Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Reliability & Condition Monitoring Technician

🎯 Role Definition

A Reliability & Condition Monitoring Technician is responsible for implementing predictive maintenance and condition-based monitoring programs to improve asset reliability, extend equipment life, and reduce unscheduled downtime. The role centers on proactive data collection (vibration, thermography, ultrasound, oil analysis, motor current signature), data interpretation, defect identification, routine machine health assessments, and collaboration with maintenance engineers to prioritize repairs and implement corrective actions. This position requires hands-on field diagnostics, report writing, CMMS updates, and communication with multi-disciplinary teams to integrate condition monitoring into overall asset management strategies.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Maintenance Technician / Millwright with exposure to rotating equipment and instrumentation
Mechanical Technician or Electrical Technician transitioning into predictive maintenance
Technical vocational graduate (mechatronics, industrial maintenance) with internship experience in reliability

Advancement To:

Senior Condition Monitoring Technician / Lead Reliability Technician
Reliability Engineer / Predictive Maintenance Engineer
Asset Management Specialist / Reliability Program Coordinator

Lateral Moves:

Vibration Analyst (specialist role)
Thermography or Ultrasound Specialist
Reliability Data Analyst / CMMS Administrator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Conduct route-based and fixed-point vibration data collection using industry-standard analyzers (FFT spectrum, time waveform, enveloping) on bearings, gears, couplings and shafts, and deliver actionable diagnostic reports that prioritize corrective actions and spare parts.
Perform infrared thermography inspections of electrical switchgear, motors, bearings and process equipment, generate thermal imaging reports, and recommend remediation to prevent thermal failures and fire hazards.
Execute ultrasound inspections for detection of compressed air leaks, bearing lubrication issues, and electrical partial discharge; document findings and liaise with maintenance to implement fixes.
Collect and analyze oil samples for wear particle analysis, viscosity, spectrometric analysis, FTIR, and particle counts; interpret laboratory reports to identify lubrication contamination, wear modes, and recommended oil change or filtration actions.
Operate portable data acquisition systems and online condition monitoring sensors; configure data loggers and ensure data integrity, sensor health, and proper channel calibration for long-term trending.
Use computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) such as IBM Maximo, SAP PM, or Infor EAM to create, update and close work orders, attach condition monitoring reports, and schedule predictive maintenance activities.
Perform shaft alignment and precision balancing of rotating equipment using laser alignment and dynamic balancing tools to reduce vibration, extend bearing life and eliminate resonance issues.
Conduct root cause analysis (RCA) and fault diagnosis for recurring machine failures using data from multiple condition monitoring techniques; prepare corrective action plans and preventive measures.
Develop and maintain baseline vibration and thermal signatures for new and rebuilt assets, and update alarm thresholds and alert settings based on OEM recommendations and site-specific operating conditions.
Maintain and calibrate condition monitoring equipment (vibration sensors, accelerometers, infrared cameras, ultrasonic detectors, oil sampling pumps); manage calibration records and ensure tools meet traceability and QA requirements.
Create clear, concise machine health reports and dashboards that translate technical diagnostics into prioritized work scopes for maintenance planners and operations leadership.
Collaborate with maintenance planners to optimize spare parts inventory and critical spares strategy based on actual asset condition and failure mode trends.
Support commissioning and post-maintenance validations by conducting acceptance vibration and thermal checks to verify repairs, alignments, and reassembly meet reliability standards.
Train operations and maintenance personnel on basic condition monitoring awareness, proper data collection techniques, and on-the-floor screening methods for early detection of anomalies.
Implement and maintain predictive maintenance programs by establishing route lists, data collection frequencies, alarm criteria, and escalation procedures aligned with plant reliability goals.
Liaise with OEM technical services and external reliability vendors for advanced diagnostics, gearbox analysis, bearing remanufacture decisions, and specialized testing as required.
Participate in reliability improvement projects (e.g., bearing upgrades, coupling redesigns, gearbox retrofits) by providing condition monitoring input, pre- and post-modification data, and performance validation.
Monitor and analyze motor current signature data to detect electrical and mechanical faults such as rotor bar failures, air-gap eccentricity, and bearing issues within electric motors and drives.
Review and trend historical failure data to support life-cycle cost analysis and to justify proactive interventions, predictive maintenance budgets, and capital investment proposals.
Ensure compliance with safety and environmental standards during inspections (lockout-tagout, confined space procedures, PPE enforcement) and report any unsafe conditions encountered during monitoring activities.
Support continuous improvement initiatives by providing metrics, KPIs and insights on mean time between failures (MTBF), mean time to repair (MTTR), and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) related to monitored assets.
Manage condition monitoring documentation, including route maps, sensor lists, calibration logs, and procedure revisions to meet internal QA and regulatory audit requirements.
Assist in developing and refining standard operating procedures (SOPs) and inspection checklists to standardize condition monitoring practices across plants and shifts.

