Industrial Radiographer

Some things are just difficult to get a picture of. The back side of a steel beam or the center of a large concrete dam, for example. But it’s all in a day’s work for an Industrial Radiographer. As an Industrial Radiographer, you know how to use your equipment to create images of those hard-to-access places.

You do this by using radiation (think x-ray). Inspecting products for quality control is a huge part of your job as an Industrial Radiographer. You make sure that pipes, massive storage containers, and concrete holding tanks don’t have cracks or flaws. You also “take pictures” or create images of welded materials in order to identify any fractures in the weld. This not only ensures a sound structure, but also helps solve problems. By detecting an air or water leak that’s not visible to the human eye, you help fix that leak before it gets worse.

This is not a desk job, and you can find yourself in some interesting locations. Once there, you set up your equipment, assess the kind of work to be done, and manipulate your gear to get the images you need. When you’re done taking the images, you produce the pictures and explain your findings to those who hired you.

Each project is a little different, even if you work for a company where you consistently radiograph similar materials. So, flexibility is a key characteristic to succeed in this job. You’ll also need an eye for detail, a steady hand, and a truckload of patience. This work values precision more than speed.