Also called: ATD Technician, Crash Lab Technician
Maintains, calibrates and places the high-tech crash test dummies used in car safety tests.
You carefully seat a dummy packed with sensors in the driver's seat, measuring exactly where its head and knees sit. After the crash you inspect it for damage, download its data, and recalibrate it for the next test.
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 in engineering technology or on-the-job training.
Ways in: 2-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Engineering Technology.
Growing about average. Tiny specialty at automakers and safety labs.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Virtual crash tests reduce some physical tests; calibrating and placing dummies stays hands-on.
Classes: Anatomy, Physics, Electronics CTE, Auto shop.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-3027.
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.