What does a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist do?

Operate Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners. Day to day that includes work like review physicians' orders to confirm prescribed exams and Conduct screening interviews of patients to identify contraindications, such as ferrous objects, pregnancy, prosthetic heart valves, cardiac pacemakers, or tattoos.

What skills should a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist put on a resume?

O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Monitoring, Operations Monitoring, and Speaking among the most important skills for this occupation. Name the ones that are genuinely yours and show where you used them. A resume that lists skills you do not have is weaker than one that lists fewer.

What software should a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist list?

Software recorded for this occupation includes Appointment scheduling software, eClinicalWorks EHR software, Electronic medical record EMR software, GE Healthcare Centricity EMR, and Medical image processing software. Applicant tracking systems match on the exact product name, so write the tool as the posting writes it rather than describing it in general terms.

What other job titles cover Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist work?

O*NET records 14 titles for this occupation, including MRI Coordinator, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Coordinator, MRI QA Coordinator, and MRI Tech. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.

What qualifications does a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist need?

In O*NET's survey of people doing this job, 65% reported their level of education as "Associate's Degree". That is what current postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.

Will this resume pass an ATS for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist role?

No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer's system is configured, including ours. What you can control is that the resume parses cleanly, names the work in the words the posting uses, and does not claim anything you cannot back up.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist resume example

A resume for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist needs to show the work itself: operate Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners. Day to day that means work like this: review physicians' orders to confirm prescribed exams; conduct screening interviews of patients to identify contraindications, such as ferrous objects, pregnancy, prosthetic heart valves, cardiac pacemakers, or tattoos. Recruiters and applicant tracking systems both read for the tasks and tools this role actually involves, so the strongest resume names them in your own experience rather than describing the job in the abstract. Below are the tasks O*NET records for this occupation, the software and tools it uses, the titles it is advertised under, and the skills worth naming if they are genuinely yours.

Also advertised as

The same job is posted under many titles. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.

MRI Coordinator
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Coordinator
MRI QA Coordinator
MRI Tech
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technician
MRI Technologist
MRI Radiographer
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Radiographer
MRI Specialist
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Specialist
Research MRI Technologist
MRI Special Procedures Technologist
Travel MRI Tech
Imaging Technologist

What people in this job call themselves

Titles reported by people actually doing this work, which is often not the title on the job posting.

MRI Coordinator (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Coordinator)
MRI QA Coordinator (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Quality Assurance Coordinator)
MRI Radiographer (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Radiographer)
MRI Specialist (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Specialist)
MRI Tech (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technician)
MRI Technologist (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist)
Research MRI Technologist (Research Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist)

What this work actually involves

Tasks recorded for this occupation, in O*NET's words. If your experience covers one of these, it belongs on your resume in your own words.

Review physicians' orders to confirm prescribed exams.
Conduct screening interviews of patients to identify contraindications, such as ferrous objects, pregnancy, prosthetic heart valves, cardiac pacemakers, or tattoos.
Select appropriate imaging techniques or coils to produce required images.
Operate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners.
Provide headphones or earplugs to patients to improve comfort and reduce unpleasant noise.
Position patients on cradle, attaching immobilization devices, if needed, to ensure appropriate placement for imaging.
Take brief medical histories from patients.
Inspect images for quality, using magnetic resonance scanner equipment and laser camera.
Intravenously inject contrast dyes, such as gadolinium contrast, in accordance with scope of practice.
Test magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment to ensure proper functioning and performance in accordance with specifications.
Create backup copies of images by transferring images from disk to storage media or workstation.
Instruct medical staff or students in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedures or equipment operation.

24 tasks are recorded in total; these are the most central.

Example bullets for this role

Built from this occupation's own tasks. The brackets stay empty on purpose: we will not invent a number for you, and a fabricated metric is the fastest way to lose an interview you had already won.

