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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Calibration Technician

💰 $ - $

🎯 Role Definition

The Calibration Technician is responsible for performing accurate, repeatable calibration, adjustment, verification and preventive maintenance of electronic, mechanical and electro-mechanical test and measurement equipment. This role ensures instrument traceability to national standards, maintains detailed calibration records, supports ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO 9001 quality systems, and works collaboratively with production, maintenance and engineering to minimize downtime and maintain measurement integrity. Ideal candidates have strong metrology knowledge, hands-on instrumentation skills, and the ability to document measurement uncertainty and corrective actions.

Keywords: calibration technician, metrology, ISO 17025, measurement uncertainty, test equipment calibration, traceability, instrumentation, preventive maintenance, calibration software.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Junior Calibration Technician / Calibration Assistant
  • Electronics Technician or Maintenance Technician with test equipment experience
  • Field Service or Test Technician with hands-on instrument experience

Advancement To:

  • Senior Calibration Technician
  • Calibration Supervisor or Lead
  • Metrology Engineer or Lab Manager
  • Quality/Compliance Manager (ISO/QA roles)

Lateral Moves:

  • Field Calibration Technician / Service Technician
  • Instrumentation Technician
  • Test & Validation Technician

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Perform precise calibrations, adjustments and functional verifications of a wide range of electronic, mechanical and electromechanical instruments (multimeters, oscilloscopes, pressure sensors, temperature probes, torque wrenches, mass standards, flow meters, power analyzers) using laboratory standards and reference equipment, ensuring traceability to NIST or equivalent national standards.
  • Execute calibration procedures and methods in accordance with laboratory scope, manufacturer recommendations and ISO/IEC 17025 requirements, documenting all steps, environmental conditions and instrument uncertainties.
  • Calculate and report measurement uncertainty using accepted statistical methods, propagate uncertainties as required, and include uncertainty budgets in calibration certificates and job reports.
  • Develop, revise and validate calibration procedures, work instructions and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to improve accuracy, consistency and compliance with regulatory and customer requirements.
  • Maintain and operate laboratory reference standards and primary/secondary standards; perform periodic performance checks and intercomparisons to confirm the validity of reference equipment.
  • Use calibration management systems and software (e.g., Beamex, Fluke MET/CAL, GCal, CalSoft, or in-house CMMS) to create work orders, update calibration labels, track asset histories and generate calibration certificates.
  • Inspect incoming and outgoing instruments, evaluate customer-supplied equipment for calibration suitability, and advise on required repairs, adjustments or rejection criteria to protect lab integrity.
  • Perform electrical safety checks and functional verification prior to calibration; isolate equipment and follow lockout/tagout and laboratory safety protocols when required.
  • Troubleshoot and repair instrumentation to restore functionality to within calibration tolerances, including component-level diagnosis, replacement of sensors, wiring, connectors, switches and other basic repairs.
  • Execute environmental calibrations and verifications (temperature, humidity, thermal chambers) and account for environmental influence on measurement results per documented procedures.
  • Coordinate scheduling and logistics for internal and customer on-site calibrations, including field calibration calls, travel planning, and ensuring correct standards and tools are available at job sites.
  • Prepare and issue detailed calibration certificates and reports that include pass/fail status, actual measured values, correction factors, uncertainties, traceability statements and technician signatures.
  • Maintain calibration labels, asset tags and barcodes, updating identification, due dates, and service histories in the asset management system to ensure timely recall and re-calibration.
  • Participate in internal and external audits, supplier audits and customer audits; provide evidence of calibration activity, traceability, validation records and corrective actions for nonconformances.
  • Perform preventive maintenance and scheduled checks on production and test equipment, contribute to maintenance schedules, and recommend calibration intervals based on historical performance and risk assessment.
  • Implement continuous improvement initiatives to reduce turnaround time (TAT), improve first-pass yield for calibration jobs, and eliminate recurring nonconformances through root cause analysis.
  • Train and mentor junior technicians on calibration best practices, safe handling of standards, measurement uncertainty concepts and correct use of lab software and instruments.
  • Ensure inventory control for calibration standards, consumables and reference devices, flagging items for out-of-service calibration and coordinating external calibrations when necessary.
  • Liaise with engineering, production and quality teams to define instrument requirements, advise on measurement capability and support metrology-related design or testing activities.
