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What is a plant maintenance supervisor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Philipp Zerbe

The plant maintenance supervisor is responsible for conducting necessary maintenance of plant equipment, such as HVAC systems, wastewater storage facilities, and the likes. This includes correcting unsafe issues, facilitating safety meetings, performing inspections, and investigating accidents. Plant maintenance supervisors coordinate and supervise a team of maintenance workers. They perform all the logistics related to maintenance work which includes logging repairs and purchasing supplies. They support the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of all plant equipment.

This job requires a minimum of a high school diploma with an associate's or a bachelor's degree being the preferred education. Applicants must have a minimum of two years of related work experience. You must be conversant with plant equipment and safety procedures. You must possess analytical, attention to detail, troubleshooting, and communication skills. Plant maintenance supervisors earn $60,752 on average per year, which is $29.21 per hour. Their salary ranges between $44,000 and $82,000.

What general advice would you give to a plant maintenance supervisor?

Philipp ZerbePhilipp Zerbe LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor, University of California - Davis

While most career sectors have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, job opportunities in botany, plant biology and biology in general have been affected comparatively less. Therefore, do not be discouraged; explore the many career possibilities in plant biology and find something that truly speaks to your personality and your career dreams and pursue opportunities in this direction. At the same time be flexible and open-minded toward new opportunities. Botany/Plant Biology is a diverse and international field with many different career possibilities. Be open to exploring different fields and to relocate nationally or internationally for internships or job opportunities.
ScorePlant Maintenance SupervisorUS Average
Salary
3.8

Avg. Salary $48,355

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
9.3

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.24%

Asian 2.09%

Black or African American 8.10%

Hispanic or Latino 15.50%

Unknown 4.50%

White 68.58%

Gender

female 5.91%

male 94.09%

Age - 50
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 - 50
Stress level
9.3

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
9.4

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
2.6

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Plant maintenance supervisor career paths

Key steps to become a plant maintenance supervisor

  1. Explore plant maintenance supervisor education requirements

    Most common plant maintenance supervisor degrees

    Bachelor's

    36.3 %

    Associate

    25.6 %

    High School Diploma

    21.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific plant maintenance supervisor skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Safety Procedures11.86%
    Production Lines8.52%
    USDA6.61%
    Plant Equipment5.24%
    Plumbing4.74%
  3. Complete relevant plant maintenance supervisor training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New plant maintenance supervisors 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 a plant maintenance supervisor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real plant maintenance supervisor resumes.
  4. Research plant maintenance supervisor duties and responsibilities

    • Maintain OEE on all equipment to achieve run performance goals and to produce 500MM pounds of finish product a year.
    • Supervise electricians, HVAC mechanics and plumbers.
    • Implement CMMS MP2 and supervise Sawgrass site maintain and update.
    • Make logic changes in PLC's as needed to support production.
  5. Prepare your plant maintenance supervisor resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your plant maintenance supervisor 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 a plant maintenance supervisor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable plant maintenance supervisor resume templates

    Build a professional plant maintenance supervisor 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 plant maintenance supervisor resume.
    Plant Maintenance Supervisor Resume
    Plant Maintenance Supervisor Resume
    Plant Maintenance Supervisor Resume
    Plant Maintenance Supervisor Resume
    Plant Maintenance Supervisor Resume
    Plant Maintenance Supervisor Resume
    Plant Maintenance Supervisor Resume
    Plant Maintenance Supervisor Resume
    Plant Maintenance Supervisor Resume
  6. Apply for plant maintenance supervisor jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a plant maintenance supervisor 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 plant maintenance supervisor job

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Average plant maintenance supervisor salary

The average plant maintenance supervisor salary in the United States is $48,355 per year or $23 per hour. Plant maintenance supervisor salaries range between $30,000 and $76,000 per year.

Average plant maintenance supervisor salary
$48,355 Yearly
$23.25 hourly

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Plant maintenance supervisor reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2021
Cons

Working a hundred hours a week


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2019
Pros

Fast Pace, solving problems working with outside groups.

Cons

Engineering not understanding processes


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A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019
Pros

The right things should be done at right time, and the correct material should by use at the right place


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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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