Also called: Slope Groomer, Snowcat Driver
Drives giant tracked machines at night to smooth ski slopes into perfect corduroy.
A groomer starts at 10 p.m., drives a snowcat up steep runs with a winch, smooths fresh snow, and finishes as the sun rises before skiers arrive.
Estimate; seasonal, sometimes with housing.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. On-the-job training; heavy equipment experience helps.
Ways in: On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Growing about average. Steady at ski resorts.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Grooming machines now use GPS and snow-depth sensors, and self-driving groomers are being tested.
Age 18+. One way to start: Apply for night grooming jobs at ski resorts; some train new drivers, many prefer equipment experience
Classes: Auto mechanics CTE, Physics, Earth science.
Official data: O*NET occupation 53-7031.
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.