What Do Remote Sensing Technician Do?
Remote Sensing Technician Definition Apply remote sensing technologies to assist scientists in areas such as natural resources, urban planning, or homeland security. May prepare flight plans or sensor configurations for flight trips.
A Day in the Life of a Remote Sensing Technician
- Merge scanned images or build photo mosaics of large areas, using image processing software.
- Operate airborne remote sensing equipment, such as survey cameras, sensors, or scanners.
- Collect verification data on the ground, using equipment such as global positioning receivers, digital cameras, or notebook computers.
- Correct raw data for errors due to factors such as skew or atmospheric variation.
- Develop specialized computer software routines to customize and integrate image analysis.
- Consult with remote sensing scientists, surveyors, cartographers, or engineers to determine project needs.
What a Remote Sensing Technician Should Know
These are the skills Remote Sensing Technicians say are the most useful in their careers:
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Types of Remote Sensing Technician
- Research Associate
- Remote Sensing Monitoring Technician
- Senior Stereo Compiler Team Lead
- Remote Sensing Technician
- Project/Production Manager Imaging
Job Demand for Remote Sensing Technicians
There were about 76,100 jobs for Remote Sensing Technician in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 9.7% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 7,400 new jobs for Remote Sensing Technician by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 9,900 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Remote Sensing Technician are Utah, Texas, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Maine, or Alaska. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Remote Sensing Technician Average Salary
The salary for Remote Sensing Technicians ranges between about $29,830 and $80,370 a year.
Remote Sensing Technicians who work in Maryland, Connecticut, or Rhode Island, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Remote Sensing Technicians in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $46,600 |
| Alaska | $56,470 |
| Arizona | $51,250 |
| Arkansas | $50,740 |
| California | $56,670 |
| Colorado | $51,890 |
| Connecticut | $62,090 |
| District of Columbia | $61,000 |
| Florida | $45,200 |
| Georgia | $52,690 |
| Hawaii | $57,310 |
| Idaho | $42,220 |
| Illinois | $51,130 |
| Indiana | $51,970 |
| Iowa | $46,740 |
| Kansas | $51,960 |
| Kentucky | $52,340 |
| Louisiana | $47,250 |
| Maine | $55,220 |
| Maryland | $69,500 |
| Massachusetts | $63,450 |
| Michigan | $43,640 |
| Minnesota | $50,440 |
| Mississippi | $52,950 |
| Missouri | $49,590 |
| Montana | $43,930 |
| Nebraska | $58,150 |
| Nevada | $47,690 |
| New Hampshire | $57,990 |
| New Jersey | $60,660 |
| New Mexico | $59,850 |
| New York | $53,380 |
| North Carolina | $53,390 |
| North Dakota | $52,050 |
| Ohio | $52,690 |
| Oklahoma | $57,950 |
| Oregon | $51,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,410 |
| Rhode Island | $59,480 |
| South Carolina | $56,910 |
| South Dakota | $45,190 |
| Tennessee | $43,440 |
| Texas | $54,290 |
| Utah | $50,980 |
| Virginia | $52,180 |
| Washington | $55,920 |
| West Virginia | $55,930 |
| Wisconsin | $52,500 |
| Wyoming | $53,940 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Remote Sensing Technicians
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Remote Sensing Technicians:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Web browser software
- Python
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Project
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- The MathWorks MATLAB
- SAS
- UNIX
- R
- Bentley Microstation
- Global positioning system GPS software
- Leica Geosystems ERDAS IMAGINE
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- Interface definition language IDL
- ESRI ArcView 3D Analyst
- ITT Visual Information Solutions ENVI
How to Become a Remote Sensing Technician
What education or degrees do I need to become a Remote Sensing Technician?
What work experience do I need to become a Remote Sensing Technician?
Where do Remote Sensing Technicians Work?
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
References:
Image Credit: U.S. Department of Energy from United States via public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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