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What is an operations and maintenance technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
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The Operations And Maintenance Technician is a role found in the maintenance department of various institutions and facilities, from hospitals to business offices to power plants, as part of the maintenance team.

They are tasked with the inspection and maintenance of buildings, machinery, equipment, and various systems. They are in charge of repairing, replacing, installing new machinery, doing inventory and ordering the necessary items as needed, developing and improving maintenance operations and procedures, and assisting in creating the maintenance budget. A Technician may need to learn on the job, depending on where they work.

A person looking to work as an Operations and Maintenance Technician generally needs to have a high school diploma or a GED and previous experience working in a role that has to do with maintenance. Certification in subjects such as HVAC and building maintenance technology might be preferred or sometimes even necessary. Knowledge of electrical and water systems is always necessary, as well as good organizational and problem-solving skills.

ScoreOperations And Maintenance TechnicianUS Average
Salary
4.2

Avg. Salary $53,680

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.6

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.8
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.17%

Asian 4.55%

Black or African American 11.00%

Hispanic or Latino 18.04%

Unknown 4.25%

White 60.99%

Gender

female 5.39%

male 94.61%

Age - 49
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 49
Stress level
7.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.3

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.1

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Operations and maintenance technician career paths

Key steps to become an operations and maintenance technician

  1. Explore operations and maintenance technician education requirements

    Most common operations and maintenance technician degrees

    Associate

    32.3 %

    High School Diploma

    28.8 %

    Bachelor's

    21.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific operations and maintenance technician skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Hand Tools6.01%
    Preventative Maintenance6.00%
    HVAC4.63%
    Plumbing3.91%
    Safety Procedures3.81%
  3. Complete relevant operations and maintenance technician training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New operations and maintenance technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an operations and maintenance technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real operations and maintenance technician resumes.
  4. Gain additional operations and maintenance technician certifications

    Operations and maintenance technician certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific operations and maintenance technician certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for operations and maintenance technicians include EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA) and OSHA Safety Certificate .

    More About Certifications
  5. Research operations and maintenance technician duties and responsibilities

    • Stoop, climb ladders, and lift heavy loads during set-up.
    • Replace and install motors, PLC I/O controls, valves, and safety lights.
    • Perform preventive maintenance on all HVAC units and monitor daily readings of chillers and boilers.
    • Experience in electronic controls, PLC's, calibrations, troubleshooting and maintenance of electronic controls.
  6. Prepare your operations and maintenance technician resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your operations and maintenance technician resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an operations and maintenance technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable operations and maintenance technician resume templates

    Build a professional operations and maintenance technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your operations and maintenance technician resume.
    Operations And Maintenance Technician Resume
    Operations And Maintenance Technician Resume
    Operations And Maintenance Technician Resume
    Operations And Maintenance Technician Resume
    Operations And Maintenance Technician Resume
    Operations And Maintenance Technician Resume
    Operations And Maintenance Technician Resume
    Operations And Maintenance Technician Resume
    Operations And Maintenance Technician Resume
  7. Apply for operations and maintenance technician jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an operations and maintenance technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first operations and maintenance technician job

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Average operations and maintenance technician salary

The average operations and maintenance technician salary in the United States is $53,680 per year or $26 per hour. Operations and maintenance technician salaries range between $39,000 and $73,000 per year.

Average operations and maintenance technician salary
$53,680 Yearly
$25.81 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do operations and maintenance technicians rate their job?

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Operations and maintenance technician reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

Flexibility

Cons

I have more to offer than n various task. My resume spells out my duties.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020
Pros

Challenging, technical, always something new, part of a team.

Cons

The hours, the low pay, high expectations to perform and exceed, expectation to always be on call, low budget for repairs.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019
Pros

I like the technicality, reasoning and the calculative nature of the job

Cons

I can't really say, because I love been maintenance technician


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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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