A maintenance technician is a technical caretaker. They can be responsible for the upkeep of a facility, such as an apartment building or business office, or for servicing vehicles, aircraft, or many other types of equipment that are mechanical and electrical. Maintenance technicians are skilled in a variety of areas including electrical systems, mechanics, welding, pipe fitting, plumbing, and more. Duties include performing equipment inspections, maintaining inventory of supplies, scheduling, and handling repairs.
To succeed in this career, a maintenance technician should have experience with a variety of maintenance procedures, hydraulic systems, and basic tools and appliances. To excel in this position, technicians must be outstanding problem-solvers, with exceptional communication and organizational skills. This is a role for people who excel at working with their hands. Since maintenance technicians work on machinery, they must be strong and mobile.
Maintenance technicians are needed in a range of sectors. They can specialize in industries like aviation, where the focus is on diagnosing issues, and maintaining and repairing aircraft components as an aviation maintenance technician. Additionally, maintenance technicians can focus primarily on electronics as a maintenance electrician. Common industries for maintenance technicians include real estate and facility management, manufacturing, aviation, medical, automotive, construction, food processing, energy, electronics and more. The demand for maintenance techs will stay high as the switch to more automated manufacturing machinery continues to grow. Technicians with a broad range of skills in machine repair will be especially in demand.
A maintenance technician working in the automotive industry, for example, may be responsible for maintaining the components that keep the assembly line running smoothly. In the construction industry, maintenance technicians can be responsible for inspecting the tractors and machines to stay in good working condition to limit downtime. Mechanical technicians often work alongside and report to maintenance engineers, other engineers, technicians, and team members.
Common maintenance technician responsibilities
- Inspecting mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and other technical components in equipment, machines, systems and building to identify any issues;
- Repairing faulty equipment and damaged structures;
- Developing and implementing preventative maintenance procedures to manage systems and guarantee functionality;
- Planning and scheduling repairs;
- Conducting periodic quality checks on equipment and systems to ensure everything is up to standard;
- Performing general routine maintenance tasks like cleaning, lubricating, and activating machinery;
- Helping develop and implement the budget for the maintenance activities;
- Maintaining the inventory records for equipment and supplies;
- Collaborating with maintenance engineers or other technical specialists to resolve problems;
- Ensuring compliance with relevant requirements, codes, and certifications, and in line with customer needs and demands;
- Participating in technical trainings as needed;
- Assuring the safety and security of team members.
Qualifications for maintenance technicians
Maintenance technicians should have at least a technical or trade certification related to mechanics, electronics, in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), building maintenance technology, or related.
A Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or similar field is advantageous, particularly if pursuing a career as maintenance engineer.
Additional supporting skills and experience include:
- At least 2 years’ experience in a similar role;
- In-depth knowledge of electrical, mechanical, and hydraulic systems;
- Solid understanding of general maintenance procedures and techniques;
- Being physically capable and available to work in demanding environments;
- Using problem-solving abilities effectively;
- Having excellent written and verbal communication skills;
- Being well-organized and having the ability to prioritize tasks.