What You'll Do

  • Construct, test, maintain, and repair substation relay and control systems.
  • Inspect and test equipment and circuits to identify malfunctions or defects, using wiring diagrams and testing devices such as ohmmeters, voltmeters, or ammeters.
  • Consult manuals, schematics, wiring diagrams, and engineering personnel to troubleshoot and solve equipment problems and to determine optimum equipment functioning.
  • Notify facility personnel of equipment shutdowns.
  • Open and close switches to isolate defective relays, performing adjustments or repairs.
  • Prepare and maintain records detailing tests, repairs, and maintenance.
  • Analyze test data to diagnose malfunctions, to determine performance characteristics of systems, or to evaluate effects of system modifications.
  • Test insulators and bushings of equipment by inducing voltage across insulation, testing current, and calculating insulation loss.
  • Repair, replace, and clean equipment and components such as circuit breakers, brushes, and commutators.
  • Disconnect voltage regulators, bolts, and screws, and connect replacement regulators to high-voltage lines.

Essential Skills

Critical Thinking 3.75/5
Equipment Maintenance 3.62/5
Repairing 3.62/5
Troubleshooting 3.5/5
Reading Comprehension 3.38/5
Operations Monitoring 3.25/5
Quality Control Analysis 3.25/5
Active Listening 3.12/5
Speaking 3.12/5
Complex Problem Solving 3.12/5
Monitoring 3.0/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.0/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Analyst: Investigating problems and finding patterns keeps you engaged.

Common styles

Attention to Detail, Dependability, Cautiousness, Integrity, Intellectual Curiosity

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Near Vision 3.88/5
Oral Comprehension 3.75/5
Problem Sensitivity 3.75/5
Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.75/5
Written Comprehension 3.62/5
Oral Expression 3.62/5
Information Ordering 3.5/5
Finger Dexterity 3.25/5

Technologies & Tools

Autodesk AutoCAD Fluke Corporation FlukeView Forms Megger PowerDB Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft Windows Microsoft Word OMICRON Test Universe Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software Web browser software

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.8/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.77/5)
  • Cautiousness (High importance: 4.75/5)
  • Integrity (High importance: 4.26/5)
  • Intellectual Curiosity (High importance: 4.24/5)

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How to Become One

This career typically requires vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some specialized training or certification may also be required.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Apparatus Lineman Corrosion Control Fitter Corrosion Technician Electrical and Instrumentation Technician (E and I Technician) Electrical Maintenance Mechanic Electrical Technician Field Electronics Tech (Field Electronics Technician) Gear Technician Generating Station Mechanic Generator Mechanic Inside Wireman Instrument and Control Technician (I and C Technician) Instrumentation and Control Technician (I and C Technician) Instrumentation Fitter Lineman Maintenance Technician Meter Craftsman Meter Technician Motor Room Controller On Site Service Tech (On Site Service Technician) Power Transformer Repairer Powerhouse Electrician Powerhouse Mechanic Protective Relay Technician Relay Craftsman Relay Engineer Relay Operator Relay Technician Substation Electrician Substation Mechanic Substation Technician Substation Wireman Test Technician Transformer Repairer Wireman

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.