Installation, Maintenance & Repair
Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment
Also called: Critical Systems Technician, Electronic Bench Technician, Electronics Mechanic, Locomotive Electrician
US median pay
$84,890
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+5.4%
faster than average
Openings a year (US)
500
6,600 employed
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Preparation 3/5 · Medium preparation
What this job is
Install, adjust, or maintain mobile electronics communication equipment, including sound, sonar, security, navigation, and surveillance systems on trains, watercraft, or other mobile equipment.
What they do day to day
- Inspect and test electrical systems and equipment to locate and diagnose malfunctions, using visual inspections, testing devices, and computer software.
- Reassemble and test equipment after repairs.
- Adjust, repair, or replace defective wiring and relays in ignition, lighting, air-conditioning, and safety control systems, using electrician's tools.
- Splice wires with knives or cutting pliers, and solder connections to fixtures, outlets, and equipment.
- Locate and remove or repair circuit defects such as blown fuses or malfunctioning transistors.
- Maintain equipment service records.
- Refer to schematics and manufacturers' specifications that show connections and provide instructions on how to locate problems.
- Install fixtures, outlets, terminal boards, switches, and wall boxes, using hand tools.
- Install new fuses, electrical cables, or power sources as required.
- Cut openings and drill holes for fixtures, outlet boxes, and fuse holders, using electric drills and routers.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Quality Control Analysis3.2/5
- Operations Monitoring3.2/5
- Repairing3.1/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1/5
- Troubleshooting3.0/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.0/5
- Operation and Control3.0/5
Knowledge
- Engineering and Technology4.4/5
- Computers and Electronics4.2/5
- Mathematics3.9/5
- Public Safety and Security3.8/5
- Mechanical3.6/5
- Design3.5/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 3 of 5 — Medium preparation. Usually vocational training, an associate's degree or an apprenticeship.
Typical entry education (BLS): Postsecondary nondegree award.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Post-secondary certificate48%
- High school diploma28%
- Post-baccalaureate certificate14%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.