WHAT DOES A MACHINE TECHNICIAN DO?
Reviewed by Lam Nguyen under Editorial Standards
Published: Mar 12, 2026. The Machine Technician performs equipment installation, troubleshooting, preventative maintenance, and mechanical assembly across manufacturing and facility environments. This role ensures optimal equipment performance and minimal downtime by operating machinery, interpreting technical drawings, conducting precision measurements, and utilizing CMMS and reporting systems. The technician also supports safety compliance, continuous improvement initiatives, effective communication, and teamwork while consistently meeting productivity, quality, and operational standards.
A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Machine Technician
1. Machine Technician Duties
- Preventative Maintenance: Perform preventative maintenance PM on automated equipment on a scheduled basis
- Equipment Knowledge: Current equipment includes Surface Mount line component placement, soldering, automated optical inspection, encapsulation, automated insertion, soldering machines, and robots
- Metal Fabrication Equipment: Current automated equipment in metal fabrication includes a sheet handler, CNC metal punch, sanding machine, press brakes, mill, and paint booth
- Troubleshooting Repair: Make emergency repairs to automated manufacturing equipment including electrical, mechanical, and pneumatic systems in Electronic Assembly, Metal Fabrication, Paint, and other areas
- Technical Training: Train machine operators and other maintenance personnel to perform maintenance tasks
- Technical Communication: Communicate effectively over the phone to repair equipment
- Program Improvement: Evaluate and improve existing preventative maintenance PM programs
- Reporting Documentation: Use software to assist in creating reports to document machine downtime
- Facilities Support: Help with facilities maintenance as defined by the facilities manager
- Downtime Analysis: Provide detailed verbal and written communication of the cause and repair of downtime on all equipment
- Process Compliance: Follow the escalation process, meeting the communication requirements and timelines required by that process daily
2. Machine Technician Details
- Inventory Management: Maintain spare parts inventory and order required parts
- Maintenance Documentation: Maintain maintenance records including procedures, parts, and labor
- Continuous Improvement: Identify and implement suggestions for product and process improvement
- Problem Solving: Participate in and, on occasion, lead problem-solving activities to identify the root cause of problems
- Corrective Action: Implement countermeasures to prevent problems from recurring
- Technical Development: Pursue and acquire training on equipment operation and maintenance
- Customer Service: Meet or exceed customer service expectations set by production leadership and the maintenance supervisor
- Equipment Reliability: Meet customer expectations and ensure equipment operates with no unplanned downtime
- Engineering Collaboration: Work closely with engineering on equipment performance issues, creating or adjusting maintenance and other related items
- Team Participation: Participate in all meetings including shift change, tier meetings, problem-solving efforts, one-on-one meetings with the lead technician or supervisor, and daily engineering meetings as applicable to the shift
3. Machine Technician Responsibilities
- Safety Compliance: Adhere to all safety requirements in the work area
- Housekeeping: Follow all housekeeping policies and schedules
- Measurement Skills: Understand and demonstrate how to use all gauges in the cell
- Tolerance Control: Understand tolerances and how to make offsets on the machine to stay within specification
- Quality Systems: Utilize quality tools in the cell including SPC and OEE
- Machine Operation: Operate a minimum of one machine in the department efficiently
- Set up Changeover: Perform setup changeovers following procedures promptly
- Equipment Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot equipment including automated operations, controls, and sensors
- Preventative Maintenance Support: Assist the maintenance department with preventative maintenance responsibilities
- Maintenance Scheduling: Participate in updates of preventative maintenance schedules
- Inspection Documentation: Complete routine equipment and product inspections and complete required documentation
- Minor Repairs: Troubleshoot and perform minor equipment repairs
- Communication: Provide feedback to Maintenance and the Supervisor
- Issue Escalation: Inform the Supervisor or the Department Manager about processes or equipment requiring attention
- Continuous Improvement: Recommend and participate in the completion of continuous improvement projects designed to improve processes, productivity, and quality, especially those related to corrective actions
4. Machine Technician Accountabilities
- Equipment Installation: Perform tasks to install and maintain production machines and plant facility equipment
- Repair Maintenance: Provide emergency or unscheduled repairs of production equipment during production and perform scheduled maintenance repairs during machine service
- Machining Skills: Perform basic machinist duties and responsibilities
- Technical Troubleshooting: Perform mechanical skills including mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, and hydraulic troubleshooting and repair of production machines
- Technical Documentation: Read and interpret equipment manuals and work orders to perform required maintenance and service
- Diagnostic Repair: Diagnose problems, replace or repair parts, test equipment, and make adjustments
- Preventative Maintenance: Perform regular preventive maintenance on machines, equipment, and plant facilities
- Facilities Maintenance: Perform a variety of plumbing maintenance and carpentry functions
- Tool Operation: Use a variety of hand and power tools, electric meters, and material handling equipment in performing duties
- Issue Reporting: Detect faulty operations and defective material and report unusual situations to proper supervision
- Safety Housekeeping: Comply with safety regulations and maintain clean and orderly work areas
5. Machine Technician Functions
- Machine Assembly: Perform normal machine building and mechanical assembly duties
- Quality Inspection: Inspect machined details for design conformity
- Technical Drawing Interpretation: Read and understand mechanical design drawings
- Fastener Selection: Determine properly sized fasteners based on mechanical design drawings
- Shop Organization: Manage and maintain the shop with high levels of cleanliness, order, and efficiency
- Process Documentation: Maintain accurate work records for mechanical processes including redlining mechanical drawings
- Material Tool Coordination: Identify and assist in the acquisition or fabrication of necessary shop materials, tools, furniture, and other items required for shop operations
- Field Service Support: Assist in the performance of field service and onsite installation duties
- Computer Skills: Use Microsoft Office software products for job related reports and tasks
6. Machine Technician Overview
