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ICE (Instrumentation, Control, and Electrical) Systems Technician

What is an ICE Systems Technician?

An ICE (Instrumentation, Control, and Electrical) Systems Technician installs, maintains, and repairs the more advanced electronics in an alternate power system. This generally includes the electronic control systems, the instruments to measure and monitor the electrical power supply, and the failsafe measures to prevent damage.

The career outlook for an ICE (Instrumentation, Control, and Electrical) Systems Technician is good. They make on average $17-$26 dollars and hour.

This requires a more advanced knowledge of electronics than fabricators and installers would have.

For example, wiring solar cells together into a solar panel requires only basic electronics skills, needing little more than the use of a voltage meter and a soldering gun. Connecting the battery arrays to the building's electrical systems, however, requires installing DC inverters, load-balancing equipment to charge all batteries equally, instruments to measure the power produced by the solar panels and the power levels in the batteries, and control mechanisms to switch from the battery arrays to the local power grid whenever the battery arrays are almost depleted. Obviously, all this require more advanced knowledge, skills, and equipment; and that's where the ICE Systems Technician comes in.

What Are the Qualifications for an ICE Systems Technician?

Qualifying as an ICE Systems Technician requires, at the very least, an Associate's Degree in electronics, electrical engineering, or (if you can find such a program) Instrumentation, Control, and Electrical Systems. A Bachelor's or Master's Degree in these fields will increase you employability, as will additional coursework in physics and chemistry. Some positions may require between two to five years of work experience in a similar industry, such as at a power plant.

When working in the "green" energy industry on a large scale (such as a wind farm full of wind turbines instead of one residential wind turbine), things become more complex. Instrumentation and control systems for an entire wind farm would most likely be computer controlled and networked together. Therefore, a few college classes in computer networking (or registering as an industry-certified network technician) would be helpful in landing jobs at a large "green" power plant.

What Type of Person Is Good for This Position?

An ICE Systems Technician would need exceptional math skills, along with both electrical and mechanical aptitude. Patience and a systematic, analytical approach to problem solving are other necessary qualities. Thoroughness, attention to detail, organization, and an ability to handle yourself well in a crisis are highly desirable.