Also called: Underground Research Facility Technician, Physics Lab Technician (Underground)
Works nearly a mile underground in a former gold mine that now hosts physics experiments hunting for dark matter and neutrinos.
At the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota, technicians ride a cage elevator 4,850 feet down, maintain ultra-clean labs, move equipment for experiments, and follow mine safety rules.
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 or technical training; mine safety certification.
Ways in: 2-year college, Certification, On-the-job training. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Physics, Electronics Technology, Mining Technology.
Growing about average. Very few facilities exist.
Low risk for 10 years. Experiments get more automated, but moving gear, cleaning labs and maintaining systems a mile underground needs people on site.
Classes: Physics, Electronics CTE, Chemistry, Shop class.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-4099.
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