Job Title: Geothermal Trade Assistant - Apprentice Track Company: Midwest Geothermal Location / Shop Hub: Grand Rapids / Kentwood, MI 49512 Starting Pay: $20.00 / hour base (Weekly Direct Deposit) Structured Wage Progression: +$1.25/hr quarterly increases based on verified field hours worked (path to $25.00/hr base by Year 1) Additional Earning Upside: Regular 1.5x overtime opportunities on active jobs (typical production weeks run 50-60+ hrs) + prevailing wage rates on certified projects + per diem + travel allowances on applicable jobs Mandatory Start Date: Monday, October 12, 2026 at 8:30 AM (Firm - No Exceptions) Position Type: Full-Time, At-Will Field Operations Who Thrives Here: Individuals with solid work ethic from heavy highway, concrete, commercial landscaping, agriculture, roofing, or energy construction who prefer long hours, hands-on mechanical work, and nationwide travel. The Work: Drill Rig Support & Daily Field Responsibilities Midwest Geothermal installs underground clean-energy systems on commercial, school, and institutional sites across the country. No prior drilling or geothermal experience required —we provide paid, structured, hands-on trade training for reliable workers with practical tool sense and physical drive. You will work on the ground directly alongside an experienced Drill Lead or Pipelayer , acting as their primary hands-on support: Rig & Trench Ground Support: Help trip drill pipe in and out of the borehole, carry tooling, stage casing, and assist pipelayers with pipe prep and trench work. Loop Installation & Grouting: Help feed geothermal pipe loops down boreholes and assist with mixing and pumping thermal grout to seal the holes. Active Hand Tool & Shovel Work: Operate standard hand tools, rigging, sledgehammers, and shovels to clear cuttings, dig, and prep work zones with immediate daily hustle. Continuous Housekeeping: We operate with a strict "never have empty hands" philosophy—cleaning and organizing the work zone continuously throughout the shift, not just at the end of the day. If you are walking across the site, you are moving a tool, clearing mud, or picking up debris. Immediate hustle required. Equipment Care: Complete daily upkeep—fueling, greasing fittings, and power-washing mud off rigs and tooling. Long Production Shifts: Expect long, demanding workdays. Daily shifts are routinely 10+ hours per day, with crews regularly working 50 to 60+ hours per week. Harsh Conditions & Physical Demands: 100% outdoors year-round in all weather extremes (freezing cold, high heat, mud, rain, snow). Requires continuous standing, bending, and lifting up to 50 lbs unassisted on rough, uneven terrain. Non-Negotiable Requirements Firm Start Date & Footwear: Report in person Monday, October 12, 2026 at 8:30 AM at our Grand Rapids/Kentwood shop with your own ASTM-compliant safety-toe boots (steel or composite; composite strongly recommended). 3-Day Pre-Hire Testing: Complete a 10-panel drug screen, non-DOT physical/50 lb lift test, comprehensive criminal background check, and a Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) driving check via Checkr within 3 business days of offer, plus submit to ongoing random testing. Fit for Duty Day 1: 100% ready for heavy physical labor, free of non-work injuries or medical restrictions. License & Commute: Valid, unrestricted Driver's License and personal transportation to our Grand Rapids hub. Legal Eligibility: Age 18+ and authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship. Extended Nationwide Travel: Willingness to travel across the U.S. (e.g., CO, CA, WA, OR, NJ, MO, FL) for continuous assignments lasting weeks to months at a time, working weekends on-site with a company allowance to travel home every 2 weeks. Strict Site Clearances & Drug Re-Tests: Ability to pass criminal/state background checks, fingerprinting, and federal badging for K-12 schools, military bases, and government facilities, plus submit to rapid site-mandated drug re-tests prior to deployment. Critical Attendance & Lean Crew Reliability: Because operations run on lean crews, an unplanned absence can stop work entirely. Unexcused tardiness, travel no-shows, or absences during your introductory period mean immediate termination. Critical Start & Screening Policy First-Tested, First-Hired: Offers are extended on a rolling basis to fill 15 seats. Once your conditional offer and clinic pass are issued, you have 3 business days to visit the clinic. Incomplete passes expire and release the seat to standby candidates. Provisional Day 1 Start: Candidates who complete their clinic visit on schedule are cleared to begin orientation on October 12 while final lab results process. Continued employment is strictly contingent on passing results. Home Shop Base & Travel Rules (Zero Exceptions) Grand Rapids Shop Base: All new hires report to our Grand Rapids/Kentwood shop for the first 1 to 2 weeks starting October 12, and return approximately once per quarter for maintenance. No per diem, mileage, or lodging is provided while reporting to or working at the Grand Rapids shop. Commute and lodging at the shop are personal responsibilities. Travel Calculation: When paid travel time applies, it is calculated from the