Salary Range
Low (10th %)$40,560
Median$56,660
High (90th %)$82,280
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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.
The occupation "Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas" has an automation risk of 37.5%, which closely aligns with its calculated base risk of 37.9%. This risk level suggests that while certain elements of the job are susceptible to automation, a significant portion still requires human involvement. Earth drillers work on construction sites, quarries, and infrastructure projects, often facing constantly changing environments and site-specific challenges. Automation in this context is influenced by technological advancements in machinery, but it is hindered by the unpredictable nature of geological conditions and the need for real-time human decision-making. As robotics, AI, and sensor technologies progress, some tasks can be automated, but full replacement is difficult due to these complexities. The most automatable tasks for this occupation are primarily mechanistic and involve consistent, repetitive actions. These include operating controls to stabilize machines and align drills, starting and stopping the drilling operations, and regulating technical parameters like air pressure, rotary speed, and downward force depending on the substrata encountered. These tasks are relatively straightforward for machines and software to replicate, especially with advances in industrial automation, sensors, and remote monitoring technologies. Automated systems can easily follow programmed procedures to ensure optimal machine performance and safety standards, thus explaining the moderate automation risk. However, the occupation's overall automation risk is mitigated by several resistant tasks requiring nuanced judgment, adaptability, and direct physical inspection. Monitoring drilling operations involves assessing machine feedback through gauges and auditory cues—a process that often demands immediate interpretation and adjustments based on subtle, context-specific signals. Tasks such as retracting augers to discharge dirt and inspecting core samples for geological analysis require hands-on problem-solving and interpretation of complex, unstructured data. The skills acting as bottlenecks, such as originality (2.4% and 2.1%), underscore the need for human creativity and adaptability in unforeseen situations, where the ability to devise innovative solutions remains critical and difficult for current AI and robotic systems to replicate fully. This blend of automatable procedures and human-centric problem-solving results in a moderate, rather than high, risk of automation for earth drillers outside the oil and gas sector.
Filter by Automatable Status
Operate controls to stabilize machines and to position and align drills.
Partially Automatable
Start, stop, and control drilling speed of machines and insertion of casings into holes.
Partially Automatable
Regulate air pressure, rotary speed, and downward pressure, according to the type of rock or concrete being drilled.
Automatable
Select and attach drill bits and drill rods, adding more rods as hole depths increase, and changing drill bits as needed.
Non-Automatable
Drive or guide truck-mounted equipment into position, level and stabilize rigs, and extend telescoping derricks.
Non-Automatable
Operate machines to flush earth cuttings or to blow dust from holes.
Partially Automatable
Verify depths and alignments of boring positions.
Partially Automatable
Select the appropriate drill for the job, using knowledge of rock or soil conditions.
Partially Automatable
Document geological formations encountered during work.
Partially Automatable
Drive trucks, tractors, or truck-mounted drills to and from work sites.
Partially Automatable
Assemble and position machines, augers, casing pipes, and other equipment, using hand and power tools.
Non-Automatable
Record drilling progress and geological data.
Partially Automatable
Retrieve lost equipment from bore holes, using retrieval tools and equipment.
Non-Automatable
Fabricate well casings.
Partially Automatable
Create and lay out designs for drill and blast patterns.
Partially Automatable
Place and install screens, casings, pumps, and other well fixtures to develop wells.
Non-Automatable
Operate water-well drilling rigs and other equipment to drill, bore, and dig for water wells or for environmental assessment purposes.
Partially Automatable
Review client requirements and proposed locations for drilling operations to determine feasibility, and to determine cost estimates.
Partially Automatable
Drill or bore holes in rock for blasting, grouting, anchoring, or building foundations.
Non-Automatable
Perform pumping tests to assess well performance.
Partially Automatable
Design well pumping systems.
Partially Automatable
Signal crane operators to move equipment.
Non-Automatable
Withdraw drill rods from holes, and extract core samples.
Non-Automatable
Inspect core samples to determine nature of strata, or take samples to laboratories for analysis.
Partially Automatable
Retract augers to force discharge dirt from holes.
Partially Automatable
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.
Partially Automatable
Perform routine maintenance and upgrade work on machines and equipment, such as replacing parts, building up drill bits, and lubricating machinery.
