United States job search, United States Industrial machinery mechanics

Repair, install, adjust, or maintain industrial production and processing machinery or refinery and pipeline distribution systems.

Tasks

Knowledge

Mechanical — Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Engineering and Technology — Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Computers and Electronics — Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Physics — Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.

Skills

Equipment Maintenance — Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Repairing — Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.

Troubleshooting — Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Operation Monitoring — Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Quality Control Analysis — Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Equipment Selection — Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.

Installation — Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.

Operation and Control — Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Abilities

Visualization — The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Manual Dexterity — The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

Finger Dexterity — The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Control Precision — The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

Extent Flexibility — The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

Hearing Sensitivity — The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.

Arm-Hand Steadiness — The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

Visual Color Discrimination — The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.

Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Work Activities

Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment — Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.

Controlling Machines and Processes — Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Work Context

Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls — How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

Exposed to Hazardous Equipment — How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets — How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or live jackets?

Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Spend Time Standing — How much does this job require standing?

Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable — How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?

Consequence of Error — How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?

Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling — How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?

Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body — How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?

Job Zone

Title	Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Overall Experience	Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job Training	Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers.
Job Zone Examples	These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include dental assistants, electricians,fish and game wardens, legal secretaries, personnel recruiters, and recreation workers.
SVP Range	(6.0 to < 7.0)
Education	Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.

There are 36 recognized apprenticeable specialties associated with this occupation:
Maintenance Mechanic, Compressed-Gas Plant; Automotive-Maintenance-Equipment Servicer; Bakery-Machine Mechanic; Conveyor-Maintenance Mechanic; Composing-Room Machinist; Electronic-Production-Line-Maintenance Mechanic; Forge-Shop-Machine Repairer; Hydroelectric-Machinery Mechanic; Machine Repairer, Maintenance; Machinist, Linotype; Machine Fixer (Carpet and Rug); Maintenance Mechanic; Maintenance Mechanic; Overhauler (Textile); Pinsetter Adjuster, Automatic; Pump Erector (Construction); Repairer, Welding Equipment; Pneumatic-Tool Repairer; Pneumatic-Tube Repairer; Powerhouse Mechanic; Stoker Erector-and-Servicer; Rubberizing Mechanic; Scale Mechanic; Sewing-Machine Repairer; Aviation Support Equipment Repairer; Fuel-System-Maintenance Worker; Cooling Tower Technician; Hydraulic Repairer; Repairer I; Laundry-Machine Mechanic; Hydraulic-Press Servicer; Canal-Equipment Mechanic; Treatment-Plant Mechanic; Pump Servicer; Repairer, Welding Systems and Equipment; Industrial Machine System Technician

To learn about specific apprenticeship opportunities, please consult the listing of State Offices for contact information.

Interests

Realistic — Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Work Values

Working Conditions — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

Support — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

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