Equipment Technician Job Description

Equipment technicians are involved in a wide range of industries. The equipment technician responsibilities vary according to their job titles. They may be referred as audio video equipment technician, medical equipment technician, heavy equipment technician, etc., according to the type of industries they are employed in. Generally, they are involved in installation, repairing, and maintenance of the relevant equipment and training the users on how to use it in a proper manner.

Key Responsibilities of an Equipment Technician

Equipment technicians are professionals who are expertise in the relevant field and are responsible for carrying out a varied range of responsibilities. Whatever field they may be related to, the general responsibilities are to install, diagnose, repair, maintain, and train the users on the effective use of equipment. Let us see in detail the key responsibilities that are handled by equipment technicians in various industries:

Audio Video Equipment Technician:

They are responsible for setting up, installing various audio video equipments like speakers, microphones, recording equipment, video screens, monitors, projectors, etc., that are being used at various concerts, events, seminars, conferences, etc.
They take care of the light and sound system, connect the equipment with wires and cables, regulate the sound inputs, etc.
They diagnose and resolve media problems and ensure that the radio and television programs are transmitted.
They constantly monitor the sound feeds and incoming as well as outgoing pictures to ensure that they are of highest quality.
They train the operators on the use of audio video materials and manuals, so that they are able to handle and operate the equipment efficiently.

Bio-Medical Equipment Technician:

They are responsible for installing, inspecting, repairing, maintaining and calibrating the biomedical equipment and the supporting equipment by following the standard procedures.
They may design new systems by using the latest medical technology and are involved in repairing and replacing the defective parts or equipment.
They train and advise the staff members on the safe and effective utilization of the biomedical equipment.
They maintain detailed logs and records of all the repair and maintenance work they have done.
They usually conduct periodical preventive maintenance check ups to ensure proper functioning of the medical equipment

Communication Equipment Technician: They ensure routing and conveying of information appropriately by conducting proper maintenance and installation of various communication devices such as cellular or satellite phones, land line phones, etc.

Heavy Equipment Technician: They interpret the information in the manuals and study the requirements of the orders. They help in diagnosing the defects, faults, and malfunctions in the equipment and try to adjust, repair, or replace it to ensure smooth functioning. After repairing, they also ensure that it is operating smoothly and maintain reports and information related to it

Essential Skills

If you are aiming to be an equipment technician in your area of interest, you should have at least some of the following skills:

Should have a deep understanding of technology and keep abreast with the latest developments in that particular area
Should have a keen eye for details and be able to identify and diagnose the defects
Should have good problem solving skills
Should be able to communicate clearly in writing and speaking
Should be able to work independently as well as in a team
Should be able to supervise and train the staff members whenever there is a need

Apart from these, he should be able to handle various tools and equipment to ensure proper installation, make fast arithmetic computations and should be proficient in computers.

Educational Background

A bio-medical equipment technician should possess an associate degree in biomedical equipment technology, biomedical engineering technology, or bio-medical electronics technology. For audio video equipment technician, a high school diploma or a degree is the minimum requirement to be eligible for that particular post. Additional training, certification or internship would also prove to be an advantage.

Salary Details

The salaries for various types of equipment technicians are as follows:

Bio-medical Equipment Technician: Varies in the range of $44,000 to $65,000
Audio Video Equipment Technician: Average salary offered is close to $31,000; lowest salary is $17,000, while the highest is $62,000

Work Hours

Bio-medical technicians normally work during day time, but may need to work at odd hours whenever they get a call, especially during emergency medical situations. Audio video equipments technician need to be present during various events; therefore, they may need to extend their work hours beyond their normal work schedule. They may work in the late evenings, at nights or even on weekends.

Career Prospects

If you have passion, interest and love for various kinds of equipment and technology, then a rewarding career as an equipment technician awaits you. You can enter in the field of your interest and establish yourself. Additional educational background and experience would help in your career advancement.

Thus, you are now well-acquainted with the various equipment technician responsibilities, education, skills, etc., that are essential to take your career to new heights and get a better salary package.