Sonar Technician
Also posted as STG; STS; Sonar Technician Surface; Sonar Technician Submarine; Acoustic Systems Technician; Undersea Sensor Technician; Seabed Systems Technician; Ocean Surveillance Technician; Acoustic Array Technician
A sonar technician performs active and passive sonar systems, acoustic signal analysis and classification, and sonar sensor calibration and maintenance to keep naval combat, sensor, communications, and mission systems safe, reliable, compliant, and ready for operation. Many people start with a two-year associate degree or a technical certificate rather than a four-year degree.
Below: what it pays, what you'd do, the skills you need, and how to become one.
The role profile
Everything you need to know about this role, the same details employers use to post openings and colleges use to build training.
How much does it pay?
Explore the core responsibilities of this role, from daily operations and equipment handling to safety, quality, and performance requirements.
Maintain sonar systems
Service active and passive sonar equipment from array to display.
Analyze acoustic signals
Analyze and classify acoustic returns to support detection and tracking.
Calibrate sonar sensors
Perform system calibrations and performance tests on sonar sensors to ensure measurement accuracy.
Diagnose electronic systems
Isolate electronic faults across sonar processing and display chains.
What skills do you need?
Three core skills sit at the heart of this role. You can learn all of them through short, hands-on training.
Sonar Systems
Maintaining active and passive sonar equipment end to end.
Acoustic Analysis
Analyzing and classifying acoustic signals for detection work.
Sensor Calibration
Calibrating sonar sensors so readings stay inside tolerance.
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