A heavy equipment mechanic is responsible for operating the heavy machinery used in the production of various industries, inspecting inconsistencies, running diagnostic tests, and replacing defective components to ensure its operational safety and efficiency. Heavy equipment mechanics also upgrade engine systems to boost optimal performance, analyze damage costs, and repair equipment parts with the assistance of other mechanical staff. They work closely with the management, create maintenance reports, and suggesting resolutions to avoid delays in production and customer service.

Heavy Equipment Mechanic Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real heavy equipment mechanic resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

  • Maintain and manage shop for parts, supplies and priority in jobs and cleanliness.
  • Operate grinders, vises, jacks, cranes, drill presses, pallet lifts, wheel lifts, and solvent tank.
  • Perform corrosion control and painting procedures on equipment using grinders, sanders, respirators and paint guns.
  • Fix and maintain all types of heavy equipment such as backhoe, excavator, bull dozer and grader.
  • Analyze and diagnose problems, troubleshoot electrical systems and their mechanical components.
  • Perform queries into competitor technology to maintain ability to perform accurate diagnosis on equipment not produce by caterpillar.
  • Light duty welding (arc, Mig), plasma cuts, gas torches, air arching, and pin gouging.
  • Will obtain cdl if require.
  • Train new drivers on pre-trip CDL test.
  • Stick and MIG welding, fabrication, and installation.
  • Cat scrapers, motor graders, dozers and more.
  • Have a thorough knowledge of materials, dexterity and safety.
  • Maintain all records / inventory / parts and dot records.
  • Replace tracks, transmissions, engines, dumps, shovels and guards.
  • Inspect ladders, vehicles, tools, and fall protection for serviceability.

Heavy Equipment Mechanic Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 8% of Heavy Equipment Mechanics are proficient in CDL, Hand Tools, and Loaders. They’re also known for soft skills such as Dexterity, Mechanical skills, and Organizational skills.

We break down the percentage of Heavy Equipment Mechanics that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • CDL, 8%

    Present CDL Driver, HazMat Endorsement, Double and Triple Endorsement and Tanker Endorsement.

  • Hand Tools, 7%

    Installed electrical and electronic components, assemblies, and systems in wheel vehicles, using hand tools, and power tools.

  • Loaders, 6%

    Performed site landscaping and pesticide/fungicide application on site using font-end loaders and tractors.

  • Cranes, 6%

    Disassembled and assembled hydraulic cylinders for cranes, heavy equipment attachments and steering mechanisms.

  • Electrical Systems, 4%

    Serviced automotive electrical systems including wiring harness, and starting and charging systems.

  • End Loaders, 4%

    Operated front end loaders for 700+ hours unloading 5 Naval Vessels of military equipment worth 2.8 million dollars.

"cdl," "hand tools," and "loaders" aren't the only skills we found heavy equipment mechanics list on their resumes. In fact, there's a whole list of heavy equipment mechanic responsibilities that we found, including:

  • Dexterity can be considered to be the most important personality trait for a heavy equipment mechanic to have. According to a heavy equipment mechanic resume, "heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians must perform many tasks, such as disassembling engine parts, connecting or attaching components, and using hand tools, with a steady hand and good hand-eye coordination." Heavy equipment mechanics are able to use dexterity in the following example we gathered from a resume: "conduct maintenance activities to tractor/trailers, crane truck, rough terrain forklift that provided services to client pumping units. "
  • Another commonly found skill for being able to perform heavy equipment mechanic duties is the following: mechanical skills. According to a heavy equipment mechanic resume, "heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians must be familiar with engine components and systems and know how they interact with each other." Check out this example of how heavy equipment mechanics use mechanical skills: "worked on crane way assembling and disassembling mrap vehicles, provided mechanical and some electrical assembly. "
  • Another skill that is quite popular among heavy equipment mechanics is organizational skills. This skill is very critical to fulfilling every day responsibilities as is shown in this example from a heavy equipment mechanic resume: "heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians must maintain accurate service records and parts inventories." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "performed scheduled and unscheduled organizational and direct support maintenance, utilizing army electronic technical manuals. "
  • A heavy equipment mechanic responsibilities sometimes require "physical strength." The responsibilities that rely on this skills are shown by this resume excerpt: "heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians must be able to lift and move heavy equipment, tools, and parts without risking injury." This resume example shows how this skill is used by heavy equipment mechanics: "performed visual and physical brake inspection and adjustment on 621b caterpillar scraper. "
  • Another common skill for a heavy equipment mechanic to be able to utilize is "troubleshooting skills." Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians must be familiar with diagnostic equipment to find the source of malfunctions. A heavy equipment mechanic demonstrated the need for this skill by putting this on their resume: "experience in rebuilding and troubleshooting air compressors and cylinders. "
  • See the full list of heavy equipment mechanic skills.

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    What Automotive Service Technicians Do

    Automotive service technicians, often called service technicians, have a duty to inspect, maintain, and repair cars and even light trucks. It is their job as automotive service technicians to find problems, often by computerized diagnostic equipment. They do test parts and systems to guarantee that they work properly and follow checklists to ensure that every critical part is examined. Performing basic care and maintenance is also part of their main tasks, including changing oil, rotating tires, and checking fluid levels.

