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. Geothermal technicians work for geothermal power plants and utility companies. Many employment opportunities in the geothermal industry are in the western United States, where geothermal reservoirs are located. About 94 percent of the current U.S. geothermal generating capacity was in California and Nevada in 2019, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Geothermal electric power generation also occurs in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. 

Starting Out

Geothermal technicians usually start as apprentices while in school. They train while on the job. Ask your school's career services office for help with finding apprenticeships and entry-level positions with geothermal companies. Search professional associations' Web sites for career resources and job listings. For example, the Geothermal Resources Council (https://geothermal.org/employment.html) offers job listings. Other options for finding job opportunities and learning more about goethermal companies is through employment Web sites such as Indeed and Simply Hired, as well as through LinkedIn.

Geothermal technicians with several years of experience may advance to become supervisors, overseeing the work of other technicians. They may advance by continuing their education and seeking further training in operating geothermal power plant equipment and systems. They may get certified or go back to school to earn a bachelor's degree or master's degree in industrial engineering or a related field. 

Keep up with industry trends and find job lisings by reading publications such as the Global Geothermal News (http://geothermalresourcescouncil.blogspot.com/).

Look for job listings on social media such as LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/geothermal-jobs. And follow geothermal companies on sites such as Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date on industry news and employment opportunities.

Find job listings by searching employment Web sites such as:

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

Attend industry events and conferences to meet geothermal professionals and make valuable work connections. Find event listings at Geothermal Resources Council's Web site, https://geothermal.org/calendar.html.

Become a member of the Geothermal Resources Council and other organizations to access training and networking resources, industry publications, and employment opportunities. If you are a college student, check to see if they offer student memberships.