A company trusts a maintenance engineer to ensure large and expensive equipment does not breakdown or fail. Should such equipment breakdown or fail, production will be stopped. For every piece of equipment for which the engineer is in charge of, they must schedule and implement a maintenance plan as a preventative measure.
Working in this field requires the person in the role to list, inspect and monitor equipment so as to maintain it to the correct standard. This can include identifying worn components in order to replace them before breakdown or failure occurs. Inventories may need to be made regards equipment and parts so that spare parts are available when needed.
The maintenance engineer may also be responsible for bringing in and training technicians about the correct preventive measures to be taken for every piece of equipment. This involves identifying qualified technicians who can perform the duties which have been listed in the maintenance plan.
The role normally requires working for up to 40 hours per week, including emergency call-out duties and shifts. Annual income can vary depending on experience but the average salary in Canada is C
$59,000.