Calibration Technician Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a calibration technician. Feel free to use our calibration technician job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a calibration technician.
Who is a Calibration Technician?
A calibration technician takes charge of controlling, fixing up, and protecting machines and equipment, especially in a production or manufacturing setting. Although a calibration technician is not referred to as an engineer, the education and experience needed to be a successful calibration technician are substantial. Regardless of the industry, a calibration technician is expected to upgrade her knowledge and abilities every time the mechanical processes or electronic instruments are upgraded or replaced to properly maintain and calibrate them. Some calibration technicians work solely in-house, while others spend the majority of their time on customer sites.
Knowledge of testing and calibrating tools, such as oscilloscopes, calipers, pressure gauges, and temperature controls, is required for the major work activities of a calibration technician. A good understanding of electricity and electrical circuitry is essential, as well as knowledge of worldwide ISO standards. Technicians must be able to set up test equipment and troubleshoot components, as well as write service reports and accurately document parts replacement and repair.
A calibration technician’s communication abilities are just as crucial as their technical knowledge. To identify and address equipment and machine problems, in-house technicians must successfully interact with department managers and plant or production staff. Technicians that travel to customers’ locations to do calibration and repairs must be able to communicate effectively with clients to assess issues and recommend preventative maintenance choices. Good vendor relationships assist both types of technicians.
Calibration technicians can work in a wide range of settings. One or more full-time calibration technicians may be employed by large factories or production facilities. Calibration technicians are frequently hired by parts vendors to market and sell their products based on their expertise in the parts, applications, and testing procedures. General calibration technicians as well as those that specialize in the maintenance and repair of specific product lines are employed by third-party maintenance organizations that contract their services with a variety of small to major manufacturing companies.
Some calibration technician occupations simply require a high school diploma or its equivalent, and on-the-job training is provided. Other jobs necessitate an associate’s degree in instrumentation or electronic technology, as well as two years of solid experience in electrical or mechanical calibration and repair. Some trade schools, technical training institutes, and junior colleges provide relevant degrees. Some colleges provide further certifications in specific areas of calibrating technology. Industry organizations occasionally host seminars and workshops to keep calibration professionals up to date on new technologies and equipment they may be responsible for maintaining or repairing.
Calibration Technician Job Description
Below are the calibration technician job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a calibration technician job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a calibration technician include the following:
- Guarantee the calibration level of all measuring and important production equipment
- Ascertain the consummation of calibration test records.
- Review records on calibration faults and ensures that calibration activities are executed professionally and efficiently to reduce equipment and/or line downtime
- Act as the field guide for contracted calibration technicians and guarantee their quality and productivity are always impressive
- Discuss & relate with clients and stakeholders concerning the schedule and impact of work being executed
- Help administration through modification and transformation performances
- Carry out maintenance for and support troubleshooting and restoration of precision test appliance
- Obtain, compile, gauge, summarize, and document data compiled during calibrations to assemble calibration reports and records
- Specify out-of-tolerance conditions and execute corrective action via adjustments and unit replacement
- Communicate with other technicians, administration, internal customers, device manufacturers, and dealers
- Help with installations and deliveries as assigned
- Give outstanding customer service to all clients
- Survey calibration SOPs for precision during routine calibration or when a different instrument is installed into the calibration database
- Make sure all work arrangements are closed out properly and include the required data, reports, and documentation
- Build and modify calibration procedures for both existing and recent equipment and handle investigations into failed calibration techniques.
Qualifications
Below is a list of the required qualifications required for the role of a calibration technician:
- Experience in equipment maintenance and electronics is recommended but not required.
- An associate degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Engineering Technology, or another technical subject is preferred but not required.
- Strong decision-making, organizing, and problem-solving skills, as well as the capacity to pay attention to details.
- 3 years or more of calibration, inspection, measuring, and test equipment expertise is required.
- Must have a strong work ethic as well as a track record of dependability and punctuality.
- The candidate must be able to squat, bend, kneel, and climb for extended periods.
- Strong knowledge of using Microsoft Office is essential.
- Outstanding hand-eye coordination.
- Capacity to travel when instructed.
- Aptitude with the usage of calibration software.
Essential Skills
A calibration technician requires a blend of both soft and hard skills to thrive on the job. The required skills are as follows:
- Attention to detail: Scientists, like laboratory technicians, must pay close attention to the smallest of details. Working in a laboratory necessitates accuracy in measurements and calculations. This ensures that your results are correct and reliable. Your meticulous attention to detail is also required to ensure that your paperwork and reporting processes are accurate and by any rules and regulatory procedures that your employer mandates.
