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Biomass Plant Technician

Biomass Plant Technician

E-04

E Other Energy, solar and power lines jobs · Start level · O*NET 51-8013.03

Texas median
whole occupation, 2025
$102,510
work over
40 h a week
61%
load index
from O*NET data
3.1/5
Texas jobs
2024 to 2034
-13.2%

Pay

This level's pay

No published pay record names this level: no public record found in sources S1-S7 that names this rung. The occupation-wide figure below is for all experience levels.

Whole occupation: Biomass Plant Technicians (51-8013), Texas
BLS OEWS May 2025
  • Series OEUS480000000000051801313 (median), Texas, May 2025, read 2026-10-03
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Base pay (straight-time, excludes overtime).
  • Based on an estimated 2,100 jobs in Texas (series OEUS480000000000051801301).

Half of all Biomass Plant Technicians in Texas earn more than $102,510; the bottom 10% earned less than $55,500 and the top 10% more than $127,710 (May 2025, base pay, about 2,100 jobs). U.S. median $102,040.

Outlook 2024 to 2034, all Biomass Plant Technicians, not level-specific
TWC, BLS

Texas
-13.2% jobs · about 150 openings a year (1,970 jobs in 2024)
United States
-11.4% jobs · about 2,500 openings a year (31,600 jobs in 2024)

Openings include people retiring or changing jobs, not only growth.

Hours
O*NET 31.0
  • Duration of Typical Work Week (4.C.3.d.8), O*NET Work Context, data 08/2020, n = 47 respondents, O*NET OnLine

About 3 in 5 work more than 40 hours a week (61%).

Schedule: regular 99% · irregular 1% · seasonal 0%

Striped: O*NET marks the estimate "Recommend suppress" (low precision).

Physical load 3.1 of 5, our index from O*NET
Method
  • Engineer Tsai index (et_physical_v1): mean of a body index (2.35, 6 measures) and an exposure index (3.81, 7 measures), built from O*NET Work Context means, 1 to 5: Spend Time Standing; Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles; Spend Time Walking or Running; Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling; Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance; Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body; Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions; Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures; Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions; Exposed to High Places; Exposed to Hazardous Conditions; Exposed to Hazardous Equipment; Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection.
  • O*NET OnLine

Body

  • Walking or running2.89
  • Standing2.62
  • Climbing ladders2.57
  • Bending or twisting2.43
  • Kneeling or crawling2.11
  • Keeping balance1.51

Exposure

  • Hazardous conditions4.64
  • High places4.42
  • Very hot or cold4.29
  • Hazardous equipment4.2
  • Outdoors, all weather3.67
  • Cramped space2.95
  • Protective gear2.49
Body 2.35 · exposure 3.81. O*NET Work Context means, 1 = never, 5 = continually or every day.

Getting in

License
Texas: no state electrician license for work on equipment controlled by an electric utility, co-op or power generation company (1305.003(a)(5)); the same work for a contractor needs a TDLR license.
Degree
10% hold a bachelor's or higher; most common: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years of related experience is the most common answer (26% of workers).
O*NET
  • O*NET Related Work Experience, Biomass Plant Technicians, O*NET OnLine
Preparation
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Why this level
Start: O*NET Job Zone 2 (1-2 start, 3-4 skilled, 5 senior).

Moves to the side 6

  • R Stationary Engineer O*NET lists Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.91. License gate: not checked yet.
  • E Power Plant Operator O*NET lists Power Plant Operators as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.90.
  • I Water Treatment Plant Operator O*NET lists Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.86. License gate: Public Water System Operator license, Class D to Class A (TCEQ).
  • E Biomass Plant Manager O*NET lists Biomass Power Plant Managers as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.79.
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What the work is 6 core tasks

Control and monitor biomass plant activities and perform maintenance as needed.

  1. Operate biomass fuel-burning boiler or biomass fuel gasification system equipment in accordance with specifications or instructions.
  2. Perform tests of water chemistry in boilers.
  3. Operate high-pressure steam boiler or water chiller equipment for electrical cogeneration operations.
  4. Operate equipment to heat biomass, using knowledge of controls, combustion, and firing mechanisms.
  5. Operate equipment to start, stop, or regulate biomass-fueled generators, generator units, boilers, engines, or auxiliary systems.
  6. Inspect biomass power plant or processing equipment, recording or reporting damage and mechanical problems.

Core tasks ranked by O*NET task Importance (IM, 1-5), top 6.

Top skills

  • Operations Monitoring
  • Operation and Control
  • Monitoring
  • Critical Thinking
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Active Learning
  • Active Listening
  • Complex Problem Solving
Sources (4)

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Engineer Tsai has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 · O*NET license

Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Base pay; excludes overtime. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 (United States) and Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections 2024-2034, read through Projections Central.

On the line

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Not a licensed Professional Engineer in Texas or any U.S. state. Does not offer engineering services. Exam-prep education only.