What does a lube technician do?
A Lube Technician specializes in automotive repairs and maintenance, focusing on lubricating particular engine parts. However, Lube Technicians can also conduct necessary inspection and maintenance of vehicles, change oil or filter, replace parts such as engines and batteries, and perform tire changes or inflation. A Lube Technician usually works as a member of a team or company, so it is essential to have efficient communication, coordination, attention to detail, and build rapport with clients to establish a client-base.
Lube technician responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real lube technician resumes:
- Operate multiple types of forklifts and cranes.
- Perform maintenance and trouble shooting of HVAC systems.
- Work with ASE certify, world class technician as apprentice.
- Reset TPMS systems, and perform alignments on most cars.
- Study and learned with ASE technicians to perform quality service in a timely manner.
- Consult with customers to troubleshoot vehicle problems and discuss potential work to be perform.
- Maintain and document the condition of all bearing and gearboxes within the whole building.
- Perform all tire servicing jobs to include mounting, dismounting, balancing, repairing and TPMS diagnosing.
- Examine and document burn-in processes verifying document and burn-in process are current and make required changes and adjustments.
- Perform all services offer in the TLE department (oil changes, tire installation and rotations, etc . )
- Perform job according to each different facilities JSA rules, OSHA standards, permit training, tool box meetings.
- Perform an assortment of typical lube shop services; transmission and engine flushes, light bulb swaps and oil swaps.
- Drain oil, check for any damages, full lube service, fill out paper work, close register and shop.
- Monitor, maintain, dispose and dispense all types of lubricants require to run conventional machines, gearboxes and other equipment.
- Maintain shop cleanliness and organization.
Lube technician skills and personality traits
We calculated that 15% of Lube Technicians are proficient in Work Ethic, Customer Service, and Hand Tools. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Detail oriented, and Dexterity.
We break down the percentage of Lube Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Work Ethic, 15%
Commit to excellent customer service while developing a strong and fast-paced work ethic.
- Customer Service, 13%
Conducted basic vehicle maintenance, Provided effective customer service, Assisted with shipping and receiving inventory, Upheld company policies
- Hand Tools, 11%
Operate overhead and floor mounted oil and grease guns, hand tools, radiator machine, tire rotation equipment, computer.
- Oil Changes, 6%
General automotive repair including tire replacement, oil changes, and battery replacement
- Air Pressure, 6%
Check air pressure in vehicle tires, levels of motor oil, transmission fluid, cooling system, battery, etc.
- Air Filters, 6%
Change oil and replace air filters; meeting expected goal to complete each oil change within a twenty minute time period.
Common skills that a lube technician uses to do their job include "work ethic," "customer service," and "hand tools." You can find details on the most important lube technician responsibilities below.
Customer-service skills. One of the key soft skills for a lube technician to have is customer-service skills. You can see how this relates to what lube technicians do because "service technicians discuss automotive problems—along with options to fix them—with their customers." Additionally, a lube technician resume shows how lube technicians use customer-service skills: "completed state regulated automobile inspections functioned as customer service representative and cashier performed certified jiffy lube ancillary and safety services"
Detail oriented. Many lube technician duties rely on detail oriented. "service technicians must be aware of small details when inspecting or repairing vehicle systems, because mechanical and electronic malfunctions are often due to misalignments or other easy-to-miss causes.," so a lube technician will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways lube technician responsibilities rely on detail oriented: "fulfilled daily janitorial duties, maintained shop equipment, shop cleanliness, fluid inventory and occasional car wash and detail. "
Dexterity. lube technicians are also known for dexterity, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to lube technician responsibilities, because "service technicians perform many tasks that require steady hands and good hand–eye coordination, such as assembling or attaching components and subassemblies." A lube technician resume example shows how dexterity is used in the workplace: "manage all lifting of goods efficiently and maintain store floor at all times and ensure cleanliness inside. "
Organizational skills. For certain lube technician responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "organizational skills." The day-to-day duties of a lube technician rely on this skill, as "service technicians must keep workspaces clean and organized in order to maintain safety and ensure accountability of parts." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what lube technicians do: "prepared vehicle for oil change and routine maintenance according to set standards administerd by organizational regulations. "
Physical strength. A commonly-found skill in lube technician job descriptions, "physical strength" is essential to what lube technicians do. Lube technician responsibilities rely on this skill because "service technicians must sometimes lift and maneuver heavy parts such as engines and body panels." You can also see how lube technician duties rely on physical strength in this resume example: "help technicians with vehicle repairsskills usedlearning, physical, work ethic, leadership"