Non-Automatable
Pour water into wells, or pump water or slush into wells to cool drill bits and to remove drillings.
Non-Automatable
Disinfect, reconstruct, and redevelop contaminated wells and water pumping systems, and clean and disinfect new wells in preparation for use.
Non-Automatable
Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingOperations MonitoringQuality Control AnalysisSystems EvaluationManagement of Personnel ResourcesWritingSpeakingMathematicsScienceActive LearningLearning StrategiesMonitoringSocial PerceptivenessCoordinationPersuasionNegotiationInstructingService OrientationOperations AnalysisTechnology DesignEquipment SelectionInstallationProgrammingOperation and ControlEquipment MaintenanceTroubleshootingRepairingJudgment and Decision MakingSystems AnalysisTime ManagementManagement of Financial ResourcesManagement of Material Resources
Arm-Hand SteadinessAuditory AttentionCategory FlexibilityControl PrecisionDeductive ReasoningDepth PerceptionDynamic FlexibilityDynamic StrengthExplosive StrengthExtent FlexibilityFar VisionFinger DexterityFlexibility of ClosureFluency of IdeasGlare SensitivityGross Body CoordinationGross Body EquilibriumHearing SensitivityInductive ReasoningInformation OrderingManual DexterityMathematical ReasoningMemorizationMultilimb CoordinationNear VisionNight VisionNumber FacilityOral ComprehensionOral ExpressionOriginalityPerceptual SpeedPeripheral VisionProblem SensitivityRate ControlReaction TimeResponse OrientationSelective AttentionSound LocalizationSpatial OrientationSpeech ClaritySpeech RecognitionSpeed of ClosureSpeed of Limb MovementStaminaStatic StrengthTime SharingTrunk StrengthVisual Color DiscriminationVisualizationWrist-Finger SpeedWritten ComprehensionWritten Expression
Administration and ManagementAdministrativeEconomics and AccountingSales and MarketingCustomer and Personal ServicePersonnel and Human ResourcesProduction and ProcessingFood ProductionComputers and ElectronicsEngineering and TechnologyDesignBuilding and ConstructionMechanicalMathematicsHistory and ArcheologyPhilosophy and TheologyPublic Safety and SecurityPhysicsChemistryBiologyPsychologySociology and AnthropologyGeographyMedicine and DentistryForeign LanguageEnglish LanguageFine ArtsEducation and TrainingTelecommunicationsCommunications and MediaTransportationTherapy and CounselingLaw and Government
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationGetting InformationIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleProcessing InformationEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsAnalyzing Data or InformationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsThinking CreativelyUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesScheduling Work and ActivitiesOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentWorking with ComputersRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentDocumenting/Recording InformationDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsAssisting and Caring for OthersSelling or Influencing OthersResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsTraining and Teaching OthersGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesCoaching and Developing OthersProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersPerforming Administrative ActivitiesStaffing Organizational UnitsMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesPerforming General Physical ActivitiesHandling and Moving ObjectsControlling Machines and Processes
Construction Laborers
Low21.08%
Perform tasks involving physical labor at construction sites. May operate hand and power tools of all types: air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, surveying and measuring equipment, and a variety of other equipment and instruments. May clean and prepare sites, dig trenches, set braces to support the sides of excavations, erect scaffolding, and clean up rubble, debris, and other waste materials. May assist other craft workers.
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
Low27.26%
Operate equipment used for applying concrete, asphalt, or other materials to road beds, parking lots, or airport runways and taxiways or for tamping gravel, dirt, or other materials. Includes concrete and asphalt paving machine operators, form tampers, tamping machine operators, and stone spreader operators.
Pile Driver Operators
Low24.77%
Operate pile drivers mounted on skids, barges, crawler treads, or locomotive cranes to drive pilings for retaining walls, bulkheads, and foundations of structures such as buildings, bridges, and piers.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
Medium39.01%
Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties.
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
Low20.92%
Lay, repair, and maintain track for standard or narrow-gauge railroad equipment used in regular railroad service or in plant yards, quarries, sand and gravel pits, and mines. Includes ballast cleaning machine operators and railroad bed tamping machine operators.
