What are the Different Types of Maintenance Workers?

Before you can implement the best maintenance management program with the right policies and strategies, you need the right people. So, what are the different types of maintenance workers that make up a typical maintenance team? Find out below.

In short: There are three types of maintenance workers: maintenance technicians, maintenance engineers, and maintenance planners. Technicians do the hands-on repair and upkeep of equipment, engineers are more certified and install, troubleshoot, and repair specific equipment, and planners make sure both have the tools, parts, and documentation they need for scheduled work.

The 3 different types of maintenance workers

Generally, there are three types of maintenance workers that make up a maintenance team: maintenance technicians, maintenance engineers, and maintenance planners. Regardless of the industry, from hotels and hospitality to manufacturing, you’ll see people with these job titles. The main differences between these three types of maintenance workers are their titles and their day-to-day tasks. Keep reading to learn more about these three different types of maintenance workers.

1. Maintenance technician

One of the most common types of maintenance worker you’ll find at almost every manufacturing plant is a maintenance technician. A maintenance technician is a maintenance worker that performs the most hands-on work. In other words, they are responsible for the repair and upkeep of the facility they work in, including most of its equipment and machinery. For instance, they perform preventive maintenance tasks (e.g. cleaning and lubrication), emergency repairs (e.g. parts replacements), and inspections. In essence, their responsibilities include general maintenance tasks that do not require specialized training. So, they do not perform major repairs and rebuilds. Instead, this work is either contracted out or assigned to a maintenance engineer.

2. Maintenance engineer

Unlike a maintenance technician, a maintenance engineer is a maintenance worker that is more certified. Essentially, they can install, troubleshoot, and repair specific types of equipment. They also use industrial technology to diagnose equipment failures, help create preventive maintenance schedules, and receive special training to restore equipment to operational status. Therefore, this combination of hands-on maintenance and maintenance strategy requires them to work closely with maintenance technicians and planners. In sum, credible engineers have certifications and/or abilities to perform complex repairs and maintain specific equipment.

3. Maintenance planner

A maintenance planner might seem like one of the least effective types of maintenance worker. But without them, it would be hard for maintenance technicians and engineers to do their work. This is because a maintenance planner is a maintenance worker that ensures maintenance technicians and engineers have everything they need to perform scheduled work as efficiently as possible. For instance, they work with parts managers, maintenance managers, and other teammates to gather the right tools, parts, and documentation needed for a job. Moreover, they also coordinate with managers from other departments like production to plan for site-wide shutdowns in order for maintenance technicians and engineers to perform big repairs. Depending on how big a manufacturing plant is, there might be a separate maintenance scheduler and maintenance planner, or there might be a single maintenance worker that plans and schedules functions. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the three types of maintenance workers?

Maintenance technicians, maintenance engineers, and maintenance planners. You will see these job titles in most industries, from hotels and hospitality to manufacturing. The main differences between them are their titles and their day-to-day tasks.

What does a maintenance technician do?

A maintenance technician does the most hands-on work: the repair and upkeep of the facility and most of its equipment and machinery. That includes preventive maintenance tasks such as cleaning and lubrication, emergency repairs such as parts replacements, and inspections. Major repairs and rebuilds are contracted out or assigned to a maintenance engineer.

What is the difference between a maintenance technician and a maintenance engineer?

A maintenance engineer is more certified. Engineers install, troubleshoot, and repair specific types of equipment, use industrial technology to diagnose equipment failures, and help create preventive maintenance schedules. Technicians handle the general maintenance tasks that do not require specialized training.

What does a maintenance planner do?

A maintenance planner makes sure technicians and engineers have everything they need to perform scheduled work efficiently. Planners work with parts managers and maintenance managers to gather the right tools, parts, and documentation for each job, and coordinate with production to plan site-wide shutdowns for big repairs. Depending on the size of the plant, planning and scheduling may be done by one person or split between a planner and a scheduler.