Review physicians' orders to confirm prescribed exams, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
Conduct screening interviews of patients to identify contraindications, such as ferrous objects, pregnancy, prosthetic heart valves, cardiac pacemakers, or tattoos, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
Select appropriate imaging techniques or coils to produce required images, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
Operate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].

Software used in this role

Recorded for this occupation by O*NET. An applicant tracking system matches the exact product name, so write the tool the way the posting writes it.

Appointment scheduling software
eClinicalWorks EHR software
Electronic medical record EMR software
GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
Medical image processing software
MEDITECH software
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Office software
Microsoft Word
Radiology information systems (RIS)
Teleradiology systems
Web browser software

Tools and equipment

The physical equipment this occupation is recorded as using. Worth naming when a posting asks for it by name.

Capnographs
Carbon dioxide monitors
Clinical imaging workstations
Crash carts
Dosimetry badges
Emergency contrast reaction kits
Fluoroptic thermometry systems
Functional magnetic resonance imaging fMRI scanners
Image capturing and transmission systems
Intravenous IV infusion pumps
Intravenous IV line sets
Laser cameras

Skills an ATS reads for

Worth naming only if they are genuinely yours. Keyword overlap is one input to a resume's score, not a verdict.

Appointment scheduling
Electronic medical record EMR

What this job rates as most important

O*NET rates every skill for importance to this occupation. These are the highest rated, in order.

01Reading Comprehension
02Active Listening
03Monitoring
04Operations Monitoring
05Speaking
06Critical Thinking
07Operation and Control
08Active Learning
09Complex Problem Solving
10Service Orientation

Knowledge areas

The subject knowledge this occupation draws on, rated by importance.

Customer and Personal Service
English Language
Physics
Computers and Electronics
Medicine and Dentistry
Public Safety and Security
Education and Training
Biology

What qualifications people in this job have

From O*NET's survey of people doing this work. This is what postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.

65%Associate's Degree
13%Post-Secondary Certificate, awarded for training completed after high school
9%Bachelor's Degree

What level this role is pitched at

O*NET places this occupation in “Medium Preparation Needed”. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Common questions

What does a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist do?: Operate Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners. Day to day that includes work like review physicians' orders to confirm prescribed exams and Conduct screening interviews of patients to identify contraindications, such as ferrous objects, pregnancy, prosthetic heart valves, cardiac pacemakers, or tattoos.
What skills should a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist put on a resume?: O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Monitoring, Operations Monitoring, and Speaking among the most important skills for this occupation. Name the ones that are genuinely yours and show where you used them. A resume that lists skills you do not have is weaker than one that lists fewer.
What software should a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist list?: Software recorded for this occupation includes Appointment scheduling software, eClinicalWorks EHR software, Electronic medical record EMR software, GE Healthcare Centricity EMR, and Medical image processing software. Applicant tracking systems match on the exact product name, so write the tool as the posting writes it rather than describing it in general terms.
What other job titles cover Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist work?: O*NET records 14 titles for this occupation, including MRI Coordinator, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Coordinator, MRI QA Coordinator, and MRI Tech. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.
What qualifications does a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist need?: In O*NET's survey of people doing this job, 65% reported their level of education as "Associate's Degree". That is what current postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.
Will this resume pass an ATS for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist role?: No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer's system is configured, including ours. What you can control is that the resume parses cleanly, names the work in the words the posting uses, and does not claim anything you cannot back up.

Related roles

Occupations O*NET records as closest to this one, and worth looking at if this search is not moving.

What this page cannot tell you

No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer’s ATS is configured, including ours.
This page makes no claim about pay, demand or how many people hold this job. O*NET does not publish that here and we will not estimate it.
Keyword overlap is one input to a resume’s score, not a verdict on you. A resume that names skills you do not have is worse than one that names fewer.

If this is the job you are aiming at, the guide to tailoring a resume covers how to aim one posting properly, and building and exporting a resume here is free.

Occupation data from the O*NET 29.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. SpartanResume is not endorsed by USDOL/ETA.