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Medical devices
Medtronic, GE HealthCare, Siemens Healthineers
Precision Instrument and Equipment Repairers, All Other
These repairers fix delicate equipment that has to measure, test, or control something accurately, from lab devices to industrial instruments. The work is different from general repair because tiny faults can throw off readings, so the job is as much about calibration and verification as it is about replacing parts. The main tradeoff is that the pay is fairly solid for a hands-on repair role, but the field is small and growth is limited.
Also known as Instrument Repair TechnicianPrecision Equipment TechnicianInstrument Service TechnicianCalibration TechnicianElectronic Instrument Repair Technician
Median Salary
$67,080
Mean $70,420
U.S. Workforce
~10K
1K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+2%
10.8K to 11K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Precision Instrument and Equipment Repairers, All Other sits in the Trades category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~10K workers, with a median annual pay of $67,080 and roughly 1K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 10.8 K in 2024 to 11K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or equivalent, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Repair Apprentice and can progress toward Lead Service Technician or Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Multimeters, Oscilloscopes & Test Equipment, Calibration & Metrology, and Troubleshooting Precision Instruments, paired with soft skills such as Attention to detail, Patience, and Problem-solving.
Core Responsibilities
- Figure out why a precision device is giving bad readings by checking it against manuals, schematics, and test equipment.
- Take apart damaged units, clean and adjust small components, and replace worn or broken parts.
- Calibrate repaired equipment so its measurements line up with known standards.
- Run final bench tests and compare results to make sure the instrument works within spec.
Keep exploring: more Trades careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Figure out why a precision device is giving bad readings by checking it against manuals, schematics, and test equipment.
02 Take apart damaged units, clean and adjust small components, and replace worn or broken parts.
03 Calibrate repaired equipment so its measurements line up with known standards.
04 Run final bench tests and compare results to make sure the instrument works within spec.
05 Record what was wrong, what parts were replaced, and the results of the repair or calibration.
06 Talk with customers, lab staff, or plant technicians about the problem, the expected turnaround time, and how to avoid repeat failures.
Industries That Hire
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Aerospace and defense
Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon
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Industrial automation
Honeywell, Emerson, ABB
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Laboratory instruments
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Agilent Technologies, Waters Corporation
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Test and measurement equipment
Keysight Technologies, Fluke Corporation, Tektronix
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can get started without a college degree; the typical entry point is a high school diploma plus long-term training.
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Pay is decent for a repair job, with a median annual wage of $67,080 and a mean of $70,420.
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The work is hands-on and specific, so you spend your day solving real problems instead of doing the same assembly task over and over.
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Your skills can transfer across several industries, including medical devices, labs, manufacturing, and defense.
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The job is specialized enough that strong troubleshooting and calibration skills can make you valuable even in a small labor market.
Challenges
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Job growth is modest at 2% through 2034, so this is not a fast-expanding field.
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The occupation is small, with only about 9,680 jobs and roughly 1,000 annual openings, so competition for openings can be real.
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Long-term on-the-job training means it can take years before you are trusted with the hardest repairs or paid at the top of the range.
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A lot of the work depends on tiny parts, exact measurements, and careful re-testing, which can be slow and mentally tiring.
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Some employers replace failed units instead of repairing them, and vendors may keep advanced service work in-house, which can limit both local demand and long-term advancement.
Career Progression
Repair Apprentice
0-2 years
$35K-$47K
Learns basic bench repair, tool use, safety, and how to follow service procedures under close supervision.
Precision Equipment Technician
2-5 years
$48K-$61K
Handles routine troubleshooting, part replacement, calibration, and final testing on common equipment.
Precision Instrument and Equipment Repairer THIS ROLE
5-10 years
$62K-$79K
Works independently on more difficult failures, verifies measurements, and makes sure repaired units meet spec.
Senior Repair Specialist
10-15 years
$80K-$95K
Takes on the hardest diagnostics, trains newer technicians, and handles expensive or hard-to-replace instruments.
Lead Service Technician or Supervisor
15+ years
$96K-$115K
Oversees repair schedules, quality checks, customer escalation, and the work of a small technical team.
Education Paths
High school diploma or equivalent
This is the most direct entry point, usually paired with long-term on-the-job training from an employer.
Postsecondary certificate in electronics, instrumentation, or industrial maintenance
A certificate can speed up the move into the field by teaching test equipment, basic electronics, and repair methods before you start work.
Associate degree in electronics engineering technology or mechatronics
An associate degree can help if you want a stronger foundation in circuits, sensors, and diagnostic methods.
Employer-sponsored apprenticeship or long-term on-the-job training
Many workers learn the specifics of the job this way, especially because the repair process depends on the exact make and model of the equipment.
Key Skills
Technical
Multimeters, Oscilloscopes & Test Equipment 94%
Calibration & Metrology 92%
Troubleshooting Precision Instruments 91%
Soldering, Rework & Micro-Component Repair 85%
Reading Schematics, Wiring Diagrams & Service Manuals 82%
Mechanical Disassembly & Reassembly 79%
ESD, Cleanroom & Contamination Control 76%
Soft Skills
Attention to detailPatienceProblem-solvingManual dexterityClear communicationOrganization Job Outlook and Trends
+2%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
1K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 10.8K to 11 K over the next decade, representing 2% growth. Around 1 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.