What does a shop technician do?

Shop Technicians are skilled workers assigned to a retail store. Their main activities depend on the nature of the business their company is in. Usually, Shop Technicians work with machines in the shop. They conduct repair and maintenance work for machines that have long been in the shop. They are also in charge of installing and building new machines as well. Shop Technicians are assigned to manage records of such machines or s other mechanical items in the store. This is part of the administrative activities they may do for the shop.
Shop technician responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real shop technician resumes:
- Work with a recording POS sheets to be transfer to companies expenses.
- Maintain cleanliness of shop to promote organization which contribute to safety for other employees.
- Contribute to the overall cleanliness of the fabrication lab by sweeping, cleaning machinery and arranging scrap materials.
- Assist management with inventory, receiving, POS, window and screen repairs and to assemble power equipment.
- Shop technician and foreman responsible for timely repair and diagnosis of medium to large heavy duty diesel trucks and equipment.
- Diagnose, adjust, repair, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment, such as cranes, and conveyors used in shop.
- Digitize numerous outdate blueprints into working SolidWorks files.
- Construct and provide alterations on costumes for theater productions
- Design costumes for numerous department and student productions.
- Modele parts accurately in SolidWorks and create 2D mechanical drawings for manufacture.
- Train in hospital policies regarding chemicals and PPE associate with hospital environment.
- Work in pathogen lab for qualitative and quantitative microbiology testing with QC experience.
- Maintain inventory of UHS equipment throughout entire hospital, while providing equipment to corresponding patients.
- Provide an array of services regarding medical testing and laboratory work for patients of local doctors/clinicians.
- Purchase parts: plastic, metal, electrical, motor controls, drives, electronic, switches and boards.
Shop technician skills and personality traits
We calculated that 12% of Shop Technicians are proficient in Preventative Maintenance, Routine Maintenance, and Diagnosis. They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented, Customer-service skills, and Organizational skills.
We break down the percentage of Shop Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Preventative Maintenance, 12%
Developed and schedule preventative maintenance on equipment and other process optimizing solutions for continuous production flow with minimal downtime.
- Routine Maintenance, 9%
Performed routine maintenance of construction equipment and vehicles.
- Diagnosis, 7%
Damaged furniture diagnosis and cost effective assessment.
- Cranes, 7%
Operated overhead crane and different size forklifts to load and unload varying styles of trucks carrying tools and or pipe.
- Electrical Systems, 7%
Designed and installed electrical systems and media solutions in mobile environments.
- Customer Service, 6%
Resulted in increased ability to provide exceptional customer service and increased customer satisfaction at reasonable prices.
Most shop technicians use their skills in "preventative maintenance," "routine maintenance," and "diagnosis" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential shop technician responsibilities here:
Detail oriented. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a shop technician to have is detail oriented. Their role and responsibilities require that "diesel technicians must be aware of small details when inspecting or repairing engines and components, because mechanical and electronic malfunctions are often due to misalignments and other easy-to-miss causes." Shop technicians often use detail oriented in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "install and repair engines automobile body/fender repair oil changes painting cars automobile detail"
Customer-service skills. Many shop technician duties rely on customer-service skills. "diesel technicians frequently discuss automotive problems and necessary repairs with their customers," so a shop technician will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways shop technician responsibilities rely on customer-service skills: "complete service of own rental equipment as well as customer equipment. "
Organizational skills. shop technicians are also known for organizational skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to shop technician responsibilities, because "diesel technicians must keep workspaces clean and organized in order to maintain safety and accountability for parts." A shop technician resume example shows how organizational skills is used in the workplace: "created visual renderings and organizational plots in conjunction with costume shop manager in designing production costuming. "
Physical strength. shop technician responsibilities often require "physical strength." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "diesel technicians often lift heavy parts and tools, such as exhaust system components and pneumatic wrenches." This resume example shows what shop technicians do with physical strength on a typical day: "managed assets and service parts inventory including accurately conducting physical inventories resulting reduction of obsolete and low usage repair parts. "
Dexterity. A commonly-found skill in shop technician job descriptions, "dexterity" is essential to what shop technicians do. Shop technician responsibilities rely on this skill because "mechanics need a steady hand and good hand–eye coordination for many tasks, such as disassembling engine parts, connecting or attaching components, and using hand tools." You can also see how shop technician duties rely on dexterity in this resume example: "crane operator and forklift operator. "
