Advanced Locate Technician SkillBridge Opportunity | February–June 2027 - On-the-Job Training

Translate your military experience into technical skills that help protect underground infrastructure and keep communities safe. USIC’s Advanced Locate Technician SkillBridge opportunity provides 14 weeks of structured instruction, hands-on practice, and supervised field mentorship.Participants progress from utility locating fundamentals to advanced electromagnetic locating, ground-penetrating radar, GPS/RTK mapping, utility record interpretation, and digital documentation. The program includes three weeks of foundational training coordinated near the participant’s home of record, three weeks of advanced training at a designated cohort location, and eight weeks of local mentorship.Participants demonstrate their skills through knowledge checks, practical exercises, mentor evaluations, and final capstone assignments. Successful completion prepares participants for consideration for civilian utility locating opportunities, subject to demonstrated readiness, position availability, and hiring requirements.

ABOUT THE JOB

Advanced Locate Technicians identify, trace, verify, mark, and document underground utilities to support safe excavation and damage prevention. During this SkillBridge experience, participants learn to:• Review work orders, utility maps, construction drawings, and site conditions to define scope and plan locating activities.• Recognize hazards, apply required safety controls, and use authorized utility access and connection points.• Operate radio-frequency/electromagnetic locating equipment and select appropriate connection methods, frequencies, and verification techniques.• Use ground-penetrating radar to investigate subsurface features and corroborate findings with other evidence.• Collect GPS/RTK positioning information and prepare digital maps, photographs, sketches, and work-order documentation.• Troubleshoot weak signals, congested utility corridors, conflicting records, and incomplete access.• Communicate findings, service limitations, and unresolved conditions to mentors, operations personnel, and customers.• Incorporate authorized aerial imagery into site planning and documentation when appropriate.Field assignments are performed under instructor or senior-technician oversight. Progression depends on demonstrated safety, technical proficiency, verification accuracy, documentation quality, and sound judgment.

RESPONSIBILITIES✨

• Review work orders, utility maps, construction drawings, and site conditions to define scope and plan locating activities.
• Identify, trace, verify, mark, and document underground utilities using electromagnetic locating equipment and appropriate connection methods, frequencies, and verification techniques.
• Use ground-penetrating radar to investigate subsurface features and corroborate findings with other evidence.
• Collect GPS/RTK positioning information and prepare digital maps, photographs, sketches, and work-order documentation.
• Troubleshoot weak signals, congested utility corridors, conflicting records, and incomplete access; communicate findings, service limitations, and unresolved conditions to mentors, operations personnel, and customers.

QUALIFICATIONS✨

• Be eligible for SkillBridge participation through military service and obtain required command approval.
• Be available for the full 14-week training plan within approved participation dates, including in-person instruction, field training, and local mentorship.
• Be comfortable with outdoor fieldwork, technical equipment, computer-based documentation, and safety-focused work practices.
• Comply with applicable USIC safety and driver requirements and confirmed travel requirements for the advanced training phase.
• Demonstrate safety, technical proficiency, verification accuracy, documentation quality, and sound judgment; field assignments are performed under instructor or senior-technician oversight.

ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must be eligible for SkillBridge participation through their military service and obtain required command approval. Participants must be available for the full 14-week training plan within their approved participation dates, including in-person instruction, field training, and local mentorship.Candidates should be comfortable with outdoor fieldwork, technical equipment, computer-based documentation, and safety-focused work practices. Participation requires compliance with applicable USIC safety and driver requirements and any confirmed travel requirements for the advanced training phase.

TARGET MOCS

All MOCs

ELIGIBLE SERVICE BRANCHES

US Air Force, US Army, US Coast Guard, US Marine Corps, US Navy, US Space Force

BENEFITS✨

• Fourteen weeks of structured instruction, hands-on practice, and supervised field mentorship.
• Three weeks of foundational training coordinated near the participant’s home of record, three weeks of advanced training at a designated cohort location, and eight weeks of local mentorship.
• Training in utility locating fundamentals, electromagnetic locating, ground-penetrating radar, GPS/RTK mapping, utility record interpretation, and digital documentation.
• Knowledge checks, practical exercises, mentor evaluations, and final capstone assignments.
• Successful completion prepares participants for consideration for civilian utility locating opportunities, subject to demonstrated readiness, position availability, and hiring requirements.