Ground Lighting Officer
Snapshot
Ground lighting officers carry out the inspection and maintenance of airports' lighting systems. They record their findings and formulate the actions to be followed.
Ground lighting officers play a vital role in airport operations, focusing on the inspection, maintenance, and repair of all airport lighting. This includes everything from runway edge lights and approach lighting systems to taxiway lights and guidance signs. Your work directly impacts the safety and efficiency of aircraft movements, especially during nighttime or low-visibility conditions. You’ll meticulously record your findings, identify potential issues, and develop plans for corrective actions, ensuring compliance with aviation regulations.
- • Conducting regular inspections of airport lighting systems to identify defects or malfunctions.
- • Performing preventative maintenance and repairs on lighting fixtures, circuits, and related equipment.
- • Documenting inspection findings, maintenance activities, and repair recommendations accurately and thoroughly.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Figures cover Electrical and electronic trades workers — 42 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia and 13 more.
Longest-running shortage: Belgium, 4 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person’s chances. It describes a market.
Reported demand · Typical pay · Where it is heading (United States, Ireland, Australia, Malta, United Kingdom)
| Reported demand | Typical pay | Where it is heading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Not reported | $68,060 2025-05 | −4.6% 2024–2034 · BLS 2024-2034 |
| Ireland | Not reported | — | +19.2% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| Australia | Shortage reported Jobs and Skills Australia 2025 * | — | — |
| Malta | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2024 * | — | — |
| United Kingdom | Not reported | £39,187 2025-provisional | — |
* Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS)
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Open Government Licence v3.0
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Future Outlook for ground lighting officer
The outlook for ground lighting officer reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could ground lighting officer change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
Model-based estimate. Use it as a planning signal, not a guarantee.
Compare this to your profile
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- follow airport safety procedures
- apply airport standards and regulations
- give instructions to staff
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- manage risk of lighting failure
- lead inspections
- differentiate between airfield lighting
Tasks most exposed to automation
- produce airport lighting system reports
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Supply Chain & Transportation
A typical day as a ground lighting officer
09 09:00 · Morning apply airport standards and regulations
10 10:30 · Mid-morning ensure functionality of airport lighting systems
12 12:00 · Midday differentiate between airfield lighting
14 14:00 · Afternoon manage risk of lighting failure
15 15:30 · Late afternoon follow airport safety procedures
17 17:00 · Wrap-up supervise routine maintenance of airport lighting systems
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
What you need to do this work
The skills, knowledge and tools this role calls for — and the traits and rewards that come with it.
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ensure functionality of airport lighting systems
Ensure that the airport lighting installations and lighting systems work properly by performing quality checks following the completion of maintenance, and by instructing staff on the diagnosis of flaws or breakdowns in airport lighting system. Keep and follow the airport light maintenance schedule to ensure service standards and perform routine checks according to the type of equipment, its location, and usage.
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supervise routine maintenance of airport lighting systems
Supervise routine maintenance tasks for airport lighting systems. Replace components such as lamps and lenses, clean filters, cut the grass, remove snow, etc.
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give instructions to staff
Give instructions to subordinates by employing various communication techniques. Adjust communication style to the target audience in order to convey instructions as intended.
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differentiate between airfield lighting
Identify the differences between various types of airfield lighting e.g. incandescent lighting and LED.
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manage staff
Manage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the workers to meet the company objectives. Monitor and measure how an employee undertakes their responsibilities and how well these activities are executed. Identify areas for improvement and make suggestions to achieve this. Lead a group of people to help them achieve goals and maintain an effective working relationship among staff.
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train staff in safety procedures
Educate and train team members in the safety procedures relevant to the mission of the team.
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work in an aviation team
Work confidently in a group in general aviation services, in which each individual operates in their own area of responsibility to reach a common goal, such as a good customer interaction, air safety, and aircraft maintenance.
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train staff in quality procedures
Educate and train team members in the quality procedures related to the mission of the team.
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follow airport safety procedures
Comply with airport safety procedures, policies and legislation to ensure a safe working environment for all employees, and to ensure the safety of passengers.
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make independent operating decisions
Make immediate operating decisions as necessary without reference to others, taking into account the circumstances and any relevant procedures and legislation. Determine alone which option is the best for a particular situation.
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develop strategy to solve problems
Develop specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish work.
airport lighting equipment
The various types of lighting systems and airport lighting equipment e.g. low-intensity runway light (LIRL) systems, medium-intensity runway light (MIRL) and high-intensity runway light (HIRL).
artificial lighting systems
Types of artificial lighting and their power consumption. HF fluorescent lighting, LED lighting, natural daylight and programmed control systems allow an efficient use of energy.
cartography
The study of interpreting the elements depicted in maps, the measures and technical specifications.
- electrical engineering
- electrical wiring plans
Path to become a ground lighting officer
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Upper secondary education
8 programmes in 8 countries teach the core skills of this job. Plus 16 short courses that build single skills.
A few examples, taught in the language of this page:
Aalto-yliopisto · Finland
These are 4 of 24.
Sources
- 1. Source: Opintopolku.fi (Finnish National Agency for Education)
- 2. Source: Study in Korea, National Institute for International Education (NIIED) (studyinkorea.go.kr).
- 3. Contains information from MySkillsFuture Course Run accessed on 2026-09-28 from data.gov.sg which is made available under the terms of the Singapore Open Data Licence version 1.0 (https://data.gov.sg/open-data-licence)
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does ground lighting officer fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
For organisations
The data on this page, working for your students, clients and staff.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of training or experience is typically needed to become a ground lighting officer?
Are there any specific regulations or standards I need to be aware of as a ground lighting officer?
What is the typical work environment like for a ground lighting officer?
How much does Ground Lighting Officer pay in the United States?
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated October 19, 2026 About our data