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Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door

Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door

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.

Install, repair, and maintain mechanical regulating and controlling devices, such as electric meters, gas regulators, thermostats, safety and flow valves, and other mechanical governors.

Salary Salary

Salary at 10th Percentile: $32K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $42K
Median Salary: $60K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $80K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $98K

Demand
Career Demand by State Career Demand by State Legend
Core Tasks

Record maintenance information, including test results, material usage, and repairs made.

Calibrate instrumentation, such as meters, gauges, and regulators, for pressure, temperature, flow, and level.

Install, inspect and test electric meters, relays, and power sources to detect causes of malfunctions and inaccuracies, using hand tools and testing equipment.

Record meter readings and installation data on meter cards, work orders, or field service orders, or enter data into hand-held computers.

Test valves and regulators for leaks and accurate temperature and pressure settings, using precision testing equipment.

Shut off service and notify repair crews when major repairs are required, such as the replacement of underground pipes or wiring.

Turn meters on or off to establish or close service.

Cut seats to receive new orifices, tap inspection ports, and perform other repairs to salvage usable materials, using hand tools and machine tools.

Disassemble and repair mechanical control devices or valves, such as regulators, thermostats, or hydrants, using power tools, hand tools, and cutting torches.

Install regulators and related equipment such as gas meters, odorization units, and gas pressure telemetering equipment.

Turn valves to allow measured amounts of air or gas to pass through meters at specified flow rates.

Connect regulators to test stands, and turn screw adjustments until gauges indicate that inlet and outlet pressures meet specifications.

Examine valves or mechanical control device parts for defects, dents, or loose attachments, and mark malfunctioning areas of defective units.

Investigate instances of illegal tapping into service lines.

Mount and install meters and other electric equipment such as time clocks, transformers, and circuit breakers, using electricians' hand tools.

Report hazardous field situations and damaged or missing meters.

Vary air pressure flowing into regulators and turn handles to assess functioning of valves and pistons.

Repair electric meters and components, such as transformers and relays, and replace metering devices, dial glasses, and faulty or incorrect wiring, using hand tools.

Trace and tag meters or house lines.

Lubricate wearing surfaces of mechanical parts, using oils or other lubricants.

Recondition displacement type gas meters and governors, fabricating, machining, or modifying parts needed for repairs.

Replace defective parts, such as bellows, range springs, and toggle switches, and reassemble units according to blueprints, using cam presses and hand tools.

Clean internal compartments and moving parts, using rags and cleaning compounds.

Disconnect or remove defective or unauthorized meters, using hand tools.

Dismantle meters, and replace or adjust defective parts such as cases, shafts, gears, disks, and recording mechanisms, using soldering irons and hand tools.

Measure tolerances of assembled and salvageable parts for conformance to standards or specifications, using gauges, micrometers, and calipers.

Attach air hoses to meter inlets, plug outlets, and observe gauges for pressure losses to test internal seams for leaks.

Reassemble repaired equipment, and solder top, front, and back case panels in place, using soldering guns, power tools, and hand tools.

Make adjustments to meter components, such as setscrews or timing mechanisms, so that they conform to specifications.

Recommend and write up specifications for changes in hardware, such as house wiring.

Clamp regulator units into vises on stages above water tanks, and attach compressed air hoses to intake ports.

Collect money due on delinquent accounts.

Repair leaks in valve seats or bellows of automotive heater thermostats, using soft solder, flux, and acetylene torches.

Advise customers on proper installation of valves or regulators and related equipment.

Attach pressurized meters to fixtures which submerge them in water, and observe meters for leaks.

Splice and connect cables from meters or current transformers to pull boxes or switchboards, using hand tools.

Calibrate thermostats for specified temperature or pressure settings.

Clean plant growth, scale, paint, soil, or rust from meter housings, using wire brushes, scrapers, buffers, sandblasters, or cleaning compounds.

Connect hoses from provers to meter inlets and outlets, and raise prover bells until prover gauges register zero.

Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Analytical or scientific software
Emerson FIRSTVUE Value Sizing
Computer aided design CAD software
Autodesk AutoCAD
Data base user interface and query software
Structured query language SQL
Enterprise resource planning ERP software
SAP
Graphics or photo imaging software
Microsoft Visio
Industrial control software
Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
Office suite software
Microsoft Office
Operating system software
Microsoft Windows
Presentation software
Microsoft PowerPoint
Project management software
Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
Word processing software
Microsoft Word
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Communications Devices and Accessories
Two way radios
Computer Equipment and Accessories
Desktop computers
Construction and maintenance support equipment
Ladders
Consumer electronics
Handheld transmitters
Hand tools
Grinding tools
Heavy construction machinery and equipment
Bucket trucks
Industrial process machinery and equipment and supplies
Paint spray booths
Industrial pumps and compressors
Hydraulic pumps
Material handling machinery and equipment
Forklifts
Measuring and observing and testing instruments
Flow meters
Metal cutting machinery and accessories
Copper cutters
Metal forming machinery and accessories
Metal cutting dies
Paints and primers and finishes
Paint spray guns
Personal safety and protection
Rubber gloves
Pneumatic machinery and equipment
Sandblasters
Welding and soldering and brazing machinery and accessories and supplies
Acetylene torches
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Mechanical
83%
Importance

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

Engineering and Technology
73%
Importance

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.

