Field Service Technician – Currently recruiting in the Following Locations: Texas & New Mexico
USA, 100% Travel
$62,500 - $100,000
hourly rate of $30 - $33 Per hour in year one + Per Diem.
What in it for you?
Our client is a leading worldwide provider of industrial packaging and processing machinery, is seeking traveling Field Technicians
Benefits of working as a Field Technician:
Stability --> Well-established organization in an essential market insulated from economic shocks.
Career Advancement --> Structured career development and advancement opportunities.
Fringe Benefits --> Annual profit-sharing bonus; per diem allowance; industry leading medical, dental, & vision benefits; flexible spending accounts; 401K match with immediate vesting; student debt assistance program; tuition reimbursement; employer-paid life insurance and disability coverage; and paid training
Team Culture --> Collaborative atmosphere with a strong knowledge base, extensive training, & advanced tech.
Veteran Friendly --> Large veteran and active military employee population
Perks --> Company car with insurance, maintenance and fuel card; regular availability of overtime; Double time for weekend work; generous PTO; volunteer time off; 10/4 or 5/2 schedules; travel points for personal use.
Exceptional Earning Potential Long term, Our client will support both your short and long term success. Year 1 earnings are limited given the fantastic training programme put in place, however you can expect to earn in the region of $80,000 - $100,000. In Year 2 and 3 this will rise significantly, with earnings well in excess of $125,000 expected by year 3+
Overview: Traveling Field Service Technicians provide mechanical and technical support of processing and packaging equipment at customer facilities, with a focus on exceptional service. This position will investigate and resolve customer reports of technical issues with equipment, eliminating future operational or service difficulties for customers. Due to our customers’ needs, priorities will change based on customer situations so individuals must be able to adapt to ever changing work schedule and priorities.
Time Utilization: This is a traveling position with overnight stays required most workdays. Schedule needs to be flexible to accommodate internal and external customers’ schedules. Must be willing to work outside normal business hours, including some weekends as required. Must be able to travel with little notice as customer demands require.
This position will be on one of the following schedules as determined by management: 10 consecutive days on/4 consecutive days off, or Monday-Friday with one working weekend per month required.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Troubleshoot or install complex, customized packaging and processing equipment at customer facilities. Repair equipment to customer specifications quickly and efficiently, addressing high level challenges with mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, and robotic systems.
Provide a communication link between the customer and Our client to help ensure that effective service is provided to the customer and the regional scheduler is updated on all efforts.
Communicate regularly with scheduler, providing updates on current job status, and receiving additional job assignments. Maintain quality and quantity of work on equipment. Listen attentively and ask questions as appropriate. Complete work assignments with minimum supervision. Retrieve and respond to messages daily on all communication tools.
Use provided tools to consistently make travel arrangements within company policy guidelines and in the most cost effective and time efficient manner possible. Keep service team members and customers informed of arrival times. Travel arrangements will include: hotel, car rental, and flights.
Conduct training for customers on the safe operations of equipment, maintenance, and parts ordering. Provide contact information for service team for future service needs and parts needs. Ensure customers are comfortable with operational and safety procedures of their equipment.
Complete service documentation of repairs made during the call and submit related trip expenses. Reports are complete, accurate, and submitted within 24 hours of job completion. Weekly expense reports and time sheets are also completed in an accurate and timely manner. All expenses incurred are handled in a cost-effective manner.
Education/Experience: Associate degree or equivalent technical school diploma in electrical or mechanical engineering or similar discipline; or two years field service, packaging, maintenance or related experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Electrical, pneumatic, mechanical, and machine shop skills required. Mechanical aptitude needed.
Must have the ability to respond and adjust to changing or new situations. Work well in high stress environments and maintain professionalism in dealing with customers and coworkers. Needs to be a self-starter and have the ability to work in unsupervised settings.
Must be able to troubleshoot basic mechanical, electronic and operational aspects of machines. Responsible for machine service and concentrates on problem solving and preventative maintenance. Excellent customer service skills.
Work Environment: We serve a variety of industries, with many customers focused on food processing and packaging. Our equipment is often in refrigerator or freezing environments, and messy. In addition to regularly being exposed to high noise levels, moving mechanical parts, and risk of electrical shock, you will eventually work on equipment used to prepare and package everything from sterile medical devices to recently slaughtered animals.
Physical Demands: This is a physical position. While reasonable accommodations will be made, technicians are typically required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. It’s also frequently necessary to lift or move up to 50lbs. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Please contact us with any concerns regarding the ability to meet physical demands, we’re happy to do everything possible to assist.
Job Description
Summary: This position is responsible for equipment installation and technical support of company product lines, and maintaining good customer relations. Position will investigate and resolve customer reports of technical issues with equipment, and eliminate future operational or service difficulties for customers. Due to our customers’ needs, priorities will change based on customer situations so individuals must be able to adapt to ever changing work schedule and priorities.
Time Utilization: This position will travel up to 90% of the time. Schedule needs to be flexible to accommodate internal and external customers’ schedules. Must be willing to work outside normal business hours, including some weekends as required. There may be a schedule requirement that consists of ten (10) consecutive scheduled days of work followed by four (4) scheduled days of rest, and may commence on any day of the week. Must be able to travel with little notice as customer demands require.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned:
· Communicate with scheduler on a daily basis, give updates on current job status, and receive additional job assignments. Maintain quality and quantity of work on equipment. Listen attentively and ask questions as appropriate. Complete work assignments with minimum supervision. Retrieve and respond to messages daily on all communication tools.
· Consistently make travel arrangements within company policy guidelines and in the most cost effective and time efficient manner possible. Keep service team members and customers informed of arrival times. Travel arrangements will include: hotel, car rental, and flights.
