Test Equipment Calibration Services Technician

[cs137]

bradley563,

Back in 99 I was in your shoes, xIM getting ready to retire. I had to take a joe's garage cal job at 10 bucks an hour and it sucked. Two jobs later working for a gov contractor and it still sucks. Dont be supprised if it takes you several jobs and several years to score a good deal on a job. I know of some place that is getting desparate for people but you wont like the weather and upward mobility is like waiting to make chief in the navy. That's getting to be the real world now days, companies are cuttin back and thier only focus is on cost savings. If you find a gig around 40k or higher I'd score it because waiting on a management job might not happen. Remember sometimes you just got to start on the frie machine man.  good luck.

[clacoste]

I agree the salary at Happy Valley is pretty reasonable for the area.  I've seen the employment contract, as you probably know, and it is unfortunately pretty woeful in the benefits area.  My calculator told me I'd have to sacrifice a fair bit of that salary to make up for the benefit shortage...ie medical, 401k (or lack of employer contribution to be specific).  As I've heard, it's a good place for military retirees , or single workers staying for a while.

I can imagine the benefits would be a hot issue there...

[clacoste]

Until something gets done in changing the job description......the pay will always suck.....you can teach monkeys to calibrate.....look at K3/K4 as an example.

I went thru the basic Calibration course at Lowry, then did the Microwave course, but during the basic course we had a Gunnery Sgt doing a career change from the infantry after he somehow managed to get thru Avionics 'A' school.  He did 17 out of 100 on a multiple choice test.  In theory a chimp would write a 25 - and the AF instructors were really pleased to tell him so.  He disappeared to the hills of Camp Pendleton immediately afterwards....

[flew-da-coup]

Just one more slam. What kind of tech did this company finally hire?

[PMEL_DEVIL-DOG]

I make around $64K/yr, but I do a lot of international travel. That'scool cuz I get 10% "hardship" pay extra and $116 a day per diem....The avg trip is about 4-6 weeksa pop...they put us up in 5 star hotels and we fly business class internation and first class in the states...they make it worth your wild

[PMEL_DEVIL-DOG]

evolt,
That's not bad pay for a single person with a couple years of experience. But on this website, there's about abillion years of combined experience here. Don't believe me? Ask Doc or Old-Navy. They've been around since electricty was discovered
But regardless, this site is an awesome way to network and get the word out!  

[flew-da-coup]

Yeah, and so does McDonalds.

[Thraxas]

It's pretty bad if McDonald's can offer competitive pay compared to a calibration company.