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What does a field maintenance technician do?

Updated January 8, 2025
6 min read

Field Maintenance Technicians are responsible for the on-site maintenance, repair, and installation of systems and equipment. Their duties include inspecting technical problems, performing repair or installing systems and equipment, conducting test runs, demonstrating safe operating procedures, and carrying out preventive maintenance service. They educate clients on troubleshooting techniques, undertake service reviews, and produce service reports. Field Maintenance Technicians also make recommendations related to service upgrades or equipment replacements, organize travel arrangements, and maintain client relationships.

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Field maintenance technician responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real field maintenance technician resumes:

  • Manage proper storage of equipment, compliance with ANSI, NEC standard and assure OSHA safety regulations.
  • Repair and install anything HVAC and plumbing relate
  • Service and charge HVAC systems.
  • Perform electrical repairs such as replacing switches, ballast and wiring.
  • Perform activities such as loading trucks, repairing and operating rock crushers, loaders, and excavators.
  • Follow OSHA protocols and standards for working with high-voltage equipment and heavy machinery in a constantly changing environment.
  • Operate heavy duty trucks and trailers, back hoes, excavators, cranes, bucket loaders and bulldozers.
  • Repair faucets & sinks in kitchen & bathrooms; change electrical plugs, switches & major electrical boxes in apartments.
  • Complete minor repairs of houses: plumbing lines, light electrical work, repair safety hazards, and cleaning of houses.
  • Help maintain the grass by cutting it every week, painting the field corresponding to the sport that will be play.
  • Maintain equipment cleanliness during all process operations so as not to jeopardize product quality and/or purity.
  • Remove, clean, and replace gearboxes for paint robots.
  • Complete preventive maintenance orders such as: changing oil in gearboxes, changing oil filters, and rebuilding valves.
  • Administer the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) and secondary building-management systems.
  • Detail documentation of work history on equipment for optimal preventative maintenance using company CMMS.

Field maintenance technician skills and personality traits

We calculated that 15% of Field Maintenance Technicians are proficient in Field Maintenance, Customer Service, and Plumbing. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Dexterity, and Troubleshooting skills.

We break down the percentage of Field Maintenance Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Field Maintenance, 15%

    Performed field maintenance on all aspects of gas station fueling systems, and general building maintenance.

  • Customer Service, 10%

    Recognized for safety consciousness, exceptional customer service, efficiency in repairing and performing preventive maintenance on building and facility systems.

  • Plumbing, 7%

    Repaired and installed anything HVAC and plumbing related

  • Preventative Maintenance, 6%

    Completed routine preventative maintenance on equipment as defined within service level agreement.

  • OSHA, 6%

    Adhered to all OSHA standards of safety while maintaining a pristine work area.

  • Routine Maintenance, 5%

    Performed routine maintenance and repair of equipment, including filtering systems..

Most field maintenance technicians use their skills in "field maintenance," "customer service," and "plumbing" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential field maintenance technician responsibilities here:

Customer-service skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a field maintenance technician to have is customer-service skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "these workers interact with customers on a regular basis." Field maintenance technicians often use customer-service skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "worked as a technician, performed maintenance sports program supervisor - managed a team while providing customer service"

Dexterity. Many field maintenance technician duties rely on dexterity. "many repair and maintenance tasks, such as repairing small devices, connecting or attaching components, and using hand tools, require a steady hand and good hand–eye coordination.," so a field maintenance technician will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways field maintenance technician responsibilities rely on dexterity: "carry out field service calls as well as preventative maintenance on various models of forklifts -basic crown forklift class training. "

Troubleshooting skills. This is an important skill for field maintenance technicians to perform their duties. For an example of how field maintenance technician responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "workers find, diagnose, and repair problems." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a field maintenance technician: "performed preventative maintenance, troubleshooting or diagnosing service problems and repairs as needed. ".

See the full list of field maintenance technician skills

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Compare different field maintenance technicians

Field maintenance technician vs. Maintenance engineer

A maintenance engineer is responsible for the maintenance of industrial machinery and inspects equipment defects for immediate troubleshooting or replacement as needed. Maintenance engineers install and upgrade system components to improve system optimization and perform diagnostic systems to locate any adjustments. They also conduct routine checks, assist clients with technical faults, and ensure that the equipment works safely for certain operations. A maintenance engineer must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry to address technical malfunctions immediately.