Mechanical skills. Another skill commonly found on shop technician job descriptions is "mechanical skills." It can come up quite often in shop technician duties, since "diesel technicians must be familiar with engine components and systems and know how they interact with each other." Here's an example from a resume of how this skill fits into day-to-day shop technician responsibilities: "shop technician/diesel mechanic overseeing various duties including all types of mechanical jobs for tractors and trailers. "
The three companies that hire the most shop technicians are:
- Republic Services231 shop technicians jobs
- Cleveland Brothers24 shop technicians jobs
- REI20 shop technicians jobs
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Shop technician vs. Instrument technician apprentice
An instrument technician apprentice is responsible for performing installation and repairs on various electrical equipment and instruments such as control panels and motors, all while under the supervision and directives of a senior or master technician. Typically, their tasks revolve around conducting regular maintenance checks, coordinating with other technicians, organizing supplies, operating electrical tools, and understanding various electronic principles. Furthermore, there are also instances where one may liaise with clients to discuss the extent of damage or repairs, building positive relationships in the process to secure a client base.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, shop technician responsibilities require skills like "cranes," "customer service," "dot," and "safety inspections." Meanwhile a typical instrument technician apprentice has skills in areas such as "osha," "good communication," "maintenance services," and "ladders." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Instrument technician apprentices really shine in the automotive industry with an average salary of $38,671. Comparatively, shop technicians tend to make the most money in the energy industry with an average salary of $45,857.The education levels that instrument technician apprentices earn slightly differ from shop technicians. In particular, instrument technician apprentices are 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a shop technician. Additionally, they're 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Shop technician vs. Automotive mechanic
An automotive mechanic is responsible for inspecting the vehicle's engine, identifying defects and inconsistencies, and repairing malfunctioning components through diagnostic tests. Automotive mechanics diagnose problems and inform the customers of troubleshooting procedures and provide cost estimates for maintenance. They may also offer additional services to boost the engine's optimal performance and efficiency, at the same time, to generate more revenues for the business. An automotive mechanic must have excellent knowledge of the automotive industry, especially in responding to the inquiries and concerns of the customers regarding their vehicles and schedule regular repairs as necessary.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real shop technician resumes. While shop technician responsibilities can utilize skills like "preventative maintenance," "cranes," "electrical systems," and "dot," automotive mechanics use skills like "ase," "diagnostic equipment," "mechanical repairs," and "automotive repair."
Automotive mechanics earn a higher average salary than shop technicians. But automotive mechanics earn the highest pay in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $51,398. Additionally, shop technicians earn the highest salaries in the energy with average pay of $45,857 annually.automotive mechanics earn similar levels of education than shop technicians in general. They're 1.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Shop technician vs. Automotive service technician
Automotive service technicians, often called service technicians, have a duty to inspect, maintain, and repair cars and even light trucks. It is their job as automotive service technicians to find problems, often by computerized diagnostic equipment. They do test parts and systems to guarantee that they work properly and follow checklists to ensure that every critical part is examined. Performing basic care and maintenance is also part of their main tasks, including changing oil, rotating tires, and checking fluid levels.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from shop technician resumes include skills like "preventative maintenance," "routine maintenance," "cranes," and "electrical systems," whereas an automotive service technician is more likely to list skills in "dexterity," "manual dexterity," "ase," and "automotive repair. "
Automotive service technicians earn the highest salary when working in the health care industry, where they receive an average salary of $38,929. Comparatively, shop technicians have the highest earning potential in the energy industry, with an average salary of $45,857.automotive service technicians typically earn similar educational levels compared to shop technicians. Specifically, they're 0.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Shop technician vs. Shop lead
A shop lead is responsible for overseeing their crew. They ensure the safety of their crew by giving regular training. They also ensure the quality and quantity of the work put out by the shop. They manage the daily work of their shop, assist machinists, report to shop managers, and handle customer service.
Types of shop technician
Updated January 8, 2025











