What does an air plant engineer do?
Air plant engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real air plant engineer resumes:
- Manage and provide training to a multicultural maintenance team using TPM principles and following standards such as AIB and BRC.
- Draft monthly operation reports used for environmental and NERC compliance.
- Host radio show as a DJ on Sunday afternoons and weekday overnights.
- Perform maintenance on air compressor, air dryers, feed water and condensate pumps and sodium zeolite softeners.
- Maintain, clean and rebuild plant equipment such as air compressors, air dryers, pumps, water towers, etc.
- Prepare and review project drawings/specifications to ensure compliance with OSHA environmental/quality standards, and federal, state and local environmental laws.
- Create detailed reports of any ventilation problems after taking daily temperature readings.
Compare different air plant engineers
Air plant engineer vs. Boiler operators supervisor
A boiler operator specializes in the maintenance and repair of boiler machines and similar facilities in industrial establishments such as warehouses, power plants, and factories. As a boiler operator, it is their responsibility to monitor and operate systems and equipment, perform adjustments, observe factors such as temperature and pressure, write daily records, and replace equipment parts as needed. They may also maintain the cleanliness of areas, keeping supplies organized at all times. Furthermore, a boiler operator must conduct regular maintenance checks to ensure a safe and efficient work environment.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an air plant engineer are more likely to require skills like "air dispersion modeling," "test reports," "test procedures," and "emission calculations." On the other hand, a job as a boiler operators supervisor requires skills like "hvac," "general maintenance," "plant operations," and "troubleshoot." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
On average, boiler operators supervisors reach lower levels of education than air plant engineers. Boiler operators supervisors are 9.4% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 2.4% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Air plant engineer vs. Boiler technician
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that air plant engineer responsibilities requires skills like "air dispersion modeling," "test reports," "test procedures," and "emission calculations." But a boiler technician might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "steam boilers," "hvac," "hand tools," and "mechanical systems."
In general, boiler technicians achieve lower levels of education than air plant engineers. They're 6.7% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 2.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Air plant engineer vs. High pressure operator
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, an air plant engineer is likely to be skilled in "air dispersion modeling," "test reports," "test procedures," and "emission calculations," while a typical high pressure operator is skilled in "high-bay," "inventory control," "troubleshoot," and "hvac."
High pressure operators typically earn lower educational levels compared to air plant engineers. Specifically, they're 8.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 2.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Air plant engineer vs. Boiler operator
Types of air plant engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
