# Hydrologic Technicians

> Collect and organize data concerning the distribution and circulation of ground and surface water, and data on its physical, chemical, and biological properties. Measure and report on flow rates and ground water levels, maintain field equipment, collect water samples, install and collect sampling equipment, and process samples for shipment to testing laboratories. May collect data on behalf of hydrologists, engineers, developers, government agencies, or agriculture.
- **Entity Type:** role
- **Schema Version:** role.v1
- **Soc Code:** 19-4044.00
- **Summary:** Collect and organize data concerning the distribution and circulation of ground and surface water, and data on its physical, chemical, and biological properties. Measure and report on flow rates and ground water levels, maintain field equipment, collect water samples, install and collect sampling equipment, and process samples for shipment to testing laboratories. May collect data on behalf of hydrologists, engineers, developers, government agencies, or agriculture.

## Aliases

- Field Technician (Field Tech)
- GIS Technician (Geographic Information System Technician)
- Groundwater Monitoring Technician
- Hydro Operator
- Hydrographer
- Hydrography Technician
- Hydrologic Aid
- Hydrologic Technician

## Tasks

| Text | Type | Iwa |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Analyze ecological data about the impact of pollution, erosion, floods, and other environmental problems on bodies of water. | n/a | 4.A.2.a.4.a |
| Answer technical questions from hydrologists, policymakers, or other customers developing water conservation plans. | n/a | 4.A.4.b.6.c |
| Apply research findings to minimize the environmental impacts of pollution, waterborne diseases, erosion, or sedimentation. | n/a | 4.A.2.b.2.m |
| Assist in designing programs to ensure the proper sealing of abandoned wells. | n/a | 4.A.3.a.1.g |
| Collect water and soil samples to test for physical, chemical, or biological properties, such as pH, oxygen level, temperature, and pollution. | n/a | 4.A.3.a.2.al |
| Develop computer models for hydrologic predictions. | n/a | 4.A.2.b.2.u |
| Estimate the costs and benefits of municipal projects, such as hydroelectric power plants, irrigation systems, and wastewater treatment facilities. | n/a | 4.A.2.a.4.e |
| Investigate complaints or conflicts related to the alteration of public waters by gathering information, recommending alternatives, or preparing legal documents. | n/a | 4.A.2.a.2.c |
| Investigate the properties, origins, or activities of glaciers, ice, snow, or permafrost. | n/a | 4.A.1.a.1.h |
| Locate and deliver information or data as requested by customers, such as contractors, government entities, and members of the public. | n/a | 4.A.1.a.1.d |
| Measure the properties of bodies of water, such as water levels, volume, and flow. | n/a | 4.A.1.b.3.a |
| Perform quality control checks on data to be used by hydrologists. | n/a | 4.A.2.a.2.a |

## Emerging Tasks


## Activities

| Name | Iwa |
| --- | --- |
| Analyze environmental data. | 4.A.2.a.4.a |
| Advise others about environmental management or conservation. | 4.A.4.b.6.c |
| Apply knowledge or research findings to address environmental problems. | 4.A.2.b.2.m |
| Assist skilled construction or extraction personnel. | 4.A.3.a.1.g |
| Collect environmental data or samples. | 4.A.3.a.2.al |
| Develop mathematical models of environmental conditions. | 4.A.2.b.2.u |
| Analyze costs and benefits of proposed designs or projects. | 4.A.2.a.4.e |
| Compile environmental or climatological data. | 4.A.2.a.2.c |
| Research hydrologic features or processes. | 4.A.1.a.1.h |
| Search files, databases or reference materials to obtain needed information. | 4.A.1.a.1.d |
| Communicate with the public on environmental issues. | 4.A.4.a.2.a |
| Measure the level or depth of water or other liquids. | 4.A.1.b.3.a |
| Evaluate data quality. | 4.A.2.a.2.a |
| Clean equipment, parts, or tools to repair or maintain them in good working order. | 4.A.3.a.1.c |
| Install gauges or controls. | 4.A.3.a.2.d |
| Advise others on management of emergencies or hazardous situations or materials. | 4.A.4.b.6.i |
| Write reports or evaluations. | 4.A.3.b.6.c |
| Prepare graphics or other visual representations of information. | 4.A.2.b.2.o |

## Capabilities


## Skills

| Name | Type |
| --- | --- |
| Microsoft Word | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Windows | Common Skill |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Outlook | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Excel | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Access | Specialized Skill |
| Adobe Acrobat | Specialized Skill |
| Email Software | Specialized Skill |
| Presentation Software | Specialized Skill |

## Tools

| Example | Category | Hot | In Demand |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Adobe Acrobat | Document management software | yes | no |
| ESRI ArcGIS software | Geographic information system | yes | no |
| Microsoft Access | Data base user interface and query software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP | Web platform development software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Outlook | Electronic mail software | yes | no |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | Presentation software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Windows | Operating system software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | yes | no |
| Geographic information system GIS systems | Geographic information system | no | yes |
| Datasurge GEOPRO | Analytical or scientific software | no | no |
| Delft GeoSystems MStab | Analytical or scientific software | no | no |
| Email software | Electronic mail software | no | no |
| ESRI ArcInfo | Geographic information system | no | no |
| ESRI ArcView | Geographic information system | no | no |
| GEO-SLOPE SEEP/W | Analytical or scientific software | no | no |
| Geographic information system GIS software | Geographic information system | no | no |
| Mitre Software GSLOPE | Analytical or scientific software | no | no |
| Salix Applied Earthcare Erosion Draw | Analytical or scientific software | no | no |
| State Soil Geographic STATSGO Database | Data base user interface and query software | no | no |

## Work Context


## Preparation

- **Job Zone:** 3
- **Job Zone Name:** Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- **Education:** Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- **Experience:** Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- **Svp Range:** (6.0 to < 7.0)

