Careers
>Transportation, Distribution & Logistics
>Facility and Mobile Equipment Maintenance
>Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
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.
Education
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
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. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Examples
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul mobile mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment, such as cranes, bulldozers, graders, and conveyors, used in construction, logging, and mining.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $36K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $44K
Median Salary: $55K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $66K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $81K
Demand
Core Tasks
Repair and replace damaged or worn parts.
Test mechanical products and equipment after repair or assembly to ensure proper performance and compliance with manufacturers' specifications.
Operate and inspect machines or heavy equipment to diagnose defects.
Read and understand operating manuals, blueprints, and technical drawings.
Dismantle and reassemble heavy equipment using hoists and hand tools.
Overhaul and test machines or equipment to ensure operating efficiency.
Adjust, maintain, and repair or replace subassemblies, such as transmissions and crawler heads, using hand tools, jacks, and cranes.
Diagnose faults or malfunctions to determine required repairs, using engine diagnostic equipment such as computerized test equipment and calibration devices.
Repair, rewire, and troubleshoot electrical systems.
Examine parts for damage or excessive wear, using micrometers and gauges.
Fit bearings to adjust, repair, or overhaul mobile mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment.
Research, order, and maintain parts inventory for services and repairs.
Schedule maintenance for industrial machines and equipment, and keep equipment service records.
Weld or solder broken parts and structural members, using electric or gas welders and soldering tools.
Clean, lubricate, and perform other routine maintenance work on equipment and vehicles.
Assemble gear systems, and align frames and gears.
Clean parts by spraying them with grease solvent or immersing them in tanks of solvent.
Adjust and maintain industrial machinery, using control and regulating devices.
Fabricate needed parts or items from sheet metal.
Direct workers who are assembling or disassembling equipment or cleaning parts.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Mechanical
96%
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Customer and Personal Service
66%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Mathematics
66%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Computers and Electronics
62%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Public Safety and Security
61%
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Building and Construction
60%
Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
English Language
59%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Transportation
53%
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Engineering and Technology
52%
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.
Clerical
50%
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Top 10 Skills
Repairing
83%
Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Troubleshooting
83%
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Equipment Maintenance
80%
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Operations Monitoring
75%
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control
73%
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Equipment Selection
68%
Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Quality Control Analysis
68%
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Critical Thinking
65%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Complex Problem Solving
63%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making
63%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Top 10 Abilities
Control Precision
80%
The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Manual Dexterity
80%
The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Extent Flexibility
78%
The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Finger Dexterity
78%
The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Near Vision
78%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Arm-Hand Steadiness
75%
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Problem Sensitivity
75%
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.
Multilimb Coordination
73%
The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Visualization
70%
The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
Deductive Reasoning
68%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Top 10 Work Activities
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
93%
Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
90%
Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material
89%
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Controlling Machines and Processes
85%
Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
Handling and Moving Objects
85%
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
85%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Getting Information
84%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Performing General Physical Activities
81%
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.
Documenting/Recording Information
80%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
79%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Detailed Work Activities
Replace worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
Repair worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
Inspect completed work to ensure proper functioning.
Inspect mechanical equipment to locate damage, defects, or wear.
Operate transportation equipment to demonstrate function or malfunction.
Read technical information needed to perform maintenance or repairs.
Reassemble equipment after repair.
Dismantle heavy equipment or machinery.
Test mechanical equipment to ensure proper functioning.
Adjust equipment to ensure optimal performance.
Maintain work equipment or machinery.
Rewire electrical or electronic systems.
Repair electrical components.
Troubleshoot equipment or systems operation problems.
Inspect mechanical components of vehicles to identify problems.
Solder parts or connections between parts.
Operate welding equipment.
Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.
Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
Schedule repair, installation or maintenance activities.
Maintain repair or maintenance records.
Clean equipment, parts, or tools to repair or maintain them in good working order.
Lubricate equipment to allow proper functioning.
Assemble mechanical components or machine parts.
Align equipment or machinery.
Fabricate parts or components.
Supervise employees.
Work Context
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 life jackets?
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?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in non-controlled environmental conditions (e.g., warehouse without heat)?
Frequency of Decision Making
How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
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?
Education
Majors
Major
Interests
Realistic
100%
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.
Conventional
43%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Investigative
39%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Enterprising
24%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Artistic
15%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Social
15%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Top 10 Work Styles
Attention to Detail
89%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Dependability
87%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Integrity
87%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Independence
83%
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Analytical Thinking
77%
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Initiative
77%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Innovation
77%
Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Stress Tolerance
75%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Adaptability/Flexibility
73%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Persistence
73%
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Work Values
Support
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Relationships
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Achievement
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Working Conditions
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Recognition
53%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.