    In this section, we compare the average heavy equipment mechanic annual salary with that of an automotive service technician. Typically, automotive service technicians earn a $5,941 lower salary than heavy equipment mechanics earn annually.

    Even though heavy equipment mechanics and automotive service technicians have vast differences in their careers, a few of the skills required to do both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require hand tools, hoists, and dexterity in the day-to-day roles.

    As far as similarities go, this is where it ends because a heavy equipment mechanic responsibility requires skills such as "cdl," "loaders," "cranes," and "electrical systems." Whereas a automotive service technician is skilled in "customer service," "manual dexterity," "customer satisfaction," and "ase." So if you're looking for what truly separates the two careers, you've found it.

    Automotive service technicians really shine in the health care industry with an average salary of $38,929. Whereas heavy equipment mechanics tend to make the most money in the transportation industry with an average salary of $60,682.

    Automotive service technicians tend to reach similar levels of education than heavy equipment mechanics. In fact, automotive service technicians are 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

    What Are The Duties Of an Auto Technician?

    An auto technician specializes in performing inspections, repairs, and maintenance on different automotive vehicles ranging from small cars to light trucks. Their responsibilities revolve around identifying issues using various diagnostic tools to determine which course of action to take, discussing the extent of repairs to clients, and ordering car parts from suppliers. There are also instances when an auto technician may have the task of maintaining the cleanliness of the workplace, or participate in record-keeping and monitoring the inventory.

    The next role we're going to look at is the auto technician profession. Typically, this position earns a lower pay. In fact, they earn a $7,583 lower salary than heavy equipment mechanics per year.

    Not everything about these jobs is different. Take their skills, for example. Heavy equipment mechanics and auto technicians both include similar skills like "hand tools," "hoists," and "preventive maintenance" on their resumes.

    But both careers also use different skills, according to real heavy equipment mechanic resumes. While heavy equipment mechanic responsibilities can utilize skills like "cdl," "loaders," "cranes," and "electrical systems," some auto technicians use skills like "taking care," "customer vehicles," "customer service," and "work ethic."

    On average, auto technicians earn a lower salary than heavy equipment mechanics. There are industries that support higher salaries in each profession respectively. Interestingly enough, auto technicians earn the most pay in the retail industry with an average salary of $38,823. Whereas, heavy equipment mechanics have higher paychecks in the transportation industry where they earn an average of $60,682.

    On the topic of education, auto technicians earn similar levels of education than heavy equipment mechanics. In general, they're 0.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

    How a Diesel Technician Compares

    Diesel technicians specialize in repairing and handling the maintenance of vehicles powered by diesel. They are primarily responsible for inspecting cars, conducting tests, and identifying its problems to determine what course of action to take. Aside from repairing engines, diesel technicians may also fix other systems such as brakes, steering, and even lighting. It is essential to discuss the extent of repairs to clients and make them understand the costs involved. Furthermore, it is vital to maintain an accurate record of data at all times.

    The diesel technician profession generally makes a lower amount of money when compared to the average salary of heavy equipment mechanics. The difference in salaries is diesel technicians making $2,150 lower than heavy equipment mechanics.

    While looking through the resumes of several heavy equipment mechanics and diesel technicians we discovered that both professions have similar skills. These similarities include skills such as "cdl," "hand tools," and "electrical systems," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

    There are many key differences between these two careers as shown by resumes from each profession. Some of those differences include the skills required to complete responsibilities within each role. As an example of this, a heavy equipment mechanic is likely to be skilled in "loaders," "cranes," "forklifts," and "osha," while a typical diesel technician is skilled in "customer service," "preventative maintenance," "diagnosis," and "dot."

    Additionally, diesel technicians earn a higher salary in the utilities industry compared to other industries. In this industry, they receive an average salary of $49,875. Additionally, heavy equipment mechanics earn an average salary of $60,682 in the transportation industry.

    Diesel technicians are known to earn similar educational levels when compared to heavy equipment mechanics. Additionally, they're 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

    Description Of a Mechanic Helper

    The job of a mechanic helper is to support lead mechanics and perform a variety of duties and responsibilities. You will be assisting in the maintenance of cars, such as changing tires and oils, replacing brakes, and diagnosing vehicle issues. In addition, you will be responsible for logging labor costs and inventory use and take vehicles for test drives. Other duties include replacing belts and hoses, assisting the lead mechanic in major projects, and repairing and maintaining cars.

    Now, we'll look at mechanic helpers, who generally average a lower pay when compared to heavy equipment mechanics annual salary. In fact, the difference is about $17,126 per year.

    While both heavy equipment mechanics and mechanic helpers complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like hand tools, electrical systems, and end loaders, the two careers also vary in other skills.

    While some skills are shared by these professions, there are some differences to note. "cdl," "loaders," "cranes," and "forklifts" are skills that have shown up on heavy equipment mechanics resumes. Additionally, mechanic helper uses skills like work ethic, strong work ethic, safety equipment, and safety procedures on their resumes.

    Mechanic helpers earn a higher salary in the professional industry with an average of $36,229. Whereas, heavy equipment mechanics earn the highest salary in the transportation industry.

    In general, mechanic helpers reach similar levels of education when compared to heavy equipment mechanics resumes. Mechanic helpers are 0.7% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.