If we compare the average field maintenance technician annual salary with that of a maintenance engineer, we find that maintenance engineers typically earn a $9,730 higher salary than field maintenance technicians make annually.Even though field maintenance technicians and maintenance engineers are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require field maintenance, customer service, and plumbing in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, field maintenance technician responsibilities require skills like "preventative maintenance," "routine maintenance," "work ethic," and "asphalt." Meanwhile a typical maintenance engineer has skills in areas such as "guest rooms," "maintenance tasks," "boilers," and "kitchen equipment." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

On average, maintenance engineers reach similar levels of education than field maintenance technicians. Maintenance engineers are 4.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Field maintenance technician vs. Maintenance coordinator

A maintenance coordinator is responsible for maintaining the cleanliness and safeness of the organization's facilities, as well as conducting repairs on defective equipment and machinery. Maintenance coordinators inspect and diagnose inconsistencies with equipment, replacing faulty components immediately to prevent delays in the operation and avoid potential workplace hazards. They also monitor the adequacy of maintenance inventories and create purchase requests for necessary tools and materials. A maintenance coordinator keeps an organized record of maintenance logs, observing strict protocols and safety regulations during operations.

Maintenance coordinator positions earn higher pay than field maintenance technician roles. They earn a $7,028 higher salary than field maintenance technicians per year.A few skills overlap for field maintenance technicians and maintenance coordinators. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "field maintenance," "customer service," and "plumbing. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that field maintenance technician responsibilities requires skills like "ladders," "work ethic," "light fixtures," and "hand tools." But a maintenance coordinator might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "good judgment," "maintenance tasks," "purchase orders," and "cmms."

In general, maintenance coordinators achieve similar levels of education than field maintenance technicians. They're 1.9% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Field maintenance technician vs. Maintenance helper

A maintenance helper performs basic support tasks to assist maintenance technicians in installing and repairing machines and equipment. Their responsibilities typically include gathering and handing tools, changing fixtures such as light bulbs and faucets, preparing workspaces, and cleaning work areas and equipment. They may also liaise with vendors or suppliers, build positive relationships with clients, and handle calls and correspondence. Moreover, maintenance helper must utilize their experiences to learn more complex tasks and gain industry insight.

An average maintenance helper eans a lower salary compared to the average salary of field maintenance technicians. The difference in salaries amounts to maintenance helpers earning a $6,579 lower average salary than field maintenance technicians.field maintenance technicians and maintenance helpers both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "field maintenance," "plumbing," and "osha," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a field maintenance technician is likely to be skilled in "customer service," "preventative maintenance," "work ethic," and "asphalt," while a typical maintenance helper is skilled in "preventive maintenance," "maintenance tasks," "grounds maintenance," and "perform routine maintenance."

Most maintenance helpers achieve a similar degree level compared to field maintenance technicians. For example, they're 1.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Field maintenance technician vs. Maintenance worker

Maintenance workers are employees assigned to oversee the equipment, furniture, and fixtures in the office. They ensure that these items work correctly by doing routine check-ups, identifying any problems, anticipating challenges, sourcing for spare parts, and repairing problems. They also ensure that all the equipment, furniture, and fixtures are clean and always ready for use. They should be familiar with all the official instructions and procedures to ensure that they can adequately care for these items. They may also handle the installation of any new equipment.

Maintenance workers typically earn lower pay than field maintenance technicians. On average, maintenance workers earn a $1,271 lower salary per year.While their salaries may vary, field maintenance technicians and maintenance workers both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "field maintenance," "customer service," and "plumbing. "Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. A field maintenance technician uses "preventative maintenance," "routine maintenance," "ac dc," and "ladders." Maintenance workers are more likely to have duties that require skills in "maintenance tasks," "cleanliness," "grounds maintenance," and "leaf blower. "In general, maintenance workers hold similar degree levels compared to field maintenance technicians. Maintenance workers are 0.8% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of field maintenance technician

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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