Grand Rapids shop to the jobsite, not from your personal residence. Field Deployment: Field travel begins mid-to-late October. Most local projects run Monday morning departure through Friday evening return home. Extended out-of-state assignments run continuously on-site with a designated company travel allowance to travel home every 2 weeks. Travel Coverage: Midwest Geothermal covers 100% of individual hotel room costs (no shared rooms), pays daily overnight meal per diem, and provides designated travel allowances on extended jobs. Career Pathway, Apprenticeship & Development We develop our crews from the ground up. This entry-level role is your direct gateway into skilled trade specialties across geothermal drilling operations. Clear Career Progression: With demonstrated hustle, safety leadership, and mechanical aptitude, team members advance through defined trade and leadership tracks: Entry Step: Trade Assistant Field Specialties (Lateral Paths): Drill Assistant | Grouter | Pipelayer / Fusion Tech Advanced Leadership: Lead Driller | Site Foreman / Site Superintendent Starting Base Rate, Wage Progression, & Benefits: Starting Base Rate: $20.00/hour base (weekly direct deposit) during initial training and shop operations. Quarterly Step-Ups (+$1.25/hr): Enrolled apprentices are evaluated on the 1st of every quarter (first review eligible January 1, 2027). You are eligible for an automatic +$1.25/hour base increase each quarter upon meeting required field-hour thresholds, attendance marks, and safety milestones—providing a predictable path to $25.00/hour base by your 1-year mark . (Note: Unexcused absences, lost time, or low field hours pause quarterly increases until required hours are met). Overtime Earning Upside: When crews are active on jobsites, daily production shifts routinely run 10+ hours (regularly 50-60+ hours per week, paid at time-and-a-half after 40 hours). Field hours fluctuate based on project readiness, logistics, and weather conditions. Prevailing Wage Upside: When assigned to certified municipal, state, or federal projects, field staff receive applicable prevailing wage rate differentials, substantially increasing weekly earnings. Registered Apprenticeship Program: 100% of your field hours count toward state and federal apprenticeship logs. Midwest Geothermal provides company-paid classroom instruction, required safety certifications, and continuous wage progression toward your Journeyperson license. Benefits: Paid sick time (Michigan ESTA), 1 week paid vacation after 1 year, comprehensive medical/dental/vision/life/disability insurance, and 401(k) with company match. Disclaimer: Hours, overtime availability, prevailing wage assignments, and wage advancement timelines are subject to active project schedules, site readiness, weather conditions, and individual employee performance/hours completed; nothing herein constitutes a guarantee of specific weekly hours or annualized earnings. How to Apply & Claim Your Spot (15 Openings) Positions are locked strictly on a first-tested, first-hired basis: Apply on Indeed: Complete the application and initial screening questions. Phase 2 Verification: Qualified candidates receive an external field questionnaire link within 24 hours (Monday-Friday). Accept Offer & Test: Eligible candidates receive an electronic conditional offer and Checkr clinic pass with 3 business days to complete testing. Final Confirmation: Once testing is logged, your seat is held. Official start confirmations will be issued no later than Thursday, October 8, 2026 . All new hires should plan to report in person to the Grand Rapids/Kentwood shop for the first full week of employment (and potentially the first 2+ weeks) starting Monday, October 12, 2026 at 8:30 AM. Company Disclosure: Midwest Geodrill LLC (dba Midwest Geothermal) participates in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees. For more information regarding E-Verify, please review the E-Verify Participation and Right to Work posters provided in the application process. E-Verify Participation: https://www.e-verify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/EVerifyParticipationPoster.pdf Right to Work: https://www.e-verify.gov/employers/employer-resources?resource=32 Job Type: Full-time Pay: From $20.00 per hour Application Question(s): Applicant Certification & Next Steps Acknowledgment: By typing your full legal name below, you certify that all information provided in this application is true and complete, and acknowledge that any false statements or omissions will result in immediate disqualification or termination. You also acknowledge that because we hire on a rolling basis, if your application meets our criteria, you must monitor your Indeed messages/email closely for an immediate Phase 2 Questionnaire link and complete it promptly to secure a seat. (Type your full legal name below to sign) Referred by (optional): Experience: heavy outdoor labor: construction, landscaping, or similar: 1 year (Required) VERIFIABLE outdoor construction/labor ON YOUR RESUME: 1 year (Required) License/Certification: Driver's License (Required) Ability to Commute: Grand Rapids, MI 49512 (Required) Willingness to travel: 100% (Required) Work Location: In person