### Education Distribution


## Person Fit

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Realistic | career_interest_type | 5.48 |
| Conventional | career_interest_type | 5.28 |
| Physical Science | specific_interest_area | 5.26 |
| Nature/Outdoors | specific_interest_area | 5.19 |
| Investigative | career_interest_type | 4.92 |
| Mathematics/Statistics | specific_interest_area | 3.94 |
| Engineering | specific_interest_area | 3.9 |
| Dependability | work_style | 3 |
| Physical/Manual Labor | specific_interest_area | 2.98 |
| Attention to Detail | work_style | 2.57 |
| Life Science | specific_interest_area | 2.53 |
| Mechanics/Electronics | specific_interest_area | 2.52 |
| Information Technology | specific_interest_area | 2.3 |
| Agriculture | specific_interest_area | 2.19 |
| Cautiousness | work_style | 2.03 |
| Intellectual Curiosity | work_style | 1.97 |

## Related Roles

| Soc Code | Slug | Title | Tier |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 19-2043.00 | role-19-2043-00 | Hydrologists | Primary-Short |
| 17-2051.02 | role-17-2051-02 | Water/Wastewater Engineers | Primary-Short |
| 19-4043.00 | role-19-4043-00 | Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians | Primary-Short |
| 11-9121.02 | role-11-9121-02 | Water Resource Specialists | Primary-Short |
| 19-1031.00 | role-19-1031-00 | Conservation Scientists | Primary-Short |
| 19-2041.00 | role-19-2041-00 | Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | Primary-Long |
| 17-3031.00 | role-17-3031-00 | Surveying and Mapping Technicians | Primary-Long |
| 19-4042.00 | role-19-4042-00 | Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | Primary-Long |
| 17-3025.00 | role-17-3025-00 | Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians | Primary-Long |
| 17-2081.00 | role-17-2081-00 | Environmental Engineers | Primary-Long |
| 17-1022.01 | role-17-1022-01 | Geodetic Surveyors | Supplemental |
| 19-2041.03 | role-19-2041-03 | Industrial Ecologists | Supplemental |

## Career Clusters

| Cluster | Slug |
| --- | --- |
| Agriculture | agriculture |
| Energy & Natural Resources | energy-natural-resources |

## Education Level

- **Category:** Associate's degree

## Study Programs

| Title | Slug |
| --- | --- |
| Physical Sciences | physical-sciences |
| Science Technologies/Technicians | science-technologies-technicians |

## Market

- **Median Wage:** 58570
- **Mean Wage:** 64410
- **Pct10Wage:** 40330
- **Pct25Wage:** 47450
- **Pct75Wage:** 79790
- **Pct90Wage:** 94310
- **Employment:** 2940
- **Area Title:** U.S.

## Industries


### Top

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Median Wage | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 54 | 54 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | Sector | 480 | 48170 | 2.34 |
| 22 | 22 | Utilities | Sector | 160 | 82190 | 14.48 |
| 541380 | 541380 | Testing Laboratories and Services | National industry | 140 | 46840 | 43.09 |
| 221111 | 221111 | Hydroelectric Power Generation | National industry | 130 | 78170 | 996.75 |
| 61 | 61 | Educational Services | Sector | 80 | 48560 |  |
| 81 | 81 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | Sector | 60 | 43070 |  |
| 31-33 | 31-33 | Manufacturing | Sector | 50 | 52430 |  |
| 541330 | 541330 | Engineering Services | National industry |  | 45690 |  |

### Concentrated

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 221111 | 221111 | Hydroelectric Power Generation | National industry | 130 | 996.75 |
| 541380 | 541380 | Testing Laboratories and Services | National industry | 140 | 43.09 |
| 22 | 22 | Utilities | Sector | 160 | 14.48 |
| 54 | 54 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | Sector | 480 | 2.34 |
- **Count:** 8

## Ai Signals


## Ai Outlook


### Index

- **Value:** 72
- **Percentile:** 73
- **Band:** High
- **Version:** ai-exposure-index-v1

#### Components

| Percentile | Source |
| --- | --- |
| 67 | openai_gpts_are_gpts |
| 76 | microsoft_working_with_ai |
- **Component Count:** 2

### Exposure

| Source | Label | Value | Percentile | Band | Note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| eloundou_gamma | LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) | 0.8125 | 67 | High | Share of this job's tasks where a large language model plus simple tools could cut the time to do them by at least half. γ is capped at 1.0 and many jobs reach that ceiling, so treat a top score as 'in the top group', not a precise rank. |
| microsoft_applicability | AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) | 0.23422405892664402 | 76 | High | How applicable today's AI assistants are to this job's activities, measured from real Microsoft Copilot conversations. Applicability is not the same as replacement. |

### Eloundou

- **Alpha:** 0.1875
- **Beta:** 0.5
- **Gamma:** 0.8125

### Usage Tasks


### Bls

- **Growth Percent:** -2.1
- **Growth Percentile:** 19
- **Direction:** Declining
- **Annual Openings Thousands:** 0.4
- **Annual Openings Percentile:** 6
- **Employment2024Thousands:** 3.1
- **Employment2034Thousands:** 3

### Sources

| Source | Version |
| --- | --- |
| bls_employment_projections | 2024-2034 |
| microsoft_working_with_ai | working-with-ai |
| openai_gpts_are_gpts | gpts-are-gpts |

## Counts

- **Tasks:** 16
- **Skills:** 9
- **Capabilities:** 0
- **Tools:** 21
- **Related Roles:** 20

## Source

- **Dataset:** gold.onet_role_starter_surface
- **Version:** 30.3
- **Generated At:** 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00
- **Content Hash:** 9f8eca3738c5380e