Post job

What does an industrial electrician do?

Updated January 8, 2025
6 min read
What does an industrial electrician do

An Industrial Electrician installs, maintains, and repairs electrical systems in industrial facilities. They are usually part of a construction team to put in and check new equipment and systems.

On this page

Industrial electrician responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real industrial electrician resumes:

  • Lead team to retrofit outdate piece of CNC machinery to allow usage for production personnel on a new design part.
  • Install electrical services ranging from 480 volts ac to 24 volts dc.
  • Include the installation of EMT and rigid conduit for branch circuits, fire alarm systems and motor control circuits.
  • Job responsibilities include running conduit wiring transformers and terminating PLC cabinets.
  • Work with voltages ranging from 24 vdc to 2300 vac.
  • Maintain both A/C and D/C main power generation systems.
  • Install and program VFD's for conveyor and pump applications.
  • Repair electric hand-trucks (DC current) in all electric components.
  • Report and track all maintenance activities in the company's CMMS program.
  • Work on a daily basis with voltages from 12vdc to 13.8kv AC systems.
  • Establish and write LOTO policies, procedures and guidelines for plant operations and maintenance.
  • Install underground PVC rigid conduit, of multiple sizes, to their designate locations.
  • Trouble shooting generator lines and working with 250 volt dc diagnosing and replacing motors generators.
  • Perform installation of wires, cables, drive motors, VFD's, sensors and encoders.
  • Utilize ladders, scaffolds, and boom lifts to install, maintain and repair electrical wiring, equipment and fixtures.

Industrial electrician skills and personality traits

We calculated that 8% of Industrial Electricians are proficient in Electrical Equipment, Hand Tools, and Ac. They’re also known for soft skills such as Color vision, Communication skills, and Physical strength.

We break down the percentage of Industrial Electricians that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Electrical Equipment, 8%

    Read and interpreted drawings, blueprints, schematics and electrical code specifications to determined layout of industrial electrical equipment installations.

  • Hand Tools, 8%

    Repaired and upgraded electrical systems* Maintained electrical controls on production devices* Rebuilt electrical hand tools & welders

  • Ac, 4%

    Maintained and repaired AC and DC generators; repaired welders, electric motors; Electrical maintenance and repair of a derrick barge

  • Dc, 4%

    Refurbish Power Plant, Most of the job working with 4160 or higher, Installation of DC motors 40hp and higher.

  • Test Equipment, 4%

    Utilized test equipment to diagnose system failures and complete necessary repairs, resulting in maximum productivity.

  • Industrial Maintenance, 4%

    Perform all requirements of industrial maintenance electrician to include electronic circuity and machinery such as robotics, speed multi-axis servo wrappers.

Common skills that an industrial electrician uses to do their job include "electrical equipment," "hand tools," and "ac." You can find details on the most important industrial electrician responsibilities below.

Color vision. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for an industrial electrician to have is color vision. Their role and responsibilities require that "electricians must identify electrical wires by color." Industrial electricians often use color vision in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "dig trenches and excavations by use of hand tools and power equipment under general supervision. "

Physical strength. industrial electricians are also known for physical strength, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to industrial electrician responsibilities, because "electricians need to be strong enough to move heavy components, which may weigh up to 50 pounds." An industrial electrician resume example shows how physical strength is used in the workplace: "position involved a large volume of electrical troubleshooting on the steel-cutting lines and all physical plant (building) systems. "

Troubleshooting skills. industrial electrician responsibilities often require "troubleshooting skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "electricians find, diagnose, and repair problems." This resume example shows what industrial electricians do with troubleshooting skills on a typical day: "assisted journeyman electricians with pulling wire, troubleshooting, terminating control panels, lighting, receptacles, etc. "

All industrial electrician skills

Choose from 10+ customizable industrial electrician resume templates

Build a professional industrial electrician resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your industrial electrician resume.
Industrial Electrician Resume
Industrial Electrician Resume
Industrial Electrician Resume
Industrial Electrician Resume
Industrial Electrician Resume
Industrial Electrician Resume
Industrial Electrician Resume
Industrial Electrician Resume
Industrial Electrician Resume
Industrial Electrician Resume
Industrial Electrician Resume
Industrial Electrician Resume
Industrial Electrician Resume
Industrial Electrician Resume
Industrial Electrician Resume
Industrial Electrician Resume

Compare different industrial electricians

Industrial electrician vs. Journeyman ironworker

An apprentice is responsible for learning specialized tasks on their chosen field through actual job training under the supervision of tenured staff. An apprentice's duties include performing administrative tasks as needed, creating observation reports of daily operations, providing possible recommendations on improving productivity, and adhering to the business' safety standards and regulatory procedures. An apprentice must be detail-oriented, fast-learner, and enthusiastic. An apprentice should also know how to accept constructive criticisms and feedback to improve performance and skill development.

