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Instrument Technician

An instrument technician is a professional who is responsible for testing, repairing, and inspecting electronic manufacturing equipment to ensure proper operations of the machines. 

Instrumentation technicians ensure the proper functioning of automated manufacturing equipment. They use a variety of instruments and devices to record and report data.

Instrument technicians collaborate with engineers to develop and produce equipment design and provide advice to process technicians about equipment operation. They remove defective equipment so that they can decontaminate and replace the damaged ones with new machines. They are also required by their employer to obtain certification in the field of instrumentation technology.

Instrument Technician

What does an Instrument Technician do?

Instrument Technician

An instrument technician is responsible for testing and repairing instrumentation systems in manufacturing equipment. This can involve inspecting instrumentation systems to find areas that might need repairs, testing manufacturing equipment to ensure it works properly and performing maintenance on existing equipment. An instrument technician might also contribute to the design and production of new equipment for measuring and recording data during production.

Instrument technicians also perform general maintenance on the equipment and design new measuring and recording equipment. On a typical day, an instrument technician will work with scientific and analytic computer software, calculators, voltage and current meters, and electronic probes to diagnose faults in circuitry.

  • Mechanical Tests

    Instrument technicians Instrument technicians maintain, test, inspect, and calibrate equipment to ensure it is in good working order.

  • Equipment Knowledge

    Instrument technicians reassemble instruments and replace instruments in system using hand tools. They may also Make design modification or devise and design the equipment parts.

  • Quality Assurance

    These technicians actively develop improvements in standard practices to ensure quality and efficiency.

  • Problem Solving Skills

    These technicians interact with other departments and personnel to resolve any related issues. They also collaborate with department operators to understand operational issues as well as process and equipment opportunities.

Salary

Salary

The estimated total pay for an instrument technician is $29,000 per year.

Starting-level

Starting-level instrument technician earnings begin at:

 
$17 per hour
$36,000 per year
Senior-level

Senior-level instrument technician earnings begin at:

 
$27 per hour
$56,000 per year
Mid-level

Mid-level instrument technician earnings begin at:

 
$22 per hour
$45,107 per year
Top-level

Top-level instrument technician earnings begin at:

 
$33 per hour
$68,000 per year
Junior-level

Junior-level instrument technician earnings begin at:

 
$13 per hour
$26,000 per year

These are 2021 national salary averages and may fluctuate based on location.

What does the workplace for an Instrument Technician look like?

Learn More

Instrumentation technicians work in chemical plants, petroleum refineries, canneries, and food processing plants as well as other businesses that must control and monitor their air and water pollution. These industries require extremely precise measuring and monitoring equipment to regulate flow and pressure rates, keep track of production, manage power use, and ensure safety.

Typical Industries for Instrument Technicians:

  • Architectural, engineering, and related firms
  • Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing companies
  • Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing
  • Federal government

How to Become an Instrument Technician?

A minimum of a high school diploma or GED is required to work as an instrumentation technician, but post-secondary coursework is helpful in the field. Instrumentation technicians need a strong background in mathematics, computer software, and mechanical skills. Many employers strongly prefer candidates with an associate’s degree in robotics or instrumentation.

Typical Qualifications:

  • Hands-on experience with calibration, assemblies, and gages.
  • Basic understanding of programmable logic.
  • Strong command of English language and good communication skills.
  • Strong leadership and problem solving abilities.

Similar Careers

Sources:
Canva.com, 2022 | Glassdoor.com, 2022 | Indeed.com, 2022 | Learn.org, 2022 | Zippia.com, 2022

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