BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasEarth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas

O*NET · 47-5023.00

Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas

Operate a variety of drills such as rotary, churn, and pneumatic to tap subsurface water and salt deposits, to remove core samples during mineral exploration or soil testing, and to facilitate the use of explosives in mining or construction. Includes horizontal and earth boring machine operators.

Also called Auger Operator · Blast Driller · Blast Hole Driller · Boring Machine Operator · Churn Drill Operator · Churn Driller · Construction Driller · Construction Well Drill Operator
56 more

Core Driller · Debris Monitor · Deep Well Contractor · Diamond Driller · Directional Drill Operator · Directional Driller · Drill Hand · Drill Operator · Drill Rig Operator · Drill Runner · Drill Technician · Driller · Drilling Assistant · Drilling Machine Operator · Drilling Machine Runner · Earth Auger Operator · Earth Boring Machine Operator · Electric Drill Operator · Environmental Driller · Environmental Sampler · Foundation Drill Operator · Geotechnical Operating Engineer · Geothermal and Well Drilling Operator · Geothermal Operating Engineer · Ground Water Contractor · Hard Rock Drill Operator · Highwall Drill Operator · Hole Digger Operator · Horizontal Directional Drill Operator · Horizontal Drill Operator · Horizontal Earth Boring Machine Operator · Horizontal Machinist · Hydraulic Rock Drill Operator · Jumper · Machine Driller · Post Hole Digger · Post Hole Digging Machine Operator · Raise Driller · Rock Drill Operator · Shot Core Drill Operator · Soil Sampler · Stoper · Test Borer · Test Driller · Tunneling Machine Operator · Underground Drill Operator · Wagon Drill Operator · Wagon Driller · Wagoner · Wash Driller · Water Blaster · Water Well Driller · Well Digger · Well Drill Operator · Well Driller · Well Testing Operator

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCI35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCIRealistic · Conventional · Investigative — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic7.00
  • C Conventional3.67
  • I Investigative3.65
  • E Enterprising1.70
  • S Social1.22
  • A Artistic1.14

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma15%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent73%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate12%
Related work experience
None (30%)
On-site or in-plant training
Up to and including 1 month (23%)
On-the-job training
Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (28%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Operations Monitoring4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Monitor machine functions on an automated production line
  • Operation and Control3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Adjust the speed of assembly line equipment based on the product being assembled
  • Equipment Maintenance3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Clean moving parts in production machinery
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Monitoringbasic3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
  • Active Listeningbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Coordination3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Quality Control Analysis3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Troubleshooting3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Speakingbasic3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Complex Problem Solving3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Equipment Selection3.02.5Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
Show the other 23
  • Repairing2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Time Management2.92.3Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Instructing2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic2.82.5Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Active Learningbasic2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Social Perceptiveness2.62.1Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Writingbasic2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Service Orientation2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Persuasion2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Negotiation2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Systems Analysis2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Mathematicsbasic2.31.8Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Systems Evaluation2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Operations Analysis1.91.4Level 2 looks like: Select a printer for an office
  • Management of Material Resources1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Technology Design1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Adjust exercise equipment for use by a customer
  • Installation1.91.0Level 2 looks like: Install a new air filter in an air conditioner
  • Management of Financial Resources1.81.0Level 2 looks like: Use available funds to buy office supplies and record the amount of the purchase
  • Sciencebasic1.60.8
  • Programming1.0—

Tasks

14 core · 14 supplemental · 1 not yet rated

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Operate controls to stabilize machines and to position and align drills.4.4
  2. Regulate air pressure, rotary speed, and downward pressure, according to the type of rock or concrete being drilled.4.3
  3. Start, stop, and control drilling speed of machines and insertion of casings into holes.4.3
  4. Select and attach drill bits and drill rods, adding more rods as hole depths increase, and changing drill bits as needed.4.3
  5. Operate machines to flush earth cuttings or to blow dust from holes.4.2
  6. Drive or guide truck-mounted equipment into position, level and stabilize rigs, and extend telescoping derricks.4.2
  7. Verify depths and alignments of boring positions.4.1
  8. Select the appropriate drill for the job, using knowledge of rock or soil conditions.4.1
  9. Perform routine maintenance and upgrade work on machines and equipment, such as replacing parts, building up drill bits, and lubricating machinery.4.1
  10. Document geological formations encountered during work.4.1
  11. Drive trucks, tractors, or truck-mounted drills to and from work sites.4.0
  12. Record drilling progress and geological data.4.0
Show the other 17
  1. Retrieve lost equipment from bore holes, using retrieval tools and equipment.4.0
  2. Assemble and position machines, augers, casing pipes, and other equipment, using hand and power tools.4.0
  3. Fabricate well casings.4.4
  4. Pour water into wells, or pump water or slush into wells to cool drill bits and to remove drillings.4.3
  5. Create and lay out designs for drill and blast patterns.4.2
  6. Place and install screens, casings, pumps, and other well fixtures to develop wells.4.1
  7. Operate water-well drilling rigs and other equipment to drill, bore, and dig for water wells or for environmental assessment purposes.4.0
  8. Review client requirements and proposed locations for drilling operations to determine feasibility, and to determine cost estimates.3.9
  9. Drill or bore holes in rock for blasting, grouting, anchoring, or building foundations.3.8
  10. Perform pumping tests to assess well performance.3.8
  11. Design well pumping systems.3.7
  12. Disinfect, reconstruct, and redevelop contaminated wells and water pumping systems, and clean and disinfect new wells in preparation for use.3.7
  13. Withdraw drill rods from holes, and extract core samples.3.5
  14. Signal crane operators to move equipment.3.5
  15. Retract augers to force discharge dirt from holes.3.4
  16. Inspect core samples to determine nature of strata, or take samples to laboratories for analysis.3.4
  17. Monitor drilling operations, by checking gauges and listening to equipment to assess drilling conditions and to determine the need to adjust drilling or alter equipment.

