Also called: Moon Dirt Lab Technician
Makes and tests fake moon and Mars dirt that engineers use to test rovers, drills, and construction.
You crush, sieve, and mix volcanic rock into a powder that behaves like moon dust, then fill test bins for a rover team. Moon dust is sharp and clingy, so you wear protective gear.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Associate's degree (2-year), about 2 years after high school. Associate or bachelor's in geology or lab science.
Ways in: 2-year college, 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Geology, Laboratory Technology.
Growing faster than average. Tiny niche.
Low risk for 10 years. Automated testing helps, but making and handling fake moon dirt stays hands-on lab work.
Classes: Earth science, Chemistry, Shop class, Algebra.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-4042.
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