Public Safety and Security
71%
Importance

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.

Computers and Electronics
65%
Importance

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

Customer and Personal Service
65%
Importance

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.

Design
64%
Importance

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Mathematics
64%
Importance

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Production and Processing
61%
Importance

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Building and Construction
59%
Importance

Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Administration and Management
58%
Importance

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Top 10 Skills
Critical Thinking
68%
Importance

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Repairing
65%
Importance

Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.

Active Listening
63%
Importance

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Equipment Maintenance
63%
Importance

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

Judgment and Decision Making
63%
Importance

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Monitoring
63%
Importance

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Operations Monitoring
63%
Importance

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

Quality Control Analysis
63%
Importance

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Speaking
63%
Importance

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Troubleshooting
63%
Importance

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

Top 10 Abilities
Near Vision
73%
Importance

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Oral Comprehension
73%
Importance

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Problem Sensitivity
73%
Importance

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.

Oral Expression
70%
Importance

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Arm-Hand Steadiness
68%
Importance

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

Deductive Reasoning
68%
Importance

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Information Ordering
68%
Importance

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
65%
Importance

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

Category Flexibility
63%
Importance

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Extent Flexibility
63%
Importance

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

Top 10 Work Activities
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
88%
Importance

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
87%
Importance

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

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
85%
Importance

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
83%
Importance

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Getting Information
82%
Importance

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

Making Decisions and Solving Problems
82%
Importance

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
80%
Importance

Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Documenting/Recording Information
78%
Importance

Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Handling and Moving Objects
78%
Importance

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
78%
Importance

Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

Maintain repair or maintenance records.

Disassemble equipment for maintenance or repair.

Repair worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.

Lubricate equipment to allow proper functioning.

Calibrate equipment to specifications.

Inspect electrical or electronic systems for defects.

Install electrical components, equipment, or systems.

Install metering equipment.

Test mechanical equipment to ensure proper functioning.

Enter codes or other information into computers.

Document operational activities.

Control power supply connections.

Communicate with coworkers to coordinate installations or repairs.

Cut materials according to specifications or needs.

Adjust equipment to ensure optimal performance.

Confer with coworkers to coordinate work activities.

Inspect mechanical equipment to locate damage, defects, or wear.

Adjust the tension of nuts or bolts.

Connect electrical components or equipment.

Investigate illegal or suspicious activities.

Repair electrical circuits or wiring.

Repair electrical components.

Replace worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.

Rebuild parts or components.

Measure distances or dimensions.

Clean equipment, parts, or tools to repair or maintain them in good working order.

Remove parts or components from equipment.

Reassemble equipment after repair.

Solder parts or connections between parts.

Connect hoses to equipment or piping.

Advise others on issues related to repairs, installation, or equipment design.

Repair non-engine automotive or vehicle components.

Collect payments for goods or services.

Repair pipes to stop leaking.

Train customers in the use of products.

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?

Face-to-Face Discussions

How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

Telephone

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Outdoors, Exposed to Weather

How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?

Contact With Others

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment

How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or equipment (e.g., car)?

Electronic Mail

How often do you use electronic mail in this job?

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?

Work With Work Group or Team

How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?

Exposed to Hazardous Conditions

How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?

Education
Majors
Major
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
Interests
Realistic
100%
Importance

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
67%
Importance

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
58%
Importance

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
29%
Importance

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%
Importance

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%
Importance

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
86%
Importance

Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Dependability
83%
Importance

Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Independence
77%
Importance

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.

Integrity
76%
Importance

Job requires being honest and ethical.

Cooperation
75%
Importance

Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Initiative
75%
Importance

Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Concern for Others
74%
Importance

Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.

Achievement/Effort
73%
Importance

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Adaptability/Flexibility
73%
Importance

Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Analytical Thinking
73%
Importance

Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

Work Values
Support
77%
Importance

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%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Working Conditions
48%
Importance

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

Relationships
39%
Importance

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
34%
Importance

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.

Recognition
29%
Importance

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.