Maintenance engineers ensure that industrial machinery and equipment run smoothly and reliably.
Their work typically involves:
planning and undertaking scheduled maintenance
responding to breakdowns
diagnosing faults
repairing equipment
supervising engineering and technical staff
obtaining specialist components, fixtures or fittings
managing budgets
maintaining statistical and financial records
ensuring compliance with health and safety legislation
creating maintenance procedures
managing stocks of supplies and equipment.
Shift and ‘on-call work may be required, particularly where manufacturing equipment is in a continual 24-hour operation. Career progression is often accelerated; maintenance engineers have opportunities to move into managerial positions or related areas of employment such as plant/production engineering.