- Time management: Because laboratory technicians usually work on multiple lab projects at once, great time management skills enable them to finish duties in a timely and organized manner. The ability to prioritize activities based on their priority and determine the best approach for completing those tasks are important time management skills for laboratory technologists.
- Communication: Laboratory technicians frequently interact with medical and scientific professionals, therefore they must be able to communicate successfully with them. The importance of excellent verbal and written communication cannot be overstated. At the very least, laboratory personnel should be able to comprehend why a physician or scientist needs a material tested and communicate lab results clearly and understandably.
- Pipetting: How to properly utilize a pipette, a slender tube used to measure or transfer small volumes of liquid, is one of the most common lab skills. Pipetting needs good skill, good hand-eye coordination, and the capacity to concentrate completely on the work at hand. Because this ability is required for working in a lab, it is frequently a prerequisite for a position as a laboratory technician.
- Sterilization: Because laboratory technicians work with a wide range of chemicals and materials, thorough sterilization of solutions and equipment is critical. As a result, you’ll get more accurate lab results. Heat, filtration, and radiation are all common sterilizing techniques, and a technician must learn how to conduct each one.
- Equipment calibration and maintenance: Calibration is the process of evaluating and altering laboratory equipment to ensure that accurate results are produced. Because lab work is primarily reliant on correctly operating equipment, the ability to calibrate and maintain it is critical. To maintain consistent and safe operation, calibrations should be performed frequently and regularly.
- Safety: Laboratory safety is critical, especially because laboratory staff frequently handle hazardous materials and expensive equipment. As a technician, you may be required to know the rules surrounding safety equipment, hazardous waste disposal techniques, and other regulations about maintaining a healthy work environment. Knowing and adhering to safety regulations will help you and your coworkers stay safe.
- Teamwork: Laboratories are often collaborative environments, with laboratory technicians frequently working in groups. Strong collaboration is vital since it might help you avoid making mistakes in the lab. A coworker, for example, can supervise or double-check your work to ensure that you followed the correct processes. This team-based method of inspections can help laboratory technicians be more accountable for their job while also encouraging them to improve.
How to Become a Calibration Technician
Study the following steps to become a calibration technician:
To learn the technical parts of the sector, many people get an associate degree or complete a certificate program in calibration technology, science, engineering, or a similar discipline. Many others also study metrology or measurement science. Although certification isn’t required, becoming a certified calibration technician will help you stand out in the job market. Employers frequently prefer people who have worked in the industry before, but most offer on-the-job training for their equipment.
One of the first things to consider if you want to become a Calibration Technician is how much schooling you’ll need. A bachelor’s degree is held by 30.2 percent of Calibration Technicians, according to our research. In terms of higher education, master’s degrees are held by 2.2 percent of Calibration Technicians. Even though some Calibration Technicians have a college degree, anyone with a high school diploma or GED can work as one.
When looking at how to become a Calibration Technician, picking the right major is crucial. When we looked into the most prevalent majors for Calibration Technicians, we discovered that the majority of them earned Associate Degrees or Bachelor’s Degrees. Other degrees that we frequently find on Calibration Technician resumes are a High School Diploma or a Diploma.
You may find that previous work experience will assist you in becoming a Calibration Technician. Many Calibration Technician jobs necessitate previous experience as an Electronics Technician. In the meantime, many Calibration Technicians have worked as Technicians or Field Service Technicians in the past.
Where to Work as a Calibration Technician
Calibration technicians work in the following settings:
- Some calibration technicians work solely in-house, while others spend the majority of their time on customer sites.
- One or more full-time calibration technicians may be employed by large factories or production facilities.
- Calibration technicians are frequently hired by parts vendors to market and sell their products based on their expertise in the parts, applications, and testing procedures.
- General calibration technicians as well as those that specialize in the maintenance and repair of specific product lines are employed by third-party maintenance organizations that contract their services with a variety of small to major manufacturing companies.
Calibration Technician Salary Scale
As of March 29, 2022, the average Calibration Technician salary in the United States is $52,768; however, salaries frequently range from $47,048 to $60,420. Salary ranges rely on a variety of things, including schooling, certifications, supplementary talents, and the number of years you’ve worked in your field. In the United Kingdom, the national average compensation for a Calibration Technician is £29,145 per year.