Employers

Approximately 8,500 people are directly employed in the geothermal industry, according to the 2019 U.S. Energy Employment Report from the National Association of State Energy Officials. Most geothermal employment opportunities are in the western United States, where geothermal reservoirs are located. In 2018, the largest share of geothermal electricity produced in the United States was from the following states, by order of top producing to lowest producing: California, Nevada, Utah, Hawaii, Oregon, Idaho, and New Mexico, as reported by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. About 94 percent of the current U.S. geothermal generating capacity was in California and Nevada in 2019. Since magma is located everywhere under the earth’s surface, better technology and more powerful tools may enable geothermal-related projects to be found throughout the United States. Geothermal production managers work for geothermal power generation facilities.

Starting Out

Geothermal production managers start out as geothermal production workers. Many start as apprentices, receiving on-the-job training while still in school. Ask your school's career services office for help finding apprenticeship and entry-level job opportunities. Another good approach is to contact companies directly; search their Web sites for the career section and look for employment openings. Also search for helpful job-search resources on professional associations' Web sites or publications. 

Geothermal production managers advance by taking positions in increasingly larger power facilities in which they manage greater numbers of people and handle more complex projects. They may return to school to earn an advanced degree in business management or industrial engineering. They may also get certified in specialized skills and knowledge to advance their careers.

Read publications such as Global Geothermal News (http://geothermalresourcescouncil.blogspot.com) to learn more about industry trends and access job listings.

Stay up to date on industry news and find job openings through social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Follow industry influencers and company employees to learn more about trending topics.

Visit the following Web sites for job listings:

• https://geothermal.org/employment.html
• https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/geothermal-jobs
• https://www.idealist.org
• https://www.careerbuilder.com
• https://www.indeed.com
• https://www.glassdoor.com

Join the Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) and other organizations to access training and networking resources, industry publications, and employment opportunities.

Attend geothermal energy events and conferences to network with others and learn more about potential job opportunities. Find event listings at the GRC's Web site, https://geothermal.org/calendar.html.