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
Low27.15%
Set up or operate a variety of drills to remove underground oil and gas, or remove core samples for testing during oil and gas exploration.
Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas
Medium38.98%
Operate equipment to increase oil flow from producing wells or to remove stuck pipe, casing, tools, or other obstructions from drilling wells. Includes fishing-tool technicians.
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
Medium34.02%
Operate or tend machinery at surface mining site, equipped with scoops, shovels, or buckets to excavate and load loose materials.
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
Low26.46%
Place and detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials. May perform specialized handling, storage, and accounting procedures.
Continuous Mining Machine Operators
Low31.32%
Operate self-propelled mining machines that rip coal, metal and nonmetal ores, rock, stone, or sand from the mine face and load it onto conveyors, shuttle cars, or trucks in a continuous operation.
Roustabouts, Oil and Gas
Low17.13%
Assemble or repair oil field equipment using hand and power tools. Perform other tasks as needed.
Helpers--Extraction Workers
Low24.71%
Help extraction craft workers, such as earth drillers, blasters and explosives workers, derrick operators, and mining machine operators, by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include supplying equipment or cleaning work area.
Maintenance Workers, Machinery
Low32.98%
Lubricate machinery, change parts, or perform other routine machinery maintenance.
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Medium34.93%
Set up, operate, or tend drilling machines to drill, bore, ream, mill, or countersink metal or plastic work pieces.
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Medium47.82%
Set up, operate, or tend milling or planing machines to mill, plane, shape, groove, or profile metal or plastic work pieces.
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Medium47.79%
Set up, operate, or tend welding, soldering, or brazing machines or robots that weld, braze, solder, or heat treat metal products, components, or assemblies. Includes workers who operate laser cutters or laser-beam machines.
Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
Medium39.82%
Perform precision smoothing, sharpening, polishing, or grinding of metal objects.
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing
Medium44.55%
Set up, operate, or tend woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, and wood nailing machines. May operate computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment.
Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
Medium40.69%
Grind, sand, or polish, using hand tools or hand-held power tools, a variety of metal, wood, stone, clay, plastic, or glass objects. Includes chippers, buffers, and finishers.
Hoist and Winch Operators
Low24.71%
Operate or tend hoists or winches to lift and pull loads using power-operated cable equipment.
Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers
Medium49.08%
Conduct subsurface surveys to identify the characteristics of potential land or mining development sites. May specify the ground support systems, processes, and equipment for safe, economical, and environmentally sound extraction or underground construction activities. May inspect areas for unsafe geological conditions, equipment, and working conditions. May design, implement, and coordinate mine safety programs.
Fallers
Low19.26%
Use axes or chainsaws to fell trees using knowledge of tree characteristics and cutting techniques to control direction of fall and minimize tree damage.
Logging Equipment Operators
Medium49.47%
Drive logging tractor or wheeled vehicle equipped with one or more accessories, such as bulldozer blade, frontal shear, grapple, logging arch, cable winches, hoisting rack, or crane boom, to fell tree; to skid, load, unload, or stack logs; or to pull stumps or clear brush. Includes operating stand-alone logging machines, such as log chippers.
Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners
Low25.86%
Clean and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or drains. May patch walls and partitions of tank, replace damaged drain tile, or repair breaks in underground piping.
Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas
Low26.38%
Rig derrick equipment and operate pumps to circulate mud or fluid through drill hole.
Roof Bolters, Mining
Low17.67%
Operate machinery to install roof support bolts in underground mine.
Rock Splitters, Quarry
Low16.50%
Separate blocks of rough dimension stone from quarry mass using jackhammers, wedges, or chop saws.
Commercial Divers
Low26.77%
Work below surface of water, using surface-supplied air or scuba equipment to inspect, repair, remove, or install equipment and structures. May use a variety of power and hand tools, such as drills, sledgehammers, torches, and welding equipment. May conduct tests or experiments, rig explosives, or photograph structures or marine life.
Dredge Operators
Medium53.66%
Operate dredge to remove sand, gravel, or other materials in order to excavate and maintain navigable channels in waterways.
Wellhead Pumpers
Medium33.60%
Operate power pumps and auxiliary equipment to produce flow of oil or gas from wells in oil field.