The other day I was curious to know what jobs had a lot of downtime.
So I went to the one place where you can learn anything about anything: Reddit.
A few hours later, I had compiled a list of the 6 most commonly suggested jobs with a lot of downtime.
From there, I researched the primary responsibilities and median earnings associated with each job using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Let’s dive in.
Job #1 – Computer Support Specialists
One of the more common trends that I noticed was that IT-related jobs had the most potential for a lot of downtime. This is especially true if the IT job was service-focused.
That is because if there are no user issues or the computer systems are operational, then there is minimal work that needs to be performed. As a result, both system administrators as well as computer support specialists seemed to have similar amounts of downtime.
According to the BLS, the primary job responsibility of a computer support specialist is assisting users within an organization with their computer-related issues. Furthermore, the median pay for a Computer Support Specialist is $55,510 a year or $26.69 per hour.
Job #2 – Overnight Security Guard
Unless specifically working for the American Museum of Natural History, being an overnight security guard can potentially offer a lot of downtime.
The primary responsibilities of an overnight security guard include but are not limited to:
- Patrolling property parameters
- Keeping the business/organization safe from trespassers
- Writing detailed reports on issues that arise
In low-profile industries – as opposed to industries like casinos and gambling – becoming an overnight security guard can be an easy way to have a lot of downtime on the job.
According to the BLS, the median pay for a security guard is $31,050 a year or $14.93 per hour.
Job #3 – Biological Technicians
Not only do biological technicians potentially have a lot of downtime, they also have the added benefit of being able to apply their skills to a wide variety of fields.
As an example, the Reddit user above was talking about their experience working as a medical biological technician.
However, I also stumbled upon the Department of Interior’s website where they describe needing biological science technicians to do field research such as gathering water and soil samples.
According to the BLS, the median salary for biological technicians are $46,340 a year or $22.28 per hour.
Job #4 – Hotel Night Auditor
A hotel night auditor position is perfect for someone looking for a job with a lot of downtime.
The job responsibilities are a mix between those of a front desk receptionist and an accountant.
A typical workflow for a hotel night auditor starts with compiling basic accounting reports for the day. Once they are finished completing these reports, they will then act as a ‘on-call’ front desk receptionist to answer any potential questions that guests may have in the middle of the night.
The folks on Reddit seemed to suggest that working at a smaller hotel maximizes one’s chances for having a lot of down time on the job.
According to the BLS, the median salary for auditing clerks are $42,410 a year or $20.39 per hour.
Job #5 – Librarian
Depending on the library and the shifts available, working at a library has the potential to be very laid back and have a lot of downtime.
I remember the university librarians at my school were always very busy during the day. However, things did tend to settle down at night which is consistent with what the above Reddit user mentioned.
The responsibilities of librarians include but are not limited to:
- Ensuring library resources are organized
- Assisting individuals looking for research materials
- Answering questions at a reference desk
According to the BLS, the median salary for librarians are $60,820 per year or $29.24 per hour.
Job #6 – Quality Control Chemist
Depending on the amount of testing infrastructure available, quality control chemists can have a lot of downtime on their hands.
That is because if there is a limited amount of testing equipment, then one is at the mercy of waiting for the testing instruments to finish analyzing chemical samples. Furthermore, there is only so much ‘admin’ tasks that one can do to fill the remaining time in their day.
According to Zip Recruiter, a quality control chemist’s primary responsibility is “to measure and test lab materials and products according to industry-specific standard procedures.”
Furthermore, the median salary for Quality Control Inspectors are $40,460 per year or $19.45 per hour according to the BLS.
Final Thoughts
There are many reasons why someone might want a job with downtime:
- They are a student trying to find extra time to study
- They are apart of the antiwork movement and hate working
- They are Barista FIRE and are looking for a less stressful job
- They are trying to become a Time Millionaire
Do you fall into any of the above buckets? Are there other jobs with a lot downtime that you know of that are not on this list? Let me know!
Thank you for reading! 🙂
_
Full Disclosure: Nothing on this site should ever be considered advice, research or an invitation to buy or sell securities, please see my ‘Terms & Conditions’ page for a full disclaimer.