And what do you do? In short, this career entails removing the THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids from cannabis plants. The job services both the medicinal and recreational sectors of the industry, servicing the specific effects that customers are seeking from weed. As a result, you need the ability to be able to identify and distinguish as many cannabinoids and their effects as possible. To date, there are over 100 known cannabinoids. You’ll need to know how to transfer them into high quality, potent concentrates.
Since you’ll be performing skilled lab work, specifically using solvents like CO2 and butane to put together concentrates, you’ll risk injury. You’ll need a highly educated science background. Technicians typically have a degree in chemistry, engineering, or a related field, and many have a PhD, so that’s who you’ll be competing with. Bottom line, you need to be a trained scientist to work in this field, so it’s hard to get around needing a formal, advanced education.
And due to the highly educated background you’ll need, you can work your way up the food chain to a master grower role, eventually commanding up to $150,000 annually. Remember, you’ll be a trained scientist in a professional setting, so expect to make a very respectable salary.
Furthermore, as the science community is discovering more cannabinoids every day, it’s a wise idea for extraction technicians to stay on top of the latest research, the emerging cannabinoids, and continuing their education as much as possible.
Sources: NIH, Northern Michigan University, ZipRecruiter