Control Systems Technician Career Overview

Job Duties and Responsibilities of a Control Systems Technician

Control systems technicians' responsibilities may include designing pneumatic piping plans and wiring diagrams for heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, refrigeration and lighting controls used in buildings, installing electrical conduit, panelboards and wiring for new machinery and other electrical equipment and troubleshooting and repairing electrical, pneumatic and computerized electronic controls for these systems. While specific responsibilities will vary by position, the following two excerpts from job postings on monster.com illustrate some common job responsibilities of a systems control technician:

• 'Systems control technician will be responsible for the maintenance and repair of electronic fire alarm, CCTV and card access systems as well as other control systems and electrical devices.' -The University of Iowa
• 'Basic duties include electro-mechanical assembly and testing of products, planning equipment needs to build test set-ups, performing monthly maintenance on equipment to prevent downtime and maintaining a monthly log of calibration and the filtration systems.' -- Technical Works, Inc.

Job Requirements for a Control Systems Technician

While knowledge of electrical and mechanical systems are key, more and more employers are seeking individuals with some formal education in the form of an associate's degree or completing a technical program. The following are two examples, taken from postings on careerbuilder.com, of job requirements for control systems technicians' positions:

• 'We require completion of a vocational school 4-year program or an associate's degree in electronics, mechanical systems, computer technology, air conditioning or similar field. Candidate must possess the ability to coordinate the work of others on multiple job sites and effective interpersonal skills to represent the company to customers and others in an ethical and professional manner.' -- Johnson Controls, Inc.
• 'Qualified candidates will be an analytical thinker with at least two years of post-high school education and one year's hands-on experience in troubleshooting electrical control systems with programmable logic controllers and electrical instruments and meters. Strong electrical and mechanical aptitude and PC skills are required.' -RMT, Inc.

Job Outlook for Control Systems Technicians

As equipment becomes more sophisticated companies are increasingly installing electronic controls, sensors, robots and other equipment to automate processes. This creates job growth for control systems technicians. An informal survey of salaries for control systems technicians found the average range to be around $35,000, according to postings on monster.com and careerbuilder.com. Technicians can enhance their career by gaining certification, such as ISA's Certified Control Systems Technician.