Also called: Used Oil Analysis Technician, Lubricant Lab Analyst
Tests used engine and machine oil for metal bits, dirt and water to warn when a jet engine, truck or wind turbine is wearing out.
Hundreds of small sample bottles from trucking fleets, mines and the military arrive each morning. You run them through spectrometers that spot iron and copper from worn gears and check thickness and water content. When one sample is full of coolant, you flag it: that engine is about to fail.
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 degree in chemistry or lab technology, or on-the-job training.
Ways in: 2-year college, On-the-job training, Certification. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Chemical Technology, Chemistry.
Growing about average. Steady; predictive maintenance keeps growing.
Medium risk for 10 years. Automated lab lines and AI reports handle routine samples; spotting odd failures and advising maintenance teams stay human.
Classes: Chemistry, Auto shop, Algebra.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-4031.
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.