What is a Field Technician?
A field technician handles on-site services and repairs for company equipment. A company may request the help of a field technician for anything from computer repairs, to the maintenance of a security system.
Field technicians are invaluable for companies looking to maintain IT capabilities or keep on top of telecommunication. That’s because field technicians respond to problems promptly, as well as undertaking maintenance to avoid issues altogether.
A Day in the Life of a Field Technician
Any day in the life of a field technician looks different. Given that many repair requests happen last minute, this is a job where a set list of duties is never going to suffice.
In general, some of the tasks a field technician will see during their day include:
- Attending maintenance visits
- Responding to repair calls
- Installing new equipment and machinery
- Talking to customers through the functions of new installations
- Preparing and distributing maintenance records, warranty contracts, and installation reports
What About Qualifications and Skills?
For the most part, field technicians need experience over qualifications. As you’ll see when browsing jobs from providers like Ericsson, most positions require a set amount of years experience in the trade. Hence why many field technicians start as assistants or apprentices.
Other than that, simple things like experience with equipment and the ability to solve problems are essential skills to harness. Excellent interpersonal skills are also vital for developing ongoing customer relationships.
Note that, while qualifications aren’t vital, many field technicians find that certification with the use of some machinery can help secure jobs. If you’re struggling to gain the experience you need, then, something like UL’s certification for hand-held tools could prove invaluable.
The Future for Field Technicians
In general terms, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the future is generally pretty positive for field technicians. That said, individual job outlook here is largely dependent on industry and skill levels.
It seems that jobs here are also set to become increasingly concentrated towards larger companies, where technicians with training and experience could flourish. But, there are still positive forecasts for freelance field technicians if they source jobs which allow them to complete assignments for larger contractors.
Pay Scale Range
According to Payscale.com, freelance field technicians can reasonably charge upwards of $22.00 per hour, meaning that full-time work could lead to an annual salary of anywhere between $33,136 - $92,972.
That said, these rates vary greatly depending on everything from reputation to the tools each job requires. With larger field technician companies also flourishing more than small-scale operations right now, freelancers may find that they can earn much more by working on a contracted basis.
Field Engineer for Contracting Freelancers
Luckily, this is the best time for contracting freelance jobs thanks to global platforms like Field Engineer. This on-demand marketplace regularly connects 40,000 engineers across 180 countries with the best companies contracting at the moment. If you’re after unlimited freelance capabilities with high-cash returns, then, it makes sense to sign up today.
