What does a maintenance engineer do?

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.
Maintenance engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real maintenance engineer resumes:
- Manage all contract work including snow removal, mowing, asphalt work, and signage.
- Assist in and/or troubleshoot the building automation system and make recommendations for maintenance and repair to building control systems.
- Maintain cleanliness and orderliness of facility and grounds per federal OSHA requirements.
- Perform commercial maintenance/troubleshooting for plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems on commercial buildings and apartment complexes.
- Work with, cut, and install PVC piping.
- Well verse with PLC/ CNC diagnostic tools.
- Green mowing, bunkers, flymowing, mowing fairways, etc.
- Pull wires and troubleshoot light electrical situations, including setting up conduit.
- Install various types of flooring, perform roofing inspection and small repair.
- Fix brokensprinklers around the ranch, as well as, water PVC pipes.
- Assist hospital staff, physicians, patients and visitors with facilities maintenance relate problems.
- Ensure all patients' room are properly clean and sanitize on a daily basis.
- Utilize equipment to perform necessary maintenance including pc terminals, voltmeters, and gauges.
- Golf course maintenance including: mowing, trimming, spraying, irrigation repairs and etc.
- Stoop, climb ladders and lift heavy loads during the renovation of empty apartments to allow for rental.
Maintenance engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 13% of Maintenance Engineers are proficient in Plumbing, HVAC, and Guest Rooms. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Dexterity, and Troubleshooting skills.
We break down the percentage of Maintenance Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Plumbing, 13%
Hired and supervised personnel Extensive knowledge of air conditioning repair and preventative maintenance, electricity, plumbing, floor coverings and carpentry
- HVAC, 10%
Performed routine preventative maintenance on HVAC equipment and utility systems, troubleshooting problems and effecting repairs.
- Guest Rooms, 5%
Performed preventative maintenance in all guest rooms keeping them in above satisfactory condition.
- Ladders, 5%
Stooped, climbed ladders and lifted heavy loads during the renovation of empty apartments to allow for rental.
- Maintenance Tasks, 4%
Conducted routine inspections of facilities to ensure proper upkeep and conduct preventative maintenance tasks.
- OSHA, 4%
Developed and implemented programs addressed topics regulatory compliance with OSHA's Process Safety Management - Mechanical Integrity.
Common skills that a maintenance engineer uses to do their job include "plumbing," "hvac," and "guest rooms." You can find details on the most important maintenance engineer responsibilities below.
Customer-service skills. One of the key soft skills for a maintenance engineer to have is customer-service skills. You can see how this relates to what maintenance engineers do because "these workers interact with customers on a regular basis." Additionally, a maintenance engineer resume shows how maintenance engineers use customer-service skills: "work duties included project design, autocad, and field work at customer locations. "
Dexterity. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling maintenance engineer duties is dexterity. The role rewards competence in this skill because "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." According to a maintenance engineer resume, here's how maintenance engineers can utilize dexterity in their job responsibilities: "operated forklift operated pallet jack responsible for shipping inventory maintained a cleanliness of plant"
Troubleshooting skills. This is an important skill for maintenance engineers to perform their duties. For an example of how maintenance engineer 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 maintenance engineer: "maintained, serviced and troubleshooting of earth moving equipment like graders, loaders, air compressors, and tippers. ".
The three companies that hire the most maintenance engineers are:
- Aimbridge Hospitality289 maintenance engineers jobs
- Hyatt Hotels86 maintenance engineers jobs
- Highgate Hotels66 maintenance engineers jobs
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Maintenance engineer vs. Operations and maintenance technician
Operations and maintenance technicians are skilled professionals who are responsible for conducting preventive maintenance of all equipment used in the operation of an organization. These technicians are required to ensure that their facilities are always operational by performing inspections and documenting the operating conditions of their equipment. They must utilize numerous power and hand tools so that they can perform all preventive maintenance and diagnose mechanical problems. Operations and maintenance technicians must also monitor the operation of plan equipment to ensure that employees are following the proper maintenance and safety procedures.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between maintenance engineers and operations and maintenance technician. For instance, maintenance engineer responsibilities require skills such as "guest rooms," "boilers," "kitchen equipment," and "customer service." Whereas a operations and maintenance technician is skilled in "preventative maintenance," "safety procedures," "plant operations," and "windows." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Operations and maintenance technicians tend to reach similar levels of education than maintenance engineers. In fact, operations and maintenance technicians are 3.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Maintenance engineer vs. Industrial maintenance mechanic
An industrial maintenance mechanic is responsible for ensuring the efficiency and optimal performance of industrial equipment and machinery to support operations and prevent operational delays. Industrial maintenance mechanics perform regular maintenance for the equipment, inspecting the components for any malfunctions, and conduct immediate repairs as needed. They also write resolution reports for reference and recommend supplies and resources to avoid the reoccurrence of system problems and downtimes. An industrial maintenance mechanic must have excellent organizational and analytical skills to measure and calibrate instruments properly and identify inconsistencies.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that maintenance engineer responsibilities requires skills like "guest rooms," "maintenance tasks," "boilers," and "kitchen equipment." But an industrial maintenance mechanic might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "conveyor systems," "production machines," "cranes," and "mig."
Average education levels between the two professions vary. Industrial maintenance mechanics tend to reach similar levels of education than maintenance engineers. In fact, they're 4.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Maintenance engineer vs. Preventive maintenance technician
A preventive maintenance technician performs routine facility maintenance to prevent possible mechanical failure. The technicians change worn out machine parts before they can cause mechanical damage. They keep the facility operating. It is their job to conduct quality assessments, maintain inventory, and schedule repairs. Also, they see to it that machines are up and running at all times. They are expected to be equipped with skills in customer service, problem-solving, reading comprehension, business operation, and mechanical aptitude.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a maintenance engineer is likely to be skilled in "maintenance tasks," "boilers," "cleanliness," and "switches," while a typical preventive maintenance technician is skilled in "water filters," "routine maintenance," "safety regulations," and "oil changes."
Most preventive maintenance technicians achieve a similar degree level compared to maintenance engineers. For example, they're 4.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Maintenance engineer vs. Electrical maintenance technician
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.
Types of maintenance engineer
Updated January 8, 2025











