5957 Career Guide
5957: Air Traffic Control Radar Technician
Career transition guide for Marine Corps Air Traffic Control Radar Technician (5957)
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Top civilian roles for 5957 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Avionics Technician
Radar Technician
Field Service Engineer
Skills to develop:
Electronics Engineering Technician
Skills to develop:
Telecommunications Equipment Installer and Repairer
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 5957 training built — and where they transfer.
System Modeling
Working with complex radar systems requires understanding how each component interacts and affects the overall performance. You mentally model the system to predict behavior and troubleshoot issues.
This ability to visualize and understand interconnected systems translates to roles where you can analyze and improve processes, forecast outcomes, or develop strategic plans.
Procedural Compliance
Maintaining air traffic control radar systems involves strict adherence to safety procedures, technical manuals, and operational protocols to ensure accuracy and prevent disruptions.
Your experience in meticulously following established procedures is highly valuable in industries requiring precision, quality control, and regulatory compliance.
Degraded-Mode Operations
When radar systems malfunction, you must quickly adapt and implement alternative procedures to maintain essential functionality, even if performance is compromised.
This ability to remain calm and resourceful under pressure, finding solutions even when resources are limited, is essential for crisis management and business continuity roles.
After-Action Analysis
Analyzing system failures, maintenance logs, and flight inspection reports to identify root causes, improve maintenance procedures, and prevent future issues strengthens your critical thinking.
This translates directly to roles where you will evaluate past performance to improve future outcomes. This skill is valuable for continuous process improvement in high tech companies.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
Industrial Machinery Mechanic
SOC 49-9041You've been trained to work with complex, high-tech equipment, including troubleshooting and repairing malfunctions. Your understanding of radar systems is analogous to operating and maintaining industrial machinery.
Wind Turbine Technician
SOC 49-9099Your experience in installing, maintaining, and troubleshooting radar systems translates well to wind turbine maintenance, which also involves working with sophisticated electronic and mechanical equipment in demanding environments.
Quality Assurance Analyst
SOC 19-4041You've developed a strong understanding of system functionality and performance standards. You can analyze data, identify discrepancies, and recommend corrective actions to ensure products or services meet quality standards. Your methodical approach and attention to detail are highly valuable.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Air Traffic Control Maintenance Technician Course, Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School, Twenty Nine Palms, CA
Topics Covered
- •Radar Principles and Theory
- •Air Traffic Control Radar Systems Operation
- •Troubleshooting and Repair of Radar Systems
- •Preventive Maintenance Procedures
- •Use of Test Equipment (oscilloscopes, signal generators, spectrum analyzers)
- •Technical Documentation and Schematics
- •Safety Procedures for Radar Systems
- •Software Loading and System Configuration
Certification Pathways
Partial Coverage
Focus on consumer electronics repair, specific troubleshooting methodologies not covered in military radar systems, and current industry standards for electronics repair outside of radar.
Study broader networking concepts, protocols, and troubleshooting techniques applicable to general IT networks beyond the specialized radar systems. Pay attention to network security, cloud networking, and network automation.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| AN/TPN-31 Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR) | Commercial Airport Surveillance Radar systems (e.g., those from Raytheon, Thales, or Indra) |
| AN/GPN-27 Precision Approach Radar (PAR) | Commercial Precision Approach Radar systems for guiding aircraft during landing (e.g., similar systems used at civilian airports) |
| Digital Airport Surveillance Radar (DASR) | Modern digital radar systems used for air traffic control in civilian airports |
| Air Traffic Control Systems Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (ATC4I) | Integrated air traffic management software platforms (e.g., those from Saab, Frequentis, or Leonardo) |
| Test, Measurement, and Diagnostic Equipment (TMDE) | Electronic test and measurement equipment (e.g., oscilloscopes, signal generators, spectrum analyzers from Keysight, Tektronix, Rohde & Schwarz) |
| Ground-to-Air Radio Systems | VHF/UHF radio communication systems used by air traffic controllers to communicate with aircraft |
| Radar data processing systems | Real-time data processing and visualization software for radar data (e.g., those used in weather forecasting or air traffic control) |
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