Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians

Also called: Agricultural Equipment Mechanic, Agricultural Mechanic, Agricultural Technician, Agriculture Mechanic, Assembly Repairer

Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians

Varies

estimated salary

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul farm machinery and vehicles, such as tractors, harvesters, dairy equipment, and irrigation systems.

  • Maintain, repair, and overhaul farm machinery and vehicles, such as tractors, harvesters, and irrigation systems.
  • Dismantle defective machines for repair, using hand tools.
  • Record details of repairs made and parts used.
  • Reassemble machines and equipment following repair, testing operation and making adjustments, as necessary.
  • Clean and lubricate parts.
  • Test and replace electrical components and wiring, using test meters, soldering equipment, and hand tools.
  • Tune or overhaul engines.
  • Examine and listen to equipment, read inspection reports, and confer with customers to locate and diagnose malfunctions.
  • Repair or replace defective parts, using hand tools, milling and woodworking machines, lathes, welding equipment, grinders, or saws.
  • Drive trucks to haul tools and equipment for on-site repair of large machinery.
  • Fabricate new metal parts, using drill presses, engine lathes, and other machine tools.
  • Repair bent or torn sheet metal.
  • Calculate bills according to record of repairs made, labor time, and parts used.
  • Install and repair agricultural irrigation, plumbing, and sprinkler systems.
Work Context

Work Context information for this career will be available soon.

Work Activities
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment — Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment — Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
  • Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • Maintain repair or maintenance records.
  • Test mechanical equipment to ensure proper functioning.
  • Reassemble equipment after repair.
  • Adjust equipment to ensure optimal performance.
  • Repair defective engines or engine components.
  • Service vehicles to maintain functionality.
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Knowledge

Mechanical
  • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Customer and Personal Service
  • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Computers and Electronics
  • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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Skills

Repairing
  • Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Equipment Maintenance
  • Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Troubleshooting
  • Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Operation and Control
  • Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
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Abilities

Control Precision
  • The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Manual Dexterity
  • The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Multilimb Coordination
  • The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Finger Dexterity
  • The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
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Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel Hot Technology
Electronic mail software
  • Microsoft Outlook Hot Technology
Word processing software
  • Microsoft Word Hot Technology
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