Quintessential Careers Blog

Scariest Jobs Ever

Posted: 31 Oct 2016 02:00 AM PDT

Are you ready to take on the hair raising challenges of some of the world’s scariest jobs? If you can handle terrifying positions like these, there’s nothing you can’t do.

We’ve all seen episodes of The Deadliest Catch and Ice Road Truckers, and there’s a certain thrill we experience from our cozy sofas while watching hard working strangers tackle terrifying jobs in far-away places. But driving trucks on the ice and fighting giant crabs aren’t the only death-defying ways to make a living. In fact, some of the scariest jobs are probably taking place all around you, right there in your home town. When you get bored with your nice, quiet air-conditioned office, imagine heading to work every day and taking on challenges like the ones listed here.

Transmission Tower Maintenance Worker

Have you ever gazed up into the metal lattice of a ten-story transmission or cellular tower and wondered how work gets done at the very top? Have you noticed the ladder-style hold and foot holds at the sides and thought about the person who shimmies up there to fix things that go wrong? Power line and cellular tower maintenance workers make an average salary of about $47,950, which happens to be on par with average salaries for suspension bridge workers and high-rise window washers. NOT a job for someone who doesn’t like heights.

Arachnologists

Entomologists study insects, herpetologists study snakes, and zoologists and marine biologists study all the creatures of the land and sea. Most of these sound like dream jobs (Researching panda bears all day? Yes, please.) and an average zoologist makes about $57,700 per year. But there’s one category that gives us the full-on shivers: Arachnologists, who get up close and personal with spiders. Nope.

Coroners and medical examiners

These are often elected or politically appointed jobs, depending on the nature of the municipality or region in which they take place. But in most areas, coroners make about $52,000 per year to determine cause of death and provide evidence that can support forensic examinations in suspicious cases.

Hazardous materials technicians

Experts who handle and remove toxic materials from residential homes, industrial facilities, commercial sites, or environmental clean-up areas are exposed to wide range of toxic chemicals that can present any kind of danger, from burns to cancer. They have the training and the skills they need to stay safe, but they still get uncomfortably close to some scary substances. Taking on this risk can net a salary of $37,000 to $80,000 per year depending on the nature of the site.

Miners

If you don’t like small spaces, darkness, constant danger, and exposure to toxins, maybe you should second guess a career in mining. It takes a special type of courage to get down deep underground and work side by side with the fearless, hardworking laborers and technicians of the mining industry. Salary averages in this field fall at around $48,000 per year, with lower-skilled positions hovering at the bottom of the range and positions that require a bachelors in mining science or geological engineering at the top.

Forensic technicians/ Crime scene investigators

These are often the first officials to show up at the site of a shocking crime or accident, and they witness some scenes that most of us only see in our nightmares. But they support the criminal justice system that’s designed to keep us safe, so we benefit from their courage and sacrifices. Experts in this category earn salaries across a wide range, depending on their roles and the depth of their experience, with averages falling around $52,000 per year.

Do you have what it takes to build a career in one of the world’s scariest fields? With a little training and courage, you can step in where others fear to go, and we’ll all be better off for your brave contributions. Visit LiveCareer and map out a career plan that fits your personality.

The post Scariest Jobs Ever appeared first on LiveCareer Blog.