Help installation, maintenance, and repair workers in maintenance, parts replacement, and repair of vehicles, industrial machinery, and electrical and electronic equipment. Perform duties such as furnishing tools, materials, and supplies to other workers; cleaning work area, machines, and tools; and holding materials or tools for other workers.
U.S. Workers
97,540
Median Salary
$38,860
10-Year Growth
+2.3%
Annual Openings
11,800
Typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
16 of 16 tasks have some AI capability
Exposure Trend
This score reflects estimated AI technical capability for tasks in this occupation. It does not predict employment changes, and it does not account for company-specific constraints, regulation, or adoption barriers.
Order new parts to maintain inventory.
AI: Fully automatable - Ordering parts is a data-driven workflow that can be fully automated with inventory management, predictive replenishment, and procurement systems.
Transfer tools, parts, equipment, and supplies to and from work stations and other areas.
AI: Partial - Automated guided vehicles and cobots can transfer tools and supplies in structured environments, but general-purpose, unstructured job-site material handling still needs substantial human involvement.
Disassemble broken or defective equipment to facilitate repair and reassemble equipment when repairs are complete.
AI: Partial - Robotic systems can disassemble and reassemble specific repeatable equipment, yet varied, ad-hoc breakdowns requiring dexterity and judgment typically need human technicians.
Install or replace machinery, equipment, and new or replacement parts and instruments, using hand or power tools.
AI: Partial - AI-guided machinery and assistive robots can perform some installations and replacements in controlled settings, but broadly applicable, complex field installs using hand/power tools are not fully autonomous yet.
Examine and test machinery, equipment, components, and parts for defects to ensure proper functioning.
AI: Partial - Computer vision and sensor-based AI can detect many defects and run tests, but comprehensive, context-aware inspection and diagnosis across varied equipment often still require human expertise.
Hold or supply tools, parts, equipment, and supplies for other workers.
AI: Partial - Cobots can hold or supply tools in repetitive, proximate tasks, but flexible, ad-hoc toolholding and real-time assistance in dynamic work environments commonly rely on humans.
Diagnose electrical problems and install and rewire electrical components.
AI: Partial - AI can assist and often diagnose electrical faults, but physically installing and rewiring electrical components is safety-critical and still requires certified human technicians.
Position vehicles, machinery, equipment, physical structures, and other objects for assembly or installation, using hand tools, power tools, and moving equipment.
AI: Partial - Automated positioning (cranes, AGVs, robotic manipulators) exists for repetitive or planned moves, but precise, situational placement and ad hoc adjustments in unstructured sites remain primarily human-driven.
Adjust, maintain, and repair tools, equipment, and machines, and assist more skilled workers with similar tasks.
AI: Partial - AI can assist with maintenance diagnostics and carry out routine adjustments on specific machines, yet broad maintenance, repair, and assistance across diverse tools and failures still need human technicians.
Adjust, connect, or disconnect wiring, piping, tubing, and other parts, using hand or power tools.
AI: Partial - Robotic solutions can handle standardized wiring and connector tasks, but the variability, fine manipulation, and safety considerations of general in-field wiring/piping work limit full automation today.
Clean or lubricate vehicles, machinery, equipment, instruments, tools, work areas, and other objects, using hand tools, power tools, and cleaning equipment.
AI: Partial - Cleaning and lubricating can be automated in controlled settings and assisted by robots but varied environments and ad-hoc tasks still require human dexterity and supervision.
Prepare work stations for use by mechanics and repairers.
AI: Partial - Preparing workstations (tooling, staging parts) can be semi-automated in controlled shops, but variable on-site preparation tasks generally need human intervention.
Assemble and maintain physical structures, using hand or power tools.
AI: Partial - Assembly and maintenance of physical structures can be aided by robotics and cobots for repetitive or well-defined tasks, but complex, variable assemblies still need human skill and judgment.
Tend and observe equipment and machinery to verify efficient and safe operation.
AI: Partial - Monitoring and verification can be largely automated with sensors and AI anomaly detection, but ensuring safe operation in novel or ambiguous situations typically requires human oversight.
Apply protective materials to equipment, components, and parts to prevent defects and corrosion.
AI: Partial - Applying protective coatings is automatable in standardized production environments, yet field applications and nuanced material handling remain largely manual.
Design, weld, and fabricate parts, using blueprints or other mechanical plans.
AI: Partial - Design tools and robotic welders can automate many welding and fabrication tasks from blueprints, but custom fabrication and complex joints still rely on human expertise.