Troubleshooting skills. Lastly, "troubleshooting skills" is an important element of what a lube technician does. Lube technician responsibilities require this skill because "service technicians use diagnostic equipment on engine systems and components in order to identify and fix problems in increasingly complicated mechanical and electronic systems." This resume example highlights how lube technician duties rely on this skill: "perform routine maintenance perform vehicle diagnostics, troubleshooting procedures ability to repair and operate vehicle to correct operations maintain shop cleanliness"
The three companies that hire the most lube technicians are:
- Valvoline4,666 lube technicians jobs
- Driven Brands435 lube technicians jobs
- TravelCenters of America347 lube technicians jobs
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Compare different lube technicians
Lube technician vs. 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.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a lube technician are more likely to require skills like "customer service," "air pressure," "vehicle inspections," and "customer vehicles." On the other hand, a job as a mechanic helper requires skills like "strong work ethic," "preventive maintenance," "safety equipment," and "safety procedures." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Mechanic helpers really shine in the professional industry with an average salary of $36,229. Comparatively, lube technicians tend to make the most money in the retail industry with an average salary of $29,700.mechanic helpers tend to reach similar levels of education than lube technicians. In fact, mechanic helpers are 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Lube technician vs. Light wheel mechanic
A light wheel mechanic is responsible for maintaining the optimal performance and efficiency of light-wheeled vehicles used for industrial operations, especially in a military setting. Light wheel mechanics inspect the condition of the vehicle's engine, perform preventive maintenance, replace defective components, assemble upgrade systems based on schematics and blueprints, and create resolution reports for reference. They must have excellent knowledge of the auto-mechanic industry to determine faults and identify repairs, avoiding delays, complications, and hazards during operations.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real lube technician resumes. While lube technician responsibilities can utilize skills like "work ethic," "customer service," "hand tools," and "air pressure," light wheel mechanics use skills like "mechanical problems," "electrical systems," "equipment systems," and "mos."
Average education levels between the two professions vary. Light wheel mechanics tend to reach similar levels of education than lube technicians. In fact, they're 2.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Lube technician vs. Automotive mechanic
An automotive mechanic is responsible for inspecting the vehicle's engine, identifying defects and inconsistencies, and repairing malfunctioning components through diagnostic tests. Automotive mechanics diagnose problems and inform the customers of troubleshooting procedures and provide cost estimates for maintenance. They may also offer additional services to boost the engine's optimal performance and efficiency, at the same time, to generate more revenues for the business. An automotive mechanic must have excellent knowledge of the automotive industry, especially in responding to the inquiries and concerns of the customers regarding their vehicles and schedule regular repairs as necessary.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from lube technician resumes include skills like "air pressure," "vehicle inspections," "minor maintenance," and "preventative maintenance," whereas an automotive mechanic is more likely to list skills in "mechanical problems," "diagnosis," "ase," and "shop equipment. "
Automotive mechanics make a very good living in the manufacturing industry with an average annual salary of $51,398. On the other hand, lube technicians are paid the highest salary in the retail industry, with average annual pay of $29,700.automotive mechanics typically earn similar educational levels compared to lube technicians. Specifically, they're 0.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Lube technician vs. Instrument technician apprentice
An instrument technician apprentice is responsible for performing installation and repairs on various electrical equipment and instruments such as control panels and motors, all while under the supervision and directives of a senior or master technician. Typically, their tasks revolve around conducting regular maintenance checks, coordinating with other technicians, organizing supplies, operating electrical tools, and understanding various electronic principles. Furthermore, there are also instances where one may liaise with clients to discuss the extent of damage or repairs, building positive relationships in the process to secure a client base.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between lube technicians and instrument technician apprentices, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a lube technician might have more use for skills like "customer service," "air pressure," "minor maintenance," and "vehicle maintenance." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of instrument technician apprentices require skills like "diagnosis," "osha," "good communication," and "ladders. "
Instrument technician apprentices enjoy the best pay in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $38,671. For comparison, lube technicians earn the highest salary in the retail industry.The average resume of instrument technician apprentices showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to lube technicians. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 1.5% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.0%.Types of lube technician
Updated January 8, 2025
