Electro-mechanical Technicians

What Electro-mechanical Technicians Do

Electro-mechanical technicians operate, test, and maintain unmanned, automated, robotic, or electromechanical equipment.

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Work Environment

Electro-mechanical technicians work closely with electrical and mechanical engineers. They work in many industrial environments, including energy, plastics, computer and communications equipment manufacturing, and aerospace.

How to Become an Electro-mechanical Technician

Electro-mechanical technicians typically need either an associate’s degree or a postsecondary certificate.

Pay

The median annual wage for electro-mechanical technicians was $58,350 in May 2019.

Job Outlook

Employment of electro-mechanical technicians is projected to grow 3 percent from 2019 to 2029, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

Electro-mechanical technicians combine knowledge of mechanical technology with knowledge of electrical and electronic circuits. They operate, test, and maintain unmanned, automated, robotic, or electromechanical equipment.

Duties

Electro-mechanical technicians typically do the following:

• Read blueprints, schematics, and diagrams to determine the method and sequence of assembly of a part, machine, or piece of equipment
• Verify dimensions of parts, using precision measuring instruments, to ensure that specifications are met
• Operate metalworking machines to make housings, fittings, and fixtures
• Inspect parts for surface defects
• Repair and calibrate hydraulic and pneumatic assemblies
• Test the performance of electro-mechanical assemblies, using test instruments
• Install electronic parts and hardware, using soldering equipment and hand tools
• Operate, test, or maintain robotic equipment
• Analyze and record test results, and prepare written documentation

Electro-mechanical technicians test and operate machines in factories and other worksites. They also analyze and record test results, and prepare written documentation to describe the tests they performed and what the test results were.

Electro-mechanical technicians install, maintain, and repair automated machinery and computer-controlled mechanical systems in industrial settings. This kind of work requires knowledge and training in the application of photonics, the science of light. The technological aspects of the work have to do with the generation, control, and detection of the light waves so that the automated processes can proceed as designed by the engineers.

Electro-mechanical technicians also test, operate, or maintain robotic equipment at worksites. This equipment may include unmanned submarines, aircraft, or similar types of equipment for uses that include oil drilling, deep-ocean exploration, or hazardous-waste removal. These technicians also work on energy projects involving solar power and wind.

Electro-mechanical technicians held about 14,600 jobs in 2019. The largest employers of electro-mechanical technicians were as follows:

Machinery manufacturing	14%
Engineering services	9
Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing	7
Transportation equipment manufacturing	7
Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing	7

Electro-mechanical technicians work closely with electrical engineers and mechanical engineers. They work in many industrial environments, including energy, plastics, computer and communications equipment manufacturing, and aerospace. They often work both at production sites and in offices.

Because their job involves manual work with many machines and types of equipment, electro-mechanical technicians are sometimes exposed to hazards from equipment or toxic materials. However, incidents are rare as long as they follow proper safety procedures.

Work Schedules

Electro-mechanical technicians often work for large companies in manufacturing or for engineering firms. Like others at these firms, these technicians tend to work regular shifts. However, sometimes they must work additional hours to make repairs so that manufacturing operations can continue.

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of electro-mechanical technicians.

	Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2019
	Drafters	Drafters use software to convert the designs of engineers and architects into technical drawings.	Associate’s degree	$56,830
	Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technicians	Electrical and electronics engineering technicians help engineers design and develop electrical and electronic equipment.	Associate’s degree	$65,260
	Electrical and Electronics Engineers	Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of electrical equipment.	Bachelor’s degree	$101,250
	Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers	Electrical and electronics installers and repairers install or repair a variety of electrical equipment.	See How to Become One	$59,080
	Machinists and Tool and Die Makers	Machinists and tool and die makers set up and operate machine tools to produce precision metal parts, instruments, and tools.	See How to Become One	$45,750
	Mechanical Engineering Technicians	Mechanical engineering technicians help mechanical engineers design, develop, test, and manufacture mechanical devices.	Associate’s degree	$56,980
	Mechanical Engineers	Mechanical engineers design, develop, build, and test mechanical and thermal sensors and devices.	Bachelor’s degree	$88,430

For more information about general engineering education and career resources, visit

American Society for Engineering Education

IEEE

Technology Student Association

For more information on accredited programs, visit

ABET

For more information about certification, visit

International Society of Automation

National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET)

For information about working in automation, visit

Automation Federation

O*NET

Electro-Mechanical Technicians

Robotics Technicians