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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.

What you’d do

  • Operate controls to stabilize machines and to position and align drills.
  • Start, stop, and control drilling speed of machines and insertion of casings into holes.
  • Regulate air pressure, rotary speed, and downward pressure, according to the type of rock or concrete being drilled.
  • Select and attach drill bits and drill rods, adding more rods as hole depths increase, and changing drill bits as needed.
  • Drive or guide truck-mounted equipment into position, level and stabilize rigs, and extend telescoping derricks.
  • Operate machines to flush earth cuttings or to blow dust from holes.
  • Verify depths and alignments of boring positions.
  • Perform routine maintenance and upgrade work on machines and equipment, such as replacing parts, building up drill bits, and lubricating machinery.

Skills that matter

  • Operations Monitoring
  • Operation and Control
  • Critical Thinking
  • Equipment Maintenance
  • Monitoring
  • Active Listening

How to get there

Little to some preparation: usually a high school diploma or GED, though some jobs do not need one

Also called

  • Blast Hole Driller
  • Drill Operator
  • Driller
  • Well Driller
  • Diamond Driller
  • Hard Rock Drill Operator

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