: Graduated glass laboratory cylinders
Pressure or steam cleaners: Pressure cleaners
Ear plugs: Protective ear plugs
Taps: Metal cutting taps
Threading taps: Tap sets
Pressure sensors: Spring gauges
Drain or pipe cleaning equipment: Pipe cleaning equipment
Oil gun: Oilers
Claw hammer: Claw hammers
Microcontrollers: Programmable logic controllers PLC
Shielded metal arc welding or stick welding machine: Underwater welding equipment
Floor or platform scales: Industrial floor scales
Grapples: Timber tongs
Pressure transmitters: Pressure gauges
Two way radios:
Ladders: Extension ladders
Micrometers:
Grease guns:
Ratchets: Ratchet sets
Ohmmeters: Digital ohmmeters
Hydraulic press frames: Hydraulic hot presses
Scaffolding:
Safety glasses: Protective safety glasses
Forklifts:
Power drills: Hand drills
Dropping pipettes:
Hydrometers: Urometers
Locking pliers: Channel lock pliers; Vise grip pliers
Thermocouples:
Turbidimeters: Turbidity monitors
Adjustable wrenches: Adjustable hand wrenches
Personal computers:
Pipe wrenches:
Power meters: Direct current DC power testers
Colorimeters:
Conductivity meters:
Power saws: Chain saws

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