A maintenance job may be for you if you like working with your hands and making everyone’s lives better. These people work behind the scenes, but the whole world depends on them to keep things running. You may not know the maintenance people at your office or factory, but you certainly know when things go wrong. A broken machine or air conditioning can bring everything to a standstill.
Every business, home, and park needs maintenance employees to make sure things run right and fix them when they don’t. Until someone invents products that never fail and grass that never grows beyond two inches, people need maintenance people. Here’s what you need to know.
Quickstart Guide To Landing A Maintenance Job
- Polish your resume. Investing a little money to have a professional resume writing service polish up your resume can be the edge you need. Check out our guide to the best resume writing services to get started today.
- Search for new options on ZipRecruiter. If you’re looking for a maintenance job, start your search on ZipRecruiter. ZipRecruiter is free for job seekers and is one of the highest rated job search sites.
Discover Your Dream Job Find freelance gigs and apply with 1 click! New jobs posted daily.
5 Of The Best Maintenance Jobs
1. Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Median National Salary: $51,390/year
Education Required: Postsecondary nondegree award
Number of Jobs: 415,800
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 6% (Faster than average)
Job Duties: Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers are responsible for installing, maintaining, and repairing heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems. They use their expertise in HVAC systems, mechanical skills, and troubleshooting abilities to ensure that these systems operate efficiently and meet the needs of residential, commercial, and industrial clients.
2. Medical Equipment Repairers
Median National Salary: $57,860/year
Education Required: Associate's degree
Number of Jobs: 66,400
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 13% (Much faster than average)
Job Duties: Medical equipment repairers are responsible for installing, maintaining, and repairing medical devices and equipment to ensure their proper functioning and safety for patient care. They use their expertise in biomedical technology, electronics, and troubleshooting to diagnose issues, perform repairs, and calibrate equipment, contributing to the reliable operation of medical devices in healthcare settings.
3. Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
Median National Salary: $46,970/year
Education Required: Postsecondary nondegree award
Number of Jobs: 782,200
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 2% (As fast as average)
Job Duties: Automotive service technicians and mechanics are responsible for inspecting, maintaining, and repairing vehicles to ensure their safe and efficient operation. They use their expertise in automotive systems, diagnostic tools, and mechanical skills to identify and address vehicle issues, perform routine maintenance, and conduct repairs, contributing to the reliability and performance of automobiles.
4. Industrial Machinery Mechanics, Machinery Maintenance Workers, and Millwrights
Median National Salary: $59,470/year
Education Required: High school diploma or equivalent
Number of Jobs: 507,900
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 13% (Much faster than average)
Job Duties: Industrial machinery mechanics, machinery maintenance workers, and millwrights are responsible for installing, maintaining, and repairing industrial machinery and equipment in manufacturing facilities. They use their expertise in mechanical systems, troubleshooting, and equipment maintenance to ensure that machinery operates efficiently, meets safety standards, and minimizes downtime, contributing to the productivity and reliability of industrial operations.
5. Grounds Maintenance Workers
Median National Salary: $36,160/year
Education Required: No formal education, but some jobs may require certifications.
Number of Jobs: 1,281,600
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 3% (As fast as average)
Job Duties: Grounds maintenance workers are responsible for maintaining the outdoor areas of properties, including mowing lawns, pruning trees and shrubs, and ensuring the overall cleanliness and appearance of the grounds. They use their expertise in landscaping, groundskeeping, and equipment operation to preserve and enhance the aesthetic and functional aspects of outdoor spaces, contributing to the upkeep and appeal of residential, commercial, and public properties.
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Types Of Maintenance Careers
Internal Highly Skilled Maintenance Jobs
These people work within factories or companies and maintain and repair equipment onsite. They need intensive training to work with specific machinery. Knowledge of mechanical engineering principles is often beneficial for this type of job. Some of these job pay very well, and don’t require a four year degree.
External Highly Skilled Maintenance Jobs
Instead of supporting one company and one set of machinery, these skilled laborers go out and work for clients. This can be anything from home HVAC to manufacturing businesses. In addition to intensive training and skill, they need a wider variety of expertise to tackle projects in different locations.
Medical Maintenance Jobs
Someone has to keep those MRI machines running, and it’s a medical maintenance job. This is also a highly-skilled, technical, usually in-house job, although depending on the skill set, one person may support a variety of hospitals, laboratories, and clinics.
Lawn and Garden Maintenance Jobs
How do grounds some grounds look so beautiful? It’s not mother nature; it’s the people who do the outside maintenance.
Janitorial and Custodial Services
You may have fond memories of your high school custodians, but you probably don’t know all they did. Maintenance, repairs, and on-the-spot problem solving are all parts of this job.
Best Places To Find Maintenance Jobs
If you want to work for a specific company, their company website is the best place to find their open positions. If you’re available to work in any company, try one of the options below or check out our article on the best job posting sites. Before you start applying to jobs, you may want to polish your resume. If you need help, consider working with a resume writing service.
ZipRecruiter
ZipRecruiter is one of the top-rated job search sites, making it easy to find maintenance jobs. ZipRecruiter is free for job seekers and you can also upload your resume to ZipRecruiter’s resume database. This allows your resume to be searchable for recruiters and employers who use ZipRecruiter.
Discover Your Dream Job Find freelance gigs and apply with 1 click! New jobs posted daily.
Your Local Trade School
Many of these jobs require certifications, and all need training. While you can do some training on the job, some people learn through formal education. Your local trade schools tend to have job listings and partnerships with local businesses. It’s also a place to start if you want to change careers.
Mike Rowe Works
Mike Rowe Works is a foundation that supports the skilled trades. It has an active job board as well as provides scholarships for training.
Frequently Asked Questions
What maintenance job pays the most?
Generally, the jobs that require the most skills pay the most. Look for maintenance jobs in factories or complex diesel engines.
Is industrial maintenance a good career?
Yes! If you like working with your hands, solving problems, and keeping things running smoothly, this may be the career path for you.
How do I become a maintenance engineer?
While you don’t need a specific degree, getting an associate's degree in mechanical engineering or similar can help you land this job. Check with your local community college to learn more.
What does a groundskeeper do?
Do you like keeping things beautiful? Grounds maintenance people maintain the outside and make something beautiful.
The Bottom Line
One nice thing about maintenance jobs is that they will always be in demand. As summer heats up, you can guarantee that people will need their air conditioners fixed and serviced and their cars repaired for summer trips. Factories and hospitals will always need things repaired. If you’re ready to start your career in this tremendous field, take a look at ZipRecruiter and get going.
