What does a preventive maintenance technician do?
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.
Preventive maintenance technician responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real preventive maintenance technician resumes:
- Initiate and implement first preventative maintenance program for CNC, mills and lathes for the maintenance dept.
- Control circuit and PLC installation and programming.
- Climb poles, ladders and other structures as needed.
- Train and knowledgeable of OSHA's rules and regulations.
- Insure vehicle are meeting all safety guidelines as set for by ANSI and OSHA.
- Assist higher-level heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) mechanics.
- Adhere to safe work practices when lifting, climbing ladders, and working in confine spaces.
- Work as preventive maintenance technician on CNC Bryant UL2 & LL2 internal grinders, and industrial grinding equipment.
- Maintain, repair and correct all building components including plumbing, fire alarm systems, store lighting, fixtures and equipment.
- Perform electrical and plumbing duties that involve repairing and monitoring.
- Implement a centralize electronic LOTO system which improve compliance and oversight to remote facilities.
- Range from changing HVAC filters, am also typically responsible for scheduling regular inspections of electrical equipment and/or elevators.
- Provide preventive maintenance such as cleaning and inspection of HVAC equipment to ensure adequate operation for residential and commercial customers.
- Work plant and field management, mowing all the county schools' fields.
- Maintain baseball and soccer fields including: mowing, grooming, and fertilizing.
Preventive maintenance technician skills and personality traits
We calculated that 18% of Preventive Maintenance Technicians are proficient in Customer Service, Hand Tools, and HVAC. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Dexterity, and Troubleshooting skills.
We break down the percentage of Preventive Maintenance Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 18%
Utilized customer service skills to communicate with on-site utility representatives to respond day-to-day and on-call emergency excavation requests.
- Hand Tools, 8%
Perform minor repairs, reassemble equipment or replace defective parts using hand tools and power tools.
- HVAC, 8%
Performed preventive maintenance on restaurant HVAC equipment.
- Dishwashers, 6%
Maintained and repaired equipment and machines to include stove, dishwashers and refrigerators.
- Plumbing, 5%
Performed electrical and plumbing duties that involved repairing and monitoring.
- Water Filters, 4%
Check air and oil levels on machinery, change air conditioning and water filters.
"customer service," "hand tools," and "hvac" are among the most common skills that preventive maintenance technicians use at work. You can find even more preventive maintenance technician responsibilities below, including:
Customer-service skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a preventive maintenance technician to have is customer-service skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "these workers interact with customers on a regular basis." Preventive maintenance technicians often use customer-service skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "responded to written and radio work orders from management and front desk staff for maintenance attention needed to guest rooms. "
Dexterity. Many preventive maintenance technician duties rely on dexterity. "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.," so a preventive maintenance technician will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways preventive maintenance technician responsibilities rely on dexterity: "used hand tools, lifts and computer software when required to perform job tasks. "
Troubleshooting skills. This is an important skill for preventive maintenance technicians to perform their duties. For an example of how preventive maintenance technician 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 preventive maintenance technician: "perform preventative maintenance and service including troubleshooting and repairs on hvac commercial equipment. ".
The three companies that hire the most preventive maintenance technicians are:
- U-Haul57 preventive maintenance technicians jobs
- Marriott International25 preventive maintenance technicians jobs
- Ryder System15 preventive maintenance technicians jobs
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Compare different preventive maintenance technicians
Preventive 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.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, preventive maintenance technician responsibilities require skills like "water filters," "routine maintenance," "safety regulations," and "oil changes." Meanwhile a typical maintenance engineer has skills in areas such as "maintenance tasks," "boilers," "cleanliness," and "switches." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
On average, maintenance engineers reach similar levels of education than preventive maintenance technicians. Maintenance engineers are 4.2% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Preventive 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.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real preventive maintenance technician resumes. While preventive maintenance technician responsibilities can utilize skills like "customer service," "dishwashers," "water filters," and "safety regulations," maintenance helpers use skills like "preventive maintenance," "mowing," "maintenance tasks," and "grounds maintenance."
Maintenance helpers may earn a lower salary than preventive maintenance technicians, but maintenance helpers earn the most pay in the energy industry with an average salary of $37,360. On the other hand, preventive maintenance technicians receive higher pay in the automotive industry, where they earn an average salary of $47,655.maintenance helpers earn similar levels of education than preventive maintenance technicians in general. They're 1.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Preventive 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.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, preventive maintenance technicians are more likely to have skills like "customer service," "dishwashers," "water filters," and "production equipment." But a maintenance operator is more likely to have skills like "cdl," "mowing," "safety procedures," and "dump truck."
Maintenance operators earn the best pay in the energy industry, where they command an average salary of $41,741. Preventive maintenance technicians earn the highest pay from the automotive industry, with an average salary of $47,655.maintenance operators typically earn similar educational levels compared to preventive maintenance technicians. Specifically, they're 0.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Preventive maintenance technician vs. Equipment technician
An equipment technician is responsible for handling the operations of company equipment and machinery, inspecting for any malfunctions, and immediately repairing defective components to prevent delays in productivity. Equipment technicians create a report of system failures, referencing documentation to develop consistency with the equipment, and suggest corrective actions. They should also analyze schematics and blueprints for guides on how to maintain the equipment's reliability. An equipment technician must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry, especially on enhancing equipment's performance and maximizing operational productivity.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between preventive maintenance technicians and equipment technicians, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a preventive maintenance technician might have more use for skills like "dishwashers," "water filters," "cnc," and "safety regulations." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of equipment technicians require skills like "patients," "equipment maintenance," "dexterity," and "maintenance procedures. "
In general, equipment technicians earn the most working in the construction industry, with an average salary of $48,024. The highest-paying industry for a preventive maintenance technician is the automotive industry.equipment technicians reach similar levels of education compared to preventive maintenance technicians, in general. The difference is that they're 0.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of preventive maintenance technician
Updated January 8, 2025
