what is a maintenance engineer?
As a maintenance engineer, you apply engineering concepts to ensure the smooth running of industrial machinery and equipment. Some of the activities you perform include installing, repairing and maintaining different types of equipment. Maintenance engineers monitor and diagnose machine failures using specialised equipment. In case of breakdowns, you restore the faulty equipment and ensure optimal performance.
Maintenance engineers use their specialised training for strategic problem-solving and guiding technicians to repair problems in the system. Depending on your employer and the company's size, you are likely to participate in significant installations and the maintenance of critical machinery only. The rest of the time, you take on managerial tasks. However, you are expected to do hands-on work in some companies, like performing generalised repairs and maintenance activities.
A career as a maintenance engineer allows you to work in mechanical repair workshops or companies dealing with machinery and equipment maintenance. Aside from working for consultancy companies, you can work in-house at large factories or manufacturing plants in various industries, including automotive, oil and gas, and electronic businesses.
Would working as a maintenance engineer suit your technical expertise and diagnostic skills? Then read on to find out what competencies and qualifications you need to thrive in a maintenance engineer role.
maintenance engineer jobsaverage maintenance engineer salary
According to the Economic Research Institute, the average salary of a maintenance engineer in Greece is €32,000 per year, which translates to €15 per hour. The compensation package varies depending on experience. In a junior-level position, you start with a salary of €22,000 per year. In a senior maintenance engineer role, you take home an average salary of €38,000 per year.
how to increase your salary as a maintenance engineer
As a maintenance engineer, your earnings increase with experience and expertise. When you have a few years of experience in maintenance roles, you receive a higher salary due to the knowledge and expertise you bring to the company. Your educational qualifications improve your earning potential, too.
The size of the company you work for also influences your earnings. When you work for a small company, you earn less compared to maintenance engineers working for larger companies. In a large company, you handle complex duties. Besides, the vast resources of large organisations increase your earnings.
types of maintenance engineers
Maintenance engineering is an exciting career with various areas of specialisation, including:
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mechanical maintenance engineer
As a mechanical maintenance engineer, your job involves installing and maintaining mechanical systems or equipment used in industrial, commercial and domestic environments. Your focus is on replacing motors or pumps and repairing machines' mechanical and moving parts, such as lubricating gears.
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maintenance technician
As a maintenance technician, you perform hands-on work during the maintenance and repair of machinery. That involves disassembling equipment to remove defective or damaged components and testing whether the repairs were successful.
working as a maintenance engineer
Are you wondering what the workday of a maintenance engineer looks like? Read on to discover the typical duties and responsibilities of the career.
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what does a maintenance engineer do?
While the duties and responsibilities of a maintenance engineer vary depending on the company, common tasks include:
- Inspecting machines and equipment: before production commences, you inspect the machinery to check for any issues that could lead to a malfunction. Routine inspections ensure problems are discovered and solved on time to avoid production downtimes or delays.
- Preventive maintenance: as a maintenance engineer, you carry out scheduled maintenance checks to prevent any problems hindering the proper functioning of equipment. You might need the help of an electronics technician or industrial electrician. During preventive maintenance, you replace worn-out components, change fluids, re-calibrate instruments or change filters. You conduct preventive maintenance at scheduled times to ensure worn-out parts are replaced before they expire and cause further problems.
- Corrective maintenance: in case of an unexpected failure, it is your job to carry out corrective maintenance. It involves fault analysis to determine the cause of machine failure. You also identify the best procedure for restoring the functionality of the equipment. Corrective maintenance may include disassembling machinery to remove defective components.
- Repairs: when a machine breaks down during use, you troubleshoot the problem using diagnostic tools. You decide whether the damaged parts need replacements or repairs. After completing the repairs, you make the necessary upgrades to other components to improve efficiency and prevent future breakdowns.
- Installing new equipment: when your employer acquires new equipment or machinery, it is your job to install them. Aside from setting up the machinery, you perform the necessary checks and tests to ensure the system is in good working order.
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work environment of a maintenance engineer
As a maintenance engineer, your work environment depends on your industry and responsibilities. For instance, you work in rooms that house heavy machinery and equipment in the manufacturing industry, such as computer numerical control (CNC) turners. During production, you should be on call in case of a system failure or machine breakdown. In consultancy firms and government agencies, you work at the office drafting procedures for technicians to use in repairs and maintenance. However, you may visit the client's installation site on rare occasions to provide expert assistance or first-line support and work with service desk analysts.
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who are your colleagues?
Depending on the industry you work in, you collaborate with technicians, mechanical engineers and electrical engineers. You also work alongside plumbers, field service engineers, civil engineers and facilities managers. Other professionals you are likely to collaborate with are field service technicians, maintenance supervisors and production managers.