Secondary Functions

Provide ad-hoc technical support for reliability-related projects, including sensor selection, installation oversight, and signal routing for online monitoring systems.
Contribute to the development and maintenance of asset health dashboards and trending tools using Excel, Power BI, or similar reporting platforms.
Participate in cross-functional reliability review meetings, shift handovers, and reliability steering committees to communicate findings and influence maintenance priorities.
Assist in procurement activities for condition monitoring equipment and consumables, evaluate vendor proposals, and maintain inventory of monitoring tools.
Support pilot projects for new predictive technologies (e.g., machine learning-based anomaly detection) by supplying labeled data sets and validating algorithm outputs against field observations.
Help coordinate external laboratory services and vendor testing (oil labs, vibration specialists) and ensure timely sample submission and result interpretation.
Maintain training records and assist in the onboarding of new technicians to route procedures and safety policies.
Participate in outage planning by providing pre-shutdown condition assessments and recommending priority work scopes to minimize unplanned downtime.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proven experience in vibration analysis (FFT spectrum analysis, enveloping, phase analysis) and familiarity with analyzers/software such as Emerson/CSI, SKF @ptitude, PRUFTECHNIK, or equivalent.
Infrared thermography proficiency with certified thermographic camera operation and reporting (experience with FLIR, Testo or similar).
Hands-on ultrasound inspection skills for mechanical and electrical fault detection; experience with SDT, UE Systems or similar instruments.
Practical knowledge of oil analysis programs, sample collection best practices, interpretation of spectrometric and particle count reports.
Competency with CMMS platforms (e.g., IBM Maximo, SAP PM, Infor EAM) to record inspection data, manage work orders and generate reliability reports.
Ability to perform shaft alignment (laser alignment tools) and dynamic balancing to precision tolerances.
Familiarity with motor current signature analysis (MCSA) and electrical vibration correlations for diagnosing motor-related faults.
Experience with online condition monitoring systems (vibration monitoring racks, route collectors, wireless sensors) and sensor installation best practices.
Proficient with data visualization and analysis tools: Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, trend charts), Power BI or similar dashboards; basic understanding of signal processing concepts.
Equipment calibration and metrology skills; maintain traceable calibration records and perform basic sensor checks.
Basic PLC and instrumentation literacy (reading I/O, understanding signal types and wiring) to support sensor integration.
Knowledge of reliability methodologies (RCA, FMEA) and familiarity with asset management standards such as ISO 55000 is a plus.

Soft Skills

Strong analytical mindset with the ability to translate complex diagnostic data into clear, prioritized maintenance actions.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills for preparing reports and communicating findings to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Detail-oriented and methodical with strong documentation practices to ensure data integrity and audit readiness.
Team player with demonstrated ability to collaborate across operations, maintenance, engineering, and external vendors.
Time management and organizational skills to manage route completion, urgent investigations, and reporting deadlines.
Problem-solving and critical thinking under pressure when diagnosing emergent equipment issues.
Continuous learning mindset and adaptability to new predictive technologies and reliability best practices.
Safety-focused attitude with commitment to following and promoting lockout-tagout and other safety procedures.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent plus a technical diploma or certificate in industrial maintenance, mechatronics, mechanical or electrical trades.

Preferred Education:

Associate degree or Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology, Electrical Engineering Technology, Mechatronics, Reliability Engineering or a related discipline.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Mechanical Engineering / Mechanical Technology
Electrical Engineering / Electrical Technology
Mechatronics / Industrial Automation
Reliability Engineering / Maintenance Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2 - 5 years of direct condition monitoring or maintenance technician experience with rotating equipment and predictive technologies.

Preferred: 3 - 7 years with demonstrated hands-on experience in vibration analysis, thermography, ultrasound, oil analysis, CMMS usage, and proven troubleshooting of mechanical and electrical machine faults. Certifications such as Vibration Analyst (ISO Cat I/II/III or equivalent), Certified Thermographer (Level I/II), or training in oil analysis are strongly preferred.