Also called: AIS Boat Inspector, Zebra Mussel Inspector, Watercraft Decontamination Technician
Inspects boats at lake ramps and highway checkpoints for zebra and quagga mussels and other invaders, and hot-washes the ones that are dirty.
Inspectors stand at boat ramps in the West and Midwest, asking where a boat was last used and checking hulls, motors and live wells for tiny mussels or weeds. If they find something, they blast the boat with 140-degree water. A single mussel-covered boat can infest a reservoir and clog dams and water pipes for millions of dollars.
Usually seasonal hourly work, about May to October; annual figures assume full-time hours. Estimate.
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; paid seasonal training. Many are college students.
Ways in: On-the-job training. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Environmental Science, Biology, Natural Resources.
Growing faster than average. Western states keep adding inspection stations (approx.).
Low risk for 10 years. Apps track boat travel; physically inspecting and washing boats stays human.
Age 16+. One way to start: Apply in spring to your state parks or wildlife agency, or a lake association, for seasonal boat inspector jobs First: A 1–2 day state inspector training; some programs hire 16+, others 18+
Classes: Biology, Environmental science.
Official data: O*NET occupation 45-2011.
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.