Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Jet Engine Cleaner

🎯 Role Definition

The Jet Engine Cleaner is a specialist technician responsible for performing safe, compliant, and OEM-approved cleaning and preservation of gas turbine engines and engine modules. This role focuses on high-pressure water washes, chemical/degreaser application and neutralization, inlet and exhaust cleaning, borescope access support, corrosion control, and accurate maintenance documentation. The role supports airline, maintenance repair organization (MRO), and OEM engine health programs, improving engine performance, fuel efficiency, and time-on-wing through contamination removal and condition-based cleaning.

Core SEO and LLM keywords: jet engine cleaner, engine wash technician, engine cleaning technician, chemical engine cleaning, borescope inspection, turbine wash, MRO engine maintenance, engine preservation, aircraft engine cleaning procedures.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Aircraft Maintenance Helper / Ground Support Equipment Technician
Industrial Cleaner / Pressure Washing Technician with aerospace exposure
Aircraft Structural Technician or Component Cleaner

Advancement To:

Engine Maintenance Technician (A&P / AME)
Engine Shop Technician / Overhaul Specialist
Engine Health Monitoring or Condition-Based Maintenance Specialist
Lead Jet Engine Cleaner / Team Lead, Engine Wash Operations

Lateral Moves:

Component Cleaning and Preservation Specialist
Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Technician (after training)
Corrosion Control Technician / Surface Treatment Operator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Perform detailed jet engine external and internal cleaning operations using OEM-approved processes, including wet high-pressure water washes, detergent/chemical degreasing, and solvent-based cleaning, ensuring all procedures follow aircraft manufacturer instructions and airline/MRO standards.
Conduct engine inlet and fan module cleaning, removing FOD, dust, salt, oil, and combustion residue to restore airflow characteristics and reduce fuel burn while protecting fan blades and casings from damage.
Execute blended water/chemical and multi-stage cleaning cycles for compressor and turbine sections per engine model-specific work cards and service bulletins, verifying correct temperature, pressure, and contact times.
Prepare engines for borescope inspection by removing obstructions, applying appropriate access panels and plugs, and coordinating with inspectors to ensure clear visual access for internal condition assessment.
Apply corrosion inhibitors, protective preservatives, and desiccants to engine components and cavities after cleaning, following OEM preservation schemes and documenting material batch numbers and application methods.
Disassemble minor external engine accessories and cowling fitments as required for thorough cleaning, then reassemble to torque and security standards; complete post-cleaning functional checks as required.
Operate and maintain engine wash stands, pressure washers (cold and warm), recirculation systems, vacuum and filtration equipment, and chemical dosing systems, performing routine calibration and reporting faults.
Mix, handle, and neutralize aviation-approved cleaning chemicals, detergents, and solvents in accordance with Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), company hazardous materials procedures, and local environmental regulations.
Perform engine inlet and exhaust capsule cleaning, borescope port sealing, and perform checks for foreign object residue, scoring, and erosion; log and report any damage or anomalies to maintenance control.
Follow confined space and respiratory protection procedures when accessing nacelle cavities or working with aerosols and fine particulate matter, using required PPE and monitoring equipment.
Maintain accurate and timely maintenance records, cleaning logs, and electronic work packages in the MRO’s maintenance tracking system (e.g., AMOS, RAMCO, TRAX), ensuring traceability of cleaning cycles and preservative actions.
Read and interpret technical data, service bulletins, airworthiness directives, and OEM service manuals to adapt cleaning methods to model-specific requirements (CFM56, V2500, PW1000G, Trent family, etc.).
Participate in engine removal and installation support activities related to preservation and cleaning, including engine stands, hoists, and protective covers handling.
Monitor and dispose of used cleaning fluids, filters, and chemical wastes according to environmental regulations and company hazardous waste procedures; document disposal manifests.
Coordinate with Quality Assurance and Engineering to validate non-routine cleaning solutions, test results, and corrective actions when contaminants or damage are discovered.
Support condition-based maintenance programs by providing detailed pre- and post-clean performance observations and feeding cleaning outcome data to engine health teams for trend analysis.
Conduct pre-job risk assessments, toolbox talks, and post-job inspections to ensure compliance with safety and quality requirements for each cleaning evolution.
Train and mentor junior technicians on engine cleaning best practices, safety protocols, and correct use of equipment, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and regulatory compliance.
Perform routine visual and dimensional inspections of cleaned parts to verify that cleaning has not induced damage and that components conform to allowable limits prior to releasing the aircraft or engine to service.
Respond to AOG (Aircraft on Ground) and short-notice cleaning requirements with rapid mobilization, ensuring prioritized engine washing to meet operational return-to-service timelines.
Implement and improve contamination control processes, including filtration upgrades, water recycling practices, and procedural adjustments to reduce recontamination risk and lower lifecycle cleaning costs.
Liaise with flight operations, engineering, and maintenance planners to schedule preventive and corrective engine cleaning windows minimizing disruption to flight schedules and MRO throughput.
Ensure traceability of tools, borescopes, and consumables by maintaining calibrated equipment logs and performing periodic tool control audits to prevent FOD and ensure inspection integrity.
Perform safety-critical quality checks, including leak tests, plug integrity verification, and verification of torque values on access panels and fasteners after cleaning operations.

