What does a technical assistant do?
A technical assistant is responsible for supporting business operations by doing administrative and technical tasks under a direct supervisor or tenured staff. Duties of a technical assistant include creating meeting reports, scheduling events, responding to clients' inquiries through email and phone calls, monitoring office inventories, basic troubleshooting on defective equipment, providing recommendations on product development, and analyzing operations processes. Technical assistants require strong time-management and multi-tasking skills to perform tasks in a fast-paced environment and high-level operations.
Technical assistant responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real technical assistant resumes:
- Create and manage original MARC records from OCLC database including verification, editing and updating of data and shelf list.
- Manage customer complaints and internal GMP audits for product manufacturing, coordinate FDA audits and recommend corrective actions.
- Input service reports into AS400 using 10 key.
- Assist with ambulation, transfer from bed to chair and CPR certify.
- Work involve development in PHP with back end as MYSQL server database.
- Operate heat sealers, centrifuges, sterile docking equipment, and irradiation unit.
- Repair customers' mobile devices, including iphone, ipad and android devices.
- Perform original and copy cataloging of legal publications, using OCLC and OPAC.
- Operate ball mills, centrifuges, tape casting equipment, and laboratory testing equipment.
- Assist clinical personnel in transferring patients to and from beds, wheelchairs and stretchers.
- Research and create proof of concept for security on consumer devices using blockchain technology.
- Implement MLS property search function for the website using a WordPress plugin and PHP.
- Record data into windows and supporting system QNX, make log of examine work.
- Conduct GLP audits of client facilities and perform GMP review of execute validation protocols.
- Design and implement internal-use software in python to discover bugs of Cisco routers in client network
Technical assistant skills and personality traits
We calculated that 23% of Technical Assistants are proficient in Patients, Customer Service, and Patient Care. They’re also known for soft skills such as Listening skills, Problem-solving skills, and Speaking skills.
We break down the percentage of Technical Assistants that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 23%
Maintained and sanitized physical therapy facility, laundry, assisted patients in completing their exercises.
- Customer Service, 12%
Recognized for handing additional responsibilities as well as maintaining a professional demeanor and proficiency to fulfill requirements for quality customer service.
- Patient Care, 11%
Illustrated collaboration with other professional disciplines to ensure the delivery of effective and efficient patient care.
- Technical Assistance, 6%
Provided technical assistance regarding developmentally appropriate practices to Head Start program administrators and teachers, daycare centers and family childcare providers.
- Lab Equipment, 5%
Assist Certified Laboratory Technician with experiments through record keeping and general lab equipment preparation.
- Phlebotomy, 4%
Perform Rapid Antigen tests * Set up microbiology cultures * Send out specimens for state lab testing * Phlebotomy certificate of training
Common skills that a technical assistant uses to do their job include "patients," "customer service," and "patient care." You can find details on the most important technical assistant responsibilities below.
Listening skills. One of the key soft skills for a technical assistant to have is listening skills. You can see how this relates to what technical assistants do because "support workers must be able to understand the problems that their customers are describing and know when to ask questions to clarify the situation." Additionally, a technical assistant resume shows how technical assistants use listening skills: "communicated with supervisors and performed administrative functions such as word processing, database management, and other applications. "
Problem-solving skills. Many technical assistant duties rely on problem-solving skills. "support workers must identify both simple and complex computer problems, analyze them, and solve them.," so a technical assistant will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways technical assistant responsibilities rely on problem-solving skills: "performed field data collection of turbidity, dissolved oxygen, water level and temperature for monitoring wells at various contaminated sites. "
Speaking skills. technical assistants are also known for speaking skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to technical assistant responsibilities, because "support workers must describe the solutions to computer problems in a way that a nontechnical person can understand." A technical assistant resume example shows how speaking skills is used in the workplace: "created & presented technical seminars in data collection, processing and analysis. "
Writing skills. A big part of what technical assistants do relies on "writing skills." You can see how essential it is to technical assistant responsibilities because "strong writing skills are useful for preparing instructions and email responses for employees and customers, as well as for real-time web chat interactions." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical technical assistant tasks: "maintain two computer labs install software and hardware in both computer labs ordering and writing for title vii, indian education grant"
The three companies that hire the most technical assistants are:
- ICF61 technical assistants jobs
- Novant Health35 technical assistants jobs
- American Institutes for Research34 technical assistants jobs
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Compare different technical assistants
Technical assistant vs. Administrative technical support
Administrative technical support maintains every technical set-up used in a company. Their primary responsibility is to inspect a company's systems, evaluate for issues, and repair any problems immediately. Administrative technical support is typically on call at the start of the day and, when they are not responding to calls, they conduct regular check-ups on all company systems. They are also responsible for creating technical reports and offering recommendations for improvements.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a technical assistant are more likely to require skills like "patients," "patient care," "lab equipment," and "phlebotomy." On the other hand, a job as an administrative technical support requires skills like "technical support," "troubleshoot," "phone calls," and "data entry." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
The education levels that administrative technical supports earn slightly differ from technical assistants. In particular, administrative technical supports are 0.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a technical assistant. Additionally, they're 0.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Technical assistant vs. Administrative assistant/technical
An administrative assistant/technical is primarily responsible for performing clerical and support tasks in a company, ensuring efficiency and timeliness. They must produce progress reports, process documentation, receive communication letters, manage schedules, and even greet visitors. There are also instances when an administrative assistant/technical has to answer calls and correspondence, respond to inquiries, address issues and concerns, and resolve them promptly and professionally. Furthermore, it is essential to maintain records of all transactions, coordinate with different departments, and adhere to the company's policies and regulations.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that technical assistant responsibilities requires skills like "customer service," "lab equipment," "phlebotomy," and "surgical procedures." But an administrative assistant/technical might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "data entry," "access database," "purchase orders," and "payroll."
Administrative assistant/technicals earn a higher average salary than technical assistants. But administrative assistant/technicals earn the highest pay in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $42,925. Additionally, technical assistants earn the highest salaries in the insurance with average pay of $36,918 annually.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Administrative assistant/technicals tend to reach similar levels of education than technical assistants. In fact, they're 2.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Technical assistant vs. Computer laboratory assistant
The duties of a computer laboratory assistant vary in their place or industry of employment. In a school setting, a computer laboratory assistant is in charge of assisting users by addressing their issues and concerns, performing corrective measures and repairs, offering suggestions to users, and implementing the laboratory's policies and regulations. Furthermore, there are instances when they have to troubleshoot errors, produce progress reports, maintain software and hardware, provide instructions to users, and consult a more experienced colleague when experiencing a complex issue.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a technical assistant is likely to be skilled in "patients," "customer service," "patient care," and "lab equipment," while a typical computer laboratory assistant is skilled in "software applications," "software issues," "c++," and "computer problems."
Computer laboratory assistants make a very good living in the education industry with an average annual salary of $32,659. On the other hand, technical assistants are paid the highest salary in the insurance industry, with average annual pay of $36,918.Most computer laboratory assistants achieve a similar degree level compared to technical assistants. For example, they're 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Technical assistant vs. Technical support coordinator
A technical support coordinator oversees and coordinates the activities of technical support teams, ensuring clients and staff receive optimal support and service. They typically set objectives and guidelines, establish schedules and action plans, perform audits and assessments, review documentation and client feedback, and conduct research and analysis to develop strategies that will optimize the daily operations of the department. Moreover, as a technical support coordinator, it is essential to lead and encourage teams to reach goals while implementing the company's standards and policies.
Types of technical assistant
Updated January 8, 2025