The annual salary of journeyman ironworkers is $21,221 lower than the average salary of industrial electricians.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between industrial electricians and journeyman ironworkers are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like industrial maintenance, cranes, and fall protection.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an industrial electrician are more likely to require skills like "ac dc," "electrical equipment," "hand tools," and "ac." On the other hand, a job as a journeyman ironworker requires skills like "bars," "rebar," "steel beams," and "bolt-up." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

On average, journeyman ironworkers reach similar levels of education than industrial electricians. Journeyman ironworkers are 0.4% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Industrial electrician vs. Apprentice

An electrical maintenance technician is primarily in charge of installing and repairing electrical systems. Their responsibilities often revolve around liaising with clients to identify their needs, examining electrical damages or defects on houses or establishments, troubleshooting, and performing fixes and replacements as needed. Aside from providing technical support, an electrical maintenance technician may also train junior technicians and monitor their progress. Furthermore, in a company setting, one must conduct regular maintenance checks on electrical systems to ensure a safe and efficient work environment.

Apprentice positions earn lower pay than industrial electrician roles. They earn a $25,426 lower salary than industrial electricians per year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both industrial electricians and apprentices have skills such as "electrical equipment," "test equipment," and "industrial maintenance. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that industrial electrician responsibilities requires skills like "ac dc," "hand tools," "ac," and "dc." But an apprentice might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "pet," "customer service," "basic math," and "apprenticeship."

On average, apprentices earn a lower salary than industrial electricians. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, apprentices earn the most pay in the transportation industry with an average salary of $44,876. Whereas industrial electricians have higher pay in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $69,749.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Apprentices tend to reach similar levels of education than industrial electricians. In fact, they're 1.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Industrial electrician vs. Electrical maintenance technician

The electrical supervisor oversees electricians' performance, training them for the repair and maintenance of equipment. They are responsible for enhancing their skills to create and design electrical operating systems in order to prevent malfunctions causing electric short circuits or shock. They also initiate the monitoring of electrical equipment. They are to help electricians install electrical equipment in establishments and homes, following standard safety protocols imposed by the state. When a defect is observed, they can quickly troubleshoot and start repair.

An average electrical maintenance technician eans a lower salary compared to the average salary of industrial electricians. The difference in salaries amounts to electrical maintenance technicians earning a $2,635 lower average salary than industrial electricians.Using the responsibilities included on industrial electricians and electrical maintenance technicians resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "ac dc," "electrical equipment," and "hand tools.rdquo;

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, an industrial electrician is likely to be skilled in "transformers," "work ethic," "emt," and "strong work ethic," while a typical electrical maintenance technician is skilled in "electrical systems," "control systems," "mechanical systems," and "mechanical equipment."

Electrical maintenance technicians earn the best pay in the hospitality industry, where they command an average salary of $61,573. Industrial electricians earn the highest pay from the automotive industry, with an average salary of $69,749.electrical maintenance technicians typically earn similar educational levels compared to industrial electricians. Specifically, they're 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Industrial electrician vs. Electrical supervisor

Electrical supervisors typically earn higher pay than industrial electricians. On average, electrical supervisors earn a $28,439 higher salary per year.According to resumes from industrial electricians and electrical supervisors, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "ac dc," "electrical equipment," and "ac. "

Even though a few skill sets overlap between industrial electricians and electrical supervisors, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an industrial electrician might have more use for skills like "hand tools," "ladders," "switches," and "allen-bradley." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of electrical supervisors require skills like "electrical systems," "control systems," "nfpa," and "safety regulations. "

In general, electrical supervisors earn the most working in the energy industry, with an average salary of $92,489. The highest-paying industry for an industrial electrician is the automotive industry.The average resume of electrical supervisors showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to industrial electricians. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 2.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.0%.

Types of industrial electrician

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.

Browse construction and extraction jobs