Geothermal Production Managers

Manage operations at geothermal power generation facilities. Maintain and monitor geothermal plant equipment for efficient and safe plant operations.

The occupation "Geothermal Production Managers" has an automation risk of 50.7%, slightly below the base risk for similar roles, which is 51.5%. This moderate risk reflects both the technical nature of managing geothermal production and the dependence on human oversight. The automation risk is influenced by the structured and procedural aspects of the job, which can often be standardized and handled by modern technologies. Areas such as preventive maintenance, equipment inspection, and budget management involve repetitive tasks that are increasingly performed by computerized systems, sensors, and advanced software. As artificial intelligence and robotics evolve, many of these routine functions within geothermal plants are likely to become even more automated. Specifically, the top three most automatable tasks in this occupation bolster the overall risk. "Perform or direct the performance of preventative maintenance on geothermal plant equipment" is highly susceptible to automation, as digital monitoring systems and predictive maintenance algorithms can now identify when servicing is needed. Similarly, "Inspect geothermal plant or injection well fields to verify proper equipment operations" is increasingly handled by drones, remote sensors, and automated inspection platforms that reduce the need for human presence and intervention. Another task, "Develop or manage budgets for geothermal operations," is progressively managed by advanced enterprise resource planning software capable of analyzing vast datasets and providing financial insights, thus lessening the need for manual budgetary oversight. However, several tasks within this role remain notably resistant to automation, anchoring the automation risk below the base level. The most resistant involves "Supervise employees in geothermal power plants or well fields," which requires personal judgment, adaptive communication, and leadership—skills that machines cannot replicate easily. "Troubleshoot and make minor repairs to geothermal plant instrumentation or electrical systems" calls for hands-on expertise, on-the-spot decision-making, and the ability to handle novel problems, areas where AI and robotics still fall short. Additionally, "Obtain permits for constructing, upgrading, or operating geothermal power plants" encompasses navigating complex regulatory environments and interacting with human authorities, a task that demands originality and contextual understanding. These resistant activities are further supported by bottleneck skills such as Originality, scored at 2.9% and 3.3%, highlighting the significant need for creative and novel problem-solving—capabilities that continue to elude automation.