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What does a manufacturing maintenance technician do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read

A Manufacturing Maintenance Technician is in charge of performing regular maintenance checks and repairs in manufacturing equipment to ensure that production operations run smoothly and efficiently. Their responsibilities include understanding and utilizing blueprints and schematics, addressing issues and concerns, troubleshooting problems, conducting inspections, performing installations and adjustments, maintaining records, and replacing or fixing components and tools. Moreover, a Manufacturing Maintenance Technician may also provide technical support among staff while promoting and enforcing safety policies and regulations.

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Manufacturing maintenance technician responsibilities

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

  • Manage and maintain CNC machines and auto blasting equipment as well as auxiliary equipment.
  • Perform general maintenance on HVAC units, replacing filters, both pre-filters and post HEPA filters.
  • Work involves the use of schematics and test equipment to troubleshoot electrical, mechanical and pneumatic integrate systems.
  • Work with hazardous materials following OSHA guidelines for proper personal protective equipment.
  • Create an AutoCAD 3-D rendering of the plant.
  • Perform preventive maintenance of the building's HVAC system.
  • Design and implement a new plant ventilation ducting project.
  • Maintain and troubleshoot robotics, vacuum components, and process chambers.
  • Maintain cleanliness and general appearance of facilities and surrounding work area.
  • Practice cleanliness of work area and tool organization on a daily basis.
  • Use of the PLC are utilized in the troubleshooting, repair and calibration of process controls.
  • Maintain an efficient budget while improving EPA safety standards and meetings DMV and OSHA safety regulatory.
  • Check the air quality of ventilation systems and make adjustments to ensure compliance with mandate safety codes.
  • Utilize data acquisition systems, measurement and test instrumentation including PC systems, PLC, CMM, etc.
  • Operate shop equipment such as mills, lathes, drill presses, grinders, on a as need basis.

Manufacturing maintenance technician skills and personality traits

We calculated that 10% of Manufacturing Maintenance Technicians are proficient in Troubleshoot, Preventative Maintenance, and PLC. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Dexterity, and Troubleshooting skills.

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

  • Troubleshoot, 10%

    Maintain, Troubleshoot, and Repair all Pneumatic, Hydraulic, Electrical and Robotic Arc/ Spot Welding systems associated with equipment.

  • Preventative Maintenance, 10%

    Performed routine preventative maintenance to ensure that machines to run smoothly and building systems operated efficiently.

  • PLC, 7%

    Use of the PLC were utilized in the troubleshooting, repair and calibration of process controls.

  • Industrial Maintenance, 7%

    Grade III Industrial Maintenance Technician o Responsible for maintaining and repair of moderately complex mechanical, electrical and production equipment.

  • Hand Tools, 7%

    Adjusted and replaced equipment parts such as rollers, belts, plugs and caps, using hand tools.

  • Production Equipment, 6%

    Operated production equipment in accordance with good manufacturing practices and standard operating procedures.

"troubleshoot," "preventative maintenance," and "plc" are among the most common skills that manufacturing maintenance technicians use at work. You can find even more manufacturing maintenance technician responsibilities below, including:

Customer-service skills. One of the key soft skills for a manufacturing maintenance technician to have is customer-service skills. You can see how this relates to what manufacturing maintenance technicians do because "these workers interact with customers on a regular basis." Additionally, a manufacturing maintenance technician resume shows how manufacturing maintenance technicians use customer-service skills: "served as a representative to the riverside/orange county areas with high involvement of customer's aptitude in work ethics. "

Dexterity. Another essential skill to perform manufacturing maintenance technician duties is dexterity. Manufacturing maintenance technicians responsibilities require that "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." Manufacturing maintenance technicians also use dexterity in their role according to a real resume snippet: "certified in the handling and containment of hazardous materials, fork trucks and scissors lifts. "

Troubleshooting skills. manufacturing maintenance technicians are also known for troubleshooting skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to manufacturing maintenance technician responsibilities, because "workers find, diagnose, and repair problems." A manufacturing maintenance technician resume example shows how troubleshooting skills is used in the workplace: "supported maintenance, troubleshooting and repair service of sterile and packaging production lines. "