  • Maintain strict documentation and data integrity practices, backing up calibration data, retaining raw measurement records, and ensuring data is accessible for trend analysis and compliance purposes.
  • Validate and perform corrective calibration actions on customer returns and warranty claims, documenting root cause and repair actions and communicating results to stakeholders.
  • Support emergency calibration or expedited jobs during production-critical events, working flexible hours as required to minimize production impact.
  • Apply statistical process control (SPC) and basic data analysis to calibration results to identify drift, bias or degradation trends and recommend schedule changes or equipment replacements.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist with lab accreditation activities, maintaining documentation required for ISO/IEC 17025 scope and helping prepare for surveillance visits.
  • Support vendor and equipment qualification by performing acceptance testing (IQ/OQ/PQ) on new test instruments and verifying manufacturer performance claims.
  • Participate in cross-functional continuous improvement projects (6S/5S, Kaizen) aimed at improving lab efficiency, safety and calibration throughput.
  • Provide technical support to production teams for troubleshooting out-of-tolerance measurements and advise on corrective actions or part rework implications.
  • Maintain calibration lab supplies, order replacement standards and consumables, and manage relationships with external calibration service providers.
  • Contribute to departmental metrics and KPIs (turnaround time, first-pass yield, customer satisfaction) and prepare periodic performance reports for management review.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proficient in performing calibrations across electrical (voltage, current, resistance, frequency), temperature, pressure, torque, mass, and flow measurement domains.
  • Strong understanding of metrology principles, traceability chains, and measurement uncertainty calculation (GUM methodology).
  • Familiarity with ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO 9001 quality requirements and experience supporting laboratory accreditation.
  • Hands-on experience with calibration software and lab management systems (Fluke MET/CAL, Beamex, GCal, CalSoft, CMMS workflows).
  • Skilled in using laboratory reference standards: calibrators, multifunction calibrators, deadweight testers, thermal baths, dry-block calibrators, pressure calibrators, and standard weights.
  • Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, technical specifications, data sheets and manufacturer calibration procedures.
  • Basic electrical troubleshooting and repair skills: soldering, connector replacement, board-level component swaps and continuity testing.
  • Proficient with data acquisition systems and test instrumentation: multimeters, oscilloscopes, LCR meters, power analyzers, spectrum analyzers.
  • Competent in Microsoft Office (Excel pivot tables, VLOOKUP), data logging, and basic statistical analysis for trend and SPC reporting.
  • Experience with safety practices (lockout/tagout, PPE, electrical safety) and laboratory environmental controls.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional attention to detail and strong documentation habits to ensure traceable and defensible calibration records.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving ability to diagnose instrument drift, failure modes and root causes.
  • Clear verbal and written communication skills for writing calibration certificates and interacting with internal and external customers.
  • Time management and prioritization skills to manage multiple calibration jobs and meet turnaround SLAs.
  • Customer-focused mindset and ability to explain technical findings to non-technical stakeholders.
  • Team player with the ability to mentor junior technicians and collaborate across production, quality and engineering teams.
  • Adaptability and willingness to work flexible hours or travel for field calibration and on-site support.
  • Organizational skills for inventory control and scheduling of calibration activities.
  • Initiative and continuous improvement orientation to reduce errors and improve lab performance.
  • Ethical conduct and discretion when handling sensitive customer equipment and data.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED plus technical/vocational certification in electronics, instrumentation or metrology. Equivalent military training or trade school experience accepted.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate degree or Bachelor’s degree in Instrumentation, Electronics Technology, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Metrology, or related technical field.
  • Certifications such as Certified Calibration Technician (CCT), ASQ Calibration/Metrology, or manufacturer-specific certifications are a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Instrumentation and Control
  • Electronics Technology
  • Mechanical Engineering / Metrology
  • Electrical Engineering Technology
  • Applied Physics or Measurement Science

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 1–5 years of hands-on calibration, test, or instrumentation experience in a laboratory or industrial environment.

Preferred:

  • 3–7 years performing calibrations with documented traceability, solid experience with ISO/IEC 17025 processes, experience creating calibration procedures, and familiarity with calibration management software and uncertainty analysis.
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