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Mechanical3.54.5Level 4 looks like: Replace a valve on a steam pipe
  • Administration and Management3.32.8
  • Public Safety and Security3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Inspect a building site for safety violations
  • Transportation3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Drive a semi-truck through a busy city
  • Design3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Design plans for remodeling a kitchen
  • Mathematics3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Analyze data to determine areas with the highest sales
  • Production and Processing2.92.9
  • Customer and Personal Service2.82.4Level 1 looks like: Process a customer's dry-cleaning drop off
Show all 33
  • Engineering and Technology2.83.2Level 4 looks like: Design a custom office chair
  • English Language2.82.6
  • Law and Government2.82.8
  • Education and Training2.72.6
  • Administrative2.42.0Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Physics2.32.7
  • Geography2.22.0Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Chemistry2.12.2Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Psychology2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Building and Construction2.02.1Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Telecommunications2.01.5Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Biology1.81.4Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Economics and Accounting1.80.4Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.81.4Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Communications and Media1.71.2Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Personnel and Human Resources1.61.1Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Sales and Marketing1.6—
  • Computers and Electronics1.51.2Level 1 looks like: Operate a media player to watch a training video
  • Foreign Language1.40.6Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.40.6Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Therapy and Counseling1.40.9Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • History and Archeology1.30.5Level 1 looks like: Take a class in US history
  • Philosophy and Theology1.3—
  • Fine Arts1.0—
  • Food Production1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Control Precision4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Adjust farm tractor controls
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.93.1Level 4 looks like: Thread a needle
  • Multilimb Coordination3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Operate a forklift truck in a warehouse
  • Reaction Time3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Press a button to stop operation when a warning light goes off
  • Manual Dexterity3.83.4Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Depth Perception3.63.6Level 4 looks like: Operate a crane to move materials from a truck bed to the ground
  • Near Vision3.53.3Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Rate Control3.53.1Level 4 looks like: Keep up with a car that changes speed
Show all 52
  • Perceptual Speed3.43.5Level 4 looks like: Read five pressure indicators in 10 seconds to make sure each is within safe limits
  • Deductive Reasoning3.33.1Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Far Vision3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Read the slides on a presentation from across a room
  • Hearing Sensitivity3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Information Ordering3.33.1Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Oral Comprehension3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Problem Sensitivity3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
  • Visualization3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Follow a diagram to assemble a metal storage cabinet
  • Finger Dexterity3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Inductive Reasoning3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Determine the prime suspect based on crime scene evidence
  • Visual Color Discrimination3.12.6
  • Auditory Attention3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Flexibility of Closure3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Oral Expression3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Place an order at a restaurant drive-thru
  • Selective Attention3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Speech Clarity3.02.9
  • Written Comprehension3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Written Expression3.02.9
  • Category Flexibility2.93.1Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Response Orientation2.92.9Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Speech Recognition2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Time Sharing2.92.9Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Fluency of Ideas2.82.1Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Speed of Closure2.82.4Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Spatial Orientation2.62.4Level 2 looks like: Use the floor plan to locate a store in a mall
  • Trunk Strength2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Extent Flexibility2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Glare Sensitivity2.42.0Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Originality2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Static Strength2.42.4Level 1 looks like: Push an empty shopping cart
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.31.9Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.31.8Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Stamina2.31.6Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.31.9Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Memorization2.12.1Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Night Vision2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Read street signs at dusk (just after sunset)
  • Number Facility2.02.1Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Peripheral Vision2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Sound Localization2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Listen to a sound system to determine which speaker is working
  • Dynamic Strength1.91.4Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Explosive Strength1.91.5Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
  • Gross Body Coordination1.81.4Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.81.4Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.1—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.65.0Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Controlling Machines and Processes4.54.9Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment4.44.9Level 4 looks like: Change the oil on a tractor
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment4.24.4Level 4 looks like: Drive an 18-wheel tractor-trailer
  • Getting Information4.13.2Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.04.3Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.95.5Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.94.5Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
Show all 41
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.95.3Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.83.6Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.84.5Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.53.8Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Assisting and Caring for Others3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.43.7Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Thinking Creatively3.33.7Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Training and Teaching Others3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.23.5Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others3.22.7
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.23.2Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.13.2Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates3.12.9
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.14.0Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Work as a chef responsible for ordering food for the menu
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.03.4Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.03.2Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.93.4Level 4 looks like: Develop the plan to complete the merger of two organizations over a 3-year period
  • Developing and Building Teams2.92.6
  • Documenting/Recording Information2.92.5Level 1 looks like: Record the weight of a patient during a routine health exam
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships2.93.5Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public2.93.6Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Processing Information2.93.4Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.92.6
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.73.4Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization2.72.4Level 1 looks like: Have little contact with people outside the organization
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment2.72.5Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.73.0Level 4 looks like: Make repairs by removing and replacing circuit boards
  • Coaching and Developing Others2.62.7
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.42.5Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that requires little advising of others
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.12.2Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Working with Computers1.81.5Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database
  • Staffing Organizational Units1.61.2Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.8
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.7
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.5
  • Freedom to Make Decisions4.5
  • Exposed to Hazardous Equipment4.4
  • Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.4
  • Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions4.4
  • Exposed to Contaminants4.2
  • Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions4.2
  • Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals4.1

Technology

4 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (3)

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (1)
  • Global positioning system GPS software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
  2. Helpers--Extraction Workers
  3. Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
  4. Continuous Mining Machine Operators
  5. Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
  6. Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
  7. Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
  8. Roustabouts, Oil and Gas
  9. Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas
  10. Construction Laborers

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.