- Preventative Maintenance: Perform preventative and planned maintenance duties in all areas of the buildings and grounds including electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and other systems
- Equipment Monitoring: Take daily equipment readings, keep accurate records, identify equipment abnormalities, and report promptly for action
- CMMS Operation: Develop an understanding of and work with the CMMS system utilized for routine maintenance activities
- BAS Operation: Operate the BAS that controls the HVAC system
- Building Systems Repair: Perform repair work in the areas of plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and other building and grounds systems
- Issue Identification: During assigned duties, monitor conditions, identify maintenance problems, and report to the supervisor promptly
- Mechanical Troubleshooting: Perform troubleshooting evaluations of various mechanical systems on campus
- Communication: Maintain communication with the supervisor and other designated personnel during the performance of duties
7. Machine Technician Details and Accountabilities
- Equipment Maintenance: Perform fault finding and maintenance of pumps, motors, and motorized valves
- Plant Monitoring: Monitor the plant and operation of plant machinery and carry out relevant maintenance work
- Water Quality Testing: Monitor water quality regularly including chlorine residuals, turbidity, and pH
- Instrumentation Monitoring: Work with online monitoring equipment and sensors
- Remote Monitoring: Use remote monitoring tools, Log Me In, to verify plant condition and monitor alarm dial-outs
- Reporting Documentation: Provide accurate reporting including the use of the computer maintenance system CMMS Pirana and the monthly report data
- Management Coordination: Liaise and interact with the Plant Manager and General Manager
- Continuous Improvement: Identify opportunities for improvements and efficiencies
- Compliance Management: Ensure all work is carried out in accordance with the plant performance management system, company quality management system, safety rules, health and safety legislation, and relevant environmental standards
- Ethical Conduct: Adhere to the company's ethical conduct guidelines and maintain a working environment that is supportive and respectful of other employees
8. Machine Technician Tasks
- Safety Leadership: Practice and encourage best safety practices, resulting in zero lost time within the department
- Workplace Organization: Implement and practice effective 5S and participate in regular team 5S audits
- Positive Work Ethic: Set an example of working hard, doing the right things, and exhibiting energy and positivity
- Process Accountability: Follow instructions and established routines and processes to achieve results
- Performance Standards: Understand and achieve Reasonable Expectations for the current position and responsibilities including excellent productivity and quality, and participate in regular team process audits
- Effective Communication: Engage in clear, courteous, effective, honest, and open communication with team members and others within and outside the department and company
- Relationship Building: Develop and maintain positive working relationships
- Team Participation: Actively participate in regular huddles and goal setting
- Punctuality: Arrive at work and assigned position consistently on time
- Shift Engagement: Remain present and engaged throughout the entire assigned shift
9. Machine Technician Roles
- Process Analysis: Recognize and document patterns in processes and problem-solving
- Performance Management: Participate in regular employee reviews including setting and achieving goals
- Machine Assembly: Assemble relatively simple machines and their individual parts that are somewhat repetitive in nature
- Tool Utilization: Utilize appropriate tools to accomplish tasks
- Metal Finishing: Remove burrs and rough surfaces from metal parts using hand tools and grinders
- Machine Operation: Operate drill presses, mills, lathes, and grinders to assist in assembly operations
- Material Handling: Transport various assemblies using forklifts and cranes
- Blueprint Reading: Read blueprints and use measurement instruments to assemble parts and machines according to specifications
- Precision Measurement: Verify alignment and clearance of parts using micrometers and gauges
10. Machine Technician Additional Details
- Equipment Setup: Responsible for setting up and changing over various thermoforming equipment
- Tooling Installation: Install parts, hardware, and tooling components and troubleshoot complex problems associated with setup
- Tooling Analysis: Analyze problems related to tooling and make necessary changes or modifications
- Maintenance Repair: Perform preventative and corrective maintenance on tooling, systems, and related equipment
- Tooling Preparation: Prepare and stage tooling for upcoming setups and changeovers
- Machining Skills: Perform machining tasks including proper use of lathes, mills, grinders, drills, saws, and other machine shop equipment
- Bench Assembly: Fabricate and perform bench assembly operations including assembly, screwing, drilling, tapping, and sanding, while ensuring accurate attachment of tooling plate setups
- Work Documentation: Accurately complete work orders and labor reports for each task completed daily
- Training Support: Take the initiative to train others
Job Role FAQs
What is a job role?
A job role refers to the duties, responsibilities, and expectations associated with a specific position within an organization. It explains what tasks an employee performs, how they contribute to team objectives, and how their work supports the company’s overall goals.
What are the typical responsibilities of a job role?
Typical job role responsibilities include completing daily tasks, collaborating with team members, making decisions, and meeting performance targets. For example, a software developer may write code, fix bugs, review pull requests, and collaborate with product teams.
What is the difference between a job role and a job title?
A job title is the official name of a position, such as Marketing Manager or Software Engineer. A job role describes the actual duties, responsibilities, and expectations associated with that position.
Why are clearly defined job roles important?
Clearly defined job roles help organizations improve productivity, reduce workplace confusion, and ensure accountability. When employees understand their responsibilities and expectations, teams can collaborate more effectively.
How do job roles support career development?
Understanding different job roles helps professionals identify career paths and the skills required for advancement. By learning the expectations of various roles, individuals can build relevant skills and plan long-term career growth.
Editorial Process
Lamwork content is developed through structured review of publicly available job postings and documented hiring trends.
Editorial operations are managed by Thanh Huyen, Managing Editor, with research direction and final oversight by Lam Nguyen, Founder & Editorial Lead. Content is periodically reviewed to reflect observable labor market changes.