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maintenance engineer work schedule
Most maintenance engineers, based in production facilities and manufacturing plants, work 37 to 40 hours a week. While you can work the regular 9 am to 5 pm office hours, some manufacturing plants run 24 hours a day. That means you should be on call 24/7 in case of a system failure or a machine breakdown.
Your work may be on rotational shifts from time to time. Part-time opportunities are rare for maintenance engineers, but some employers hire on short-term contracts or temporary positions. Your work often involves travelling if you work away from your client's manufacturing plant, or you may also work with a CNC operator. Overseas travel is also common for maintenance engineers with expert knowledge in a particular sector.
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career opportunities as a maintenance engineer
As a maintenance engineer, you have plenty of opportunities for career progression. You can specialise in a specific sector or increase your skills to boost your career. For instance, if you are employed in the manufacturing sector, years of working in the industry give you expert knowledge to become a specialist or technical expert. Your experience also gives you a chance to become a consultant in the industry. Alternatively, you can become a maintenance manager before moving to an operations manager or facilities manager position. Some maintenance engineers increase their qualifications and become mechanical engineers before joining managerial positions.
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advantages of finding a job as a maintenance engineer through randstad
Working with Randstad offers you a range of benefits.
- always a contact person you can fall back on and ask for help from
- a range of jobs in your area
maintenance engineer skills and education
Some of the requirements of becoming a maintenance engineer include:
- Education: pursue a bachelor's degree in engineering, such as mechanical, manufacturing or electrical engineering. These engineering courses equip you with technical knowledge of how machines operate and maintenance routines. Look out for professional development opportunities by joining the Hellenic Association of Mechanical and Electrical Engineers.
- Work experience: enrol for internships and apprenticeships to improve your maintenance skills and knowledge. Some maintenance specialisations require licensing. For instance, you cannot maintain electrical and mechanical equipment without a licence from the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE). For aircraft mechanical engineers, you require a licence from the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) under EASA regulations.
competencies and characteristics of maintenance engineers
While you need experience and knowledge of machines in maintenance engineering, soft skills also improve your job success. Some of the skills include:
- Leadership skills: as a maintenance engineer, you are in charge of a technical team, and leadership skills will help you integrate with other staff. Motivating team members and bringing them together to accomplish a task is useful during equipment failure. With your leadership skills, you can also manage stress levels during unfavourable conditions and promote accountability for mistakes made during inspection.
- Problem-solving skills: multiple problems arise when operating equipment and machines. Despite creating procedures for dealing with problems, you cannot exhaust all possible system failure scenarios. You need creative problem-solving skills to tackle issues outside the standard maintenance procedures.
- Attention to detail: becoming a good maintenance engineer depends on your ability to pay attention to small details. An error or miscalculation can have serious consequences; hence, you should be keen when diagnosing equipment faults.
- Aptitude for physics: to learn how machines and equipment work, you need a knack for maths and physics. Sometimes, complex calculations are required to identify faults in a system. Aptitude for physics will also help you understand the schematics of machines from their blueprints and plan to fix the problems.
FAQs
Here, you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the profession of a maintenance engineer.
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what are the duties of a maintenance engineer?
As a maintenance engineer, you perform routine maintenance and ensure a company's industrial equipment functions properly. You create a maintenance plan for the equipment, establish maintenance policies and procedures, and make sure the maintenance tasks are carried out on time. You keep a record of maintenance tasks and repairs done on company equipment.
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what qualifications do you need to be a maintenance engineer?
While a bachelor’s degree is not mandatory for maintenance engineers, most employers prefer candidates with a university degree. You should pursue a degree in mechanical, manufacturing or electrical engineering. Aside from educational qualifications, you require extensive experience in maintenance work. You can build your experience through internships and apprenticeships.
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is maintenance engineering a good job?
Working as a maintenance engineer is an exciting career with rewarding opportunities. As a maintenance engineer, you earn a good salary, which increases gradually with experience. You also have numerous opportunities for growth. For instance, you can progress to managerial roles, like maintenance supervisor or maintenance manager.
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what skills should a maintenance engineer have?
To excel as a maintenance engineer, you require technical skills. A strong background in equipment maintenance and knowledge of complex machines helps you perform technical work. Since you collaborate with various workers in maintenance tasks, you should also possess good interpersonal and teamwork skills. Good communication skills help you communicate ideas clearly.
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how much does a maintenance engineer earn in Greece?
As a maintenance engineer, you take home an average salary of €32,000 per year or €15 per hour. Your salary ranges from €22,000 to €38,000 per year. The compensation package depends on educational qualifications and work experience. As you improve your knowledge and expertise, your salary also increases.
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how do I find a job as a maintenance engineer?
Finding a job near you as a maintenance engineer is easy. Search our job offers. Have you found what you're looking for? Then submit your application using the ‘Apply’ button top right on the page. No jobs available right now? Then log in or register an account to send us your resume and we'll pass it on to a recruiter who will contact you if an opportunity opens up for you.