See the full list of manufacturing maintenance technician skills

Compare different manufacturing maintenance technicians

Manufacturing 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 manufacturing maintenance technician annual salary with that of a maintenance engineer, we find that maintenance engineers typically earn a $4,307 lower salary than manufacturing maintenance technicians make annually.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between manufacturing maintenance technicians and maintenance engineers are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like plc, industrial maintenance, and hand tools.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between manufacturing maintenance technicians and maintenance engineer. For instance, manufacturing maintenance technician responsibilities require skills such as "troubleshoot," "preventative maintenance," "ac," and "grinders." Whereas a maintenance engineer is skilled in "guest rooms," "ladders," "boilers," and "kitchen equipment." This is part of what separates the two careers.

The education levels that maintenance engineers earn slightly differ from manufacturing maintenance technicians. In particular, maintenance engineers are 3.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a manufacturing maintenance technician. Additionally, they're 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Manufacturing 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 lower pay than manufacturing maintenance technician roles. They earn a $7,009 lower salary than manufacturing maintenance technicians per year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Manufacturing maintenance technicians and maintenance coordinators both require similar skills like "troubleshoot," "preventative maintenance," and "plc" to carry out their responsibilities.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, manufacturing maintenance technician responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "hand tools," "ac," "control systems," and "grinders." Meanwhile, a maintenance coordinator has duties that require skills in areas such as "good judgment," "customer service," "purchase orders," and "maintenance program." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

Maintenance coordinators earn a lower average salary than manufacturing maintenance technicians. But maintenance coordinators earn the highest pay in the energy industry, with an average salary of $57,628. Additionally, manufacturing maintenance technicians earn the highest salaries in the manufacturing with average pay of $54,576 annually.In general, maintenance coordinators achieve similar levels of education than manufacturing maintenance technicians. They're 0.9% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Manufacturing 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.

On average, maintenance helpers earn lower salaries than manufacturing maintenance technicians, with a $20,616 difference per year.By looking over several manufacturing maintenance technicians and maintenance helpers resumes, we found that both roles require similar skills in their day-to-day duties, such as "troubleshoot," "industrial maintenance," and "hand tools." But beyond that, the careers look very different.

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, manufacturing maintenance technicians are more likely to have skills like "preventative maintenance," "plc," "production equipment," and "control systems." But a maintenance helper is more likely to have skills like "ladders," "preventive maintenance," "mowing," and "grounds maintenance."

Maintenance helpers earn the highest salary when working in the energy industry, where they receive an average salary of $37,360. Comparatively, manufacturing maintenance technicians have the highest earning potential in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $54,576.When it comes to education, maintenance helpers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to manufacturing maintenance technicians. In fact, they're 2.2% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Manufacturing maintenance technician vs. Maintenance operator

Maintenance operators are skilled technicians who use a variety of small equipment and tools to perform and assist in the maintenance activities of a business establishment. These operators are required to assist the equipment manager in preparing preventative maintenance procedures so that they can increase productivity and reduce downtime of equipment. They must enforce safety rules and regulations and ensure that staff members are following them to prevent accidents in the facility. Maintenance operators must also train maintenance employees in performing proper preventative maintenance.

Maintenance operators average a lower salary than the annual salary of manufacturing maintenance technicians. The difference is about $16,020 per year.While their salaries may vary, manufacturing maintenance technicians and maintenance operators both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "preventative maintenance," "plc," and "industrial maintenance. "While some skills are required in each professionacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities, there are some differences to note. "troubleshoot," "production equipment," "grinders," and "facility equipment" are skills that commonly show up on manufacturing maintenance technician resumes. On the other hand, maintenance operators use skills like cdl, mowing, safety procedures, and dump truck on their resumes.The energy industry tends to pay the highest salaries for maintenance operators, with average annual pay of $41,741. Comparatively, the highest manufacturing maintenance technician annual salary comes from the manufacturing industry.In general, maintenance operators hold similar degree levels compared to manufacturing maintenance technicians. Maintenance operators are 1.6% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of manufacturing 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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