Also called: Pig Launcher Technician, Pipeline Cleaning Technician
Sends bullet-shaped devices called 'pigs' through oil and gas pipelines to scrape out wax and water or scan the steel for cracks, then catches them miles away.
You open a launcher valve on a gas pipeline and load a foam pig, then pressure pushes it down the line. You drive 40 miles to the receiver and wait as it arrives, covered in black sludge. Next week a smart pig loaded with sensors will scan the pipe for corrosion.
Estimated from pipeline service postings; overtime common.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. High school diploma; companies train technicians on the job.
Ways in: On-the-job training, 2-year college. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Process Technology, Industrial Maintenance, Pipeline Technology.
Growing about average. Federal safety rules require regular pipeline cleaning and inspection.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Smart pigs collect more data, but launching, tracking and receiving them in the field stays hands-on.
Classes: Physics, Shop or welding CTE, Driver education.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.