Secondary Functions

Assist with inventory management for cleaning chemicals, preservatives, PPE, and filtration consumables; raise requisitions and track usage.
Support ad-hoc engine condition investigations by providing cleaning history, contamination samples, and photographic evidence to engineering teams.
Help develop and refine standard operating procedures (SOPs) and work cards for new engine types or updated OEM cleaning recommendations.
Contribute to internal audit readiness by preparing cleaning-process documentation and participating in safety and quality audits.
Provide data and feedback to the reliability team to improve cleaning intervals and methods based on operational engine performance metrics.
Participate in cross-functional projects to evaluate new cleaning technologies (e.g., dry ice blasting, ultrasonic cleaning) for potential adoption.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficient in performing engine washes: high-pressure water wash, water-detergent cycles, solvent degreasing, and chemical soak methods in accordance with OEM instructions.
Strong knowledge of OEM engine cleaning procedures and service bulletins for common commercial turbofan and turboprop engines (e.g., CFM56, LEAP, PW, Trent, CF6, V2500).
Competency with borescope access preparation and support; understanding borescope inspection requirements and working collaboratively with inspectors.
Experience operating and maintaining engine wash rigs, pressure washers, warm water systems, fluid recirculation and filtration units, and dosing pumps.
Familiarity with hazardous materials handling, MSDS interpretation, and environmental disposal regulations for spent chemicals and oily waste.
Ability to read and interpret technical manuals, engineering drawings, maintenance work cards, and checklists.
Skilled in use of torque wrenches, fastening hardware installation, and verifying torque values after reassembly of access panels and cowls.
Proficient in maintenance documentation systems (e.g., AMOS, TRAX, Ramco, CAMP) and confident in logging work accurately in electronic records.
Understanding of corrosion control, surface preservation techniques, and application of protective coatings and preservatives.
Competence in confined space entry procedures, respiratory protection use, and associated monitoring equipment.
Basic knowledge of non-destructive inspection methods (visual inspection, borescope interpretation) to identify cleaning-induced damage or pre-existing defects.
Ability to perform basic troubleshooting of wash equipment and escalate mechanical/electrical faults to facilities maintenance.
Familiarity with quality assurance processes, serviceable/non-serviceable tagging, and component segregation practices.

Soft Skills

Strong attention to detail with a meticulous approach to cleanliness, documentation, and safety compliance.
Excellent communication skills to coordinate with engineers, inspectors, planners, and operations while clearly reporting findings.
Problem-solving mindset to adapt cleaning techniques to complex contamination scenarios and tight operational timelines.
Team player who trains junior staff, supports cross-functional teams, and contributes to continuous improvement.
Time management and prioritization skills to balance scheduled maintenance, AOG responses, and ad-hoc cleaning requests.
High level of reliability, professionalism, and commitment to safety culture in an operational aviation environment.
Adaptability to work in varied environments (hangar, ramp, engine shop) and in all weather conditions when required.
Customer-focused attitude, understanding the impact of engine cleanliness on airline performance and on-time operations.
Initiative to propose procedural enhancements or equipment upgrades that improve cleaning efficiency and outcomes.
Ethical judgment and integrity when handling sensitive documentation and adherence to regulatory requirements.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED; technical/vocational certificate in aircraft maintenance support, industrial cleaning, or related field preferred.

Preferred Education:

FAA Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) certificate, EASA Part-66 basic training, or equivalent aviation maintenance qualification.
Technical certificate in hazardous materials handling, industrial pressure washing, or environmental compliance.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Aircraft Maintenance Technology
Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering Technology
Industrial Maintenance / Process Technology
Environmental Health & Safety

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

1–5 years of hands-on experience in engine cleaning, aircraft component cleaning, or MRO ground support operations.

Preferred:

3+ years experience performing OEM engine wash procedures for commercial or military gas turbine engines, experience in an airline or MRO environment, and demonstrated exposure to borescope inspection prep and engine preservation programs.

Certifications that strengthen candidacy: Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) handling, confined space entry, CPR/first aid, respiratory protection program enrollment, and OEM-specific engine cleaning training.