5 Cool Jobs You Could Land in Grand Forks, ND
The region is flourishing with diverse, successful, rewarding careers.
Looking for your dream job? Grand Forks, North Dakota, not only has plenty of job openings, but many of the listings are for really cool careers. Of course, that’s not too surprising considering the breadth of this city’s innovation-driven economy. Grand Forks is pioneering drone technology and is home to the country’s first commercial unmanned aerial systems (UAS) research and development park. Over at the University of North Dakota (UND), students can earn a bachelor’s degree in esports, which is projected to be a nearly $6.75 billion U.S. industry by 2030. Grand Forks is also a community for entrepreneurs, with all kinds of startup success stories playing out here, like the launch of Tailorie, an app that provides authentic brand and product recommendations to consumers.
Ready to job hunt in Grand Forks? Here’s a snapshot of five cool jobs in the area to give you a sense of what kind of opportunities you’ll find in this vibrant community that’s perched on the Red River and skirts the Minnesota state line.
In This Article
1. Civil Engineers
The City of Grand Forks is a major employer in the area. Recently, it had roles available for a civil engineer ($68,284-$85,355) and a senior civil engineer ($77,257-$96,572). Both jobs came with a 10% hiring bonus paid out throughout the year.
The roles encompassed designing, drafting and construction of public works projects and preparing timetables and budget estimates for engineering and construction activities, among other tasks.
By the way, for those interested in a future civil engineering career, UND has a College of Engineering & Mines, which has degree paths in a number of disciplines, including civil engineering, which prepares graduates to work in a range of engineering consulting firms, industries and government agencies.
2. Drone Pilot
Let your career take flight in Grand Forks, which established itself early on as a trailblazer in drone technology. Grand Sky serves as the country’s first commercial UAS research and development park, and UND began offering the first UAS bachelor’s degree program in 2009.
More than 900 people are employed by the area’s UAS industry, and if you’re interested in this type of career, keep your eyes peeled for jobs at companies like Northrop Grumman, General Atomics, Thread, Mobile Recon Systems and others.
As an example, General Atomics, a defense and diversified technologies company, recently had an open position for a UAV pilot who would be in charge of completing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions while piloting remotely piloted aircraft. Responsibilities included managing and performing all aspects of flying, from planning, briefing, mission execution, debriefing, aircrew resource management and ground and flight safety, the job description said. The entry-level position paid up to $120,000 a year.
Did You Know?
More than 900 people are employed by the area’s UAS industry.
3. Weather Intelligence Sales & Implementation Specialist
Weather conditions can have major effects on drone flights, with high winds blowing drones off course, rain ruining electrical components and fog making it difficult for drone cameras to gather snapshots. But drone pilots can’t rely on traditional forecasts because they need to take into consideration micro weather and low-altitude local atmospheric conditions. Even more, there are no pilots aboard drones to monitor weather.
In fact, only 3% of the U.S. has accurate surface weather and cloud ceiling report measurements, according to an FAA-funded MIT Lincoln Lab study.
With a location in Grand Forks, TruWeather Solutions is a micro weather data and analytics company that provides weather strategy for safe and efficient operations for weather-sensitive businesses.
The company’s job board lists several upcoming jobs, including a weather intelligence sales & implementation specialist, frontend software developer, and backend software developer.
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4. Aircraft Mechanic/Technician
Grand Forks is a prime area to launch and grow your aviation career. UND is the world’s most comprehensive aerospace university, and its John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences offers multiple undergraduate and graduate degrees, from aviation studies and aviation safety & operations to aerospace sciences. Plus, Grand Forks International Airport frequently tracks as one of the busiest airports in the nation for takeoffs and landings. Here’s where aircraft mechanics and technicians shine — their expertise is needed when it comes to making sure each airplane is in tiptop shape to get passengers from point A to point B.
Department of Defense contractors, like Northrop Grumman or General Atomics, are often looking for individuals who can fill these positions, not to mention related jobs can often be found on UND’s job board.
Right now, the university is on the lookout for an aircraft technician who can provide its Aerospace Maintenance Department with the mechanical skills and expertise required to maintain a large fleet of aircraft used for flight training. The position is full time and pays $27.48 per hour.
5. Physicians
Health care and the biomedical sector are key industries in Grand Forks. Altru, a regional-owned health system, is an anchor in the community, serving more than 230,000 residents in northeast North Dakota and northwest Minnesota.
Now is an exciting time to be working in health care in Grand Forks: Altru is building a $470 million, seven-story hospital that’s scheduled to be completed in 2024. The hospital will have more beds, a bigger emergency room, more private patient spaces, new technology, and a focus on natural light as well as green space.
The nonprofit hospital has several physician positions open and is looking to hire cardiologists, a dermatologist, internal medicine physicians, an oncologist, a neurosurgeon, an OB-GYN, an orthopedic surgeon, a psychiatrist and more.
Eager to learn more about Grand Forks? Start here.
This article was sponsored by the Grand Forks Region EDC.