Any instrument techs?

TheZenTree

TheZenTree

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Central KY
I'm registering for spring 2008 classes, and I noticed that my school has a process instrumentation and controls course. I've got a very small amount of experience in that field from working with some of the PLC/instrumentation guys at my old industrial job, but I'm curious if there are any instrument techs on here. If so, do you like your job? What kinda money are you making?
 
I was an I/E tech for a little while.
If you are willing to travel you can make a 6 figure income as an IE tech
 
BTW right there in Wilmingtn there is a great facility that is almost always looking for IE techs TAKEDA (SIC?) vitamins. I worked 4 or 5 shutdowns there.
 
Brunswick Nuclear Station is near Wilmington. You should be able to make decent money there as an instrument tech. There are also all kinds of headhunters out there trying to fill contract positions, call some of them and ask what the going rate is for a contract position.
 
SkyHiK5 said:
I was an I/E tech for a little while.
If you are willing to travel you can make a 6 figure income as an IE tech
Click to expand...

What kinda education do you have in the field? Why'd you quit?

VortecJeep, what do you mean by headhunter?
 
I work for a electric supply and equipment in greensboro and our customers are always looking for techs or plc programmers.
 
TheZenTree said:
What kinda education do you have in the field? Why'd you quit?

VortecJeep, what do you mean by headhunter?
Click to expand...


No real education in it.
School of hard knocks?
Did electrical work since I was 12 and had an old timer kinda take me under his wing and get me into instrumentation. Realized it was stupid easy (for me, but I have exceptional grasp of many electrical theories and processes that some find uber difficult) and most were scared of it. So easy work and paid well.

I quit to start my own company and be home. When I was doing I/E work I was traveling with Flour doing shut downs. Generally made 25-30/hour and usually worked 6-7 12s. 6 on 2 off. So you made damn good money and didnt have time to spend it. If I was single Id probably still do it.

On shutdown work, its hard to beat. You dont touch "high" voltage, they bring the Electrical techs over for that. You basically would stand around for 1-2 hours for a piece to be pulled/disconnected then calibrate it reinstall it and walk away while the ET came back and installed it.
 
Yeah, what he said. I've made a good living doing analytical, flow, and level instrumentation work for municipal water and wastewater systems, industrial process water/wastewater and heat recovery systems, and tying it all together through wireless and wireline SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquistion) systems. Got into instrumentation during a summer job on the way to an EE degree. Between the two plus the relative shortage of qualified techs with a broad knowledge of both RF communication systems and instrumentation, I've been at it on my own for 30 + years.
 
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