· Install and/or repair new or modified equipment according to specifications at customer facilities in a timely manner to ensure full functionality. Upon completion of installation, all technical documentation will be provided to the regional scheduler.
· Provide onsite technical assistance to help troubleshoot and repair equipment in a reasonable amount of time. Provide a communication link between the customer and us to help ensure that effective service is provided to the customer.
· Conduct training for customers on the safe operations of equipment, maintenance, and parts ordering. Provide contact information for service team for future service needs and parts needs. Ensure customers are comfortable with operational and safety procedures of their equipment.
· Complete service documentation on what was repaired during the service call and submit related expenses for the trip and time spent on the call. Reports are complete, accurate, and submitted within 24 hours of job completion. Weekly expense reports and time sheets are also completed in an accurate and timely manner. All expenses incurred are handled in a cost-effective manner.
Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education/Experience: Associate's Degree or equivalent technical school diploma in electrical or mechanical engineering or similar discipline; or two years field service, packaging, maintenance or related experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Electrical, pneumatic, mechanical, and machine shop skills required. Mechanical aptitude needed.
Must have the ability to respond and adjust to changing or new situations. Work well in high stress environments and maintain professionalism in dealing with customers and coworkers. Needs to be a self-starter and have the ability to work in unsupervised settings.
Must be able to troubleshoot basic mechanical, electronic and operational aspects of machines. Responsible for machine service and concentrates on problem solving and preventative maintenance. Excellent customer service skills.
Language Ability: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or associates of organization.
Math Ability: Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
Reasoning Ability: Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
Computer Skills: To perform this job successfully, an individual should be proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel, as well as having working knowledge of database applications, ERP systems, and contact management systems.
Certificates and Licenses: Current valid U.S. driver’s license. Must have the ability to obtain a passport.
Supervisory Responsibilities: This job has no supervisory responsibilities.
Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an associate encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the associate is regularly exposed to wet or humid conditions (non-weather) and work near moving mechanical parts. The associate is frequently exposed to extreme cold (non-weather); extreme heat (non-weather) and risk of electrical shock. The associate is occasionally exposed to work in high, precarious places.
The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The associate must regularly lift and /or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this job, the associate is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and talk or hear. The associate is frequently required to climb or balance. The associate is occasionally required to sit.
Company Behaviour Standard: Maintain a positive work atmosphere by acting and communicating in a respectful manner at all times.
Compensation Information: Growing aggressively, we're seeking techs we can train and develop for specialized, highly skilled, and/or leadership positions. Compensations therefore focused on total package, supporting both short- and long-term success. Most first year techs earn $80,000-$100,000, significantly more second year and beyond. In addition to low benefit premiums and other listed perks, Field Service Technicians also receive:
· Company car (lease, insurance, gas, property tax, maintenance) provided. Okay to use for personal use.
· Profit sharing – calculated on all wages, including overtime, typically adds an additional 5-7%
· Double time for all Saturday and Sunday work, plus standard overtime on weekdays, including travel time
· Reimbursement or credit for work clothing, boots, etc.
· New high-end tool kit, stocked with all necessary equipment
· Starting hourly rate is $30-$32/hour
Additional Advancement Information: Field Service Technicians are the backbone of our business and have oppportunity to advance throughout the organization, in a variety of capacities.
· All techs begin at Level 1, with clear guidelines regarding the skills and testing necessary to achieve level 2, and 3, status and perks
· Those with specific experience or interests can advance to high-level specialized positions, focused on particular equipment lines or service objectives
· Successful technicians are also encouraged to explore promotion within other groups, such as training, sales, customer service, etc.
· Field service leadership opportunities are also increasingly available, as we're growing each team around the country, while also currently establishing 2 additional regional offices
FAQ’s – Field Service Technician
1. The pay states I will earn between $80,000 - $100,000 in my first, year, however $33 per hour is much lower, so how does this work out?
Great question, so the company expect that you will work an average of 52 hours per week, which at the starting hourly rate works out to between $81,000 - $89,000. This is without the additional pay that you will receive for overtime on Weekends, Per Diem, Travel pay and bonus. Year 1 earnings are limited due to the training in place from the client to get you as accustomed to their machinery and standards as possible.
2. Talking of Training, What training is in place?
So if hired and onboarded, you will spend a lot of time at the nearest service center (one from Kansas City, MO, Dallas Fort-Worth, TX, Charlotte, NC, Denville, NJ, Irvine, CA, Union Grove, WI or Lisle, IL). This will be ongoing with regular trips, all paid for my the company to this facility during your 1st year. On average, Level 1 Techs are “in training” for 12 months, with at least 3-6 months of time spent between being onsite and being at your local facility.
3. It says a need a Passport, is that correct?
Not entirely no, a Passport is not a mandatory requirement, but certainly a nice to have. There is opportunities for you to travel abroad should you wish. What we say is mandatory is full US Rights to work (US Citizen or Green Card Holder), with a full drivers license and a clean record. The client does operate a zero tolerance to drugs and alcohol. What we do ask is that candidates are able to apply for a passport.
4. I don’t really understand what skills I need, What exactly are they looking for?
What we are looking for are people who have at least 2-3 years of proven experience working on complete machinery with both skills in Mechanical and Electrical. From a mechanical perspective, we are looking for people who are familiar with Pneumatics, Hydraulics, Vacuums, Thermoformers, Engines, Pumps, Blowers etc…
From an Electrical perspective, we are looking for people who are able to work on up to 480v, including troubleshooting on complex machinery, including the ability to install and troubleshoot on PLC’s (Allen Bradleys etc..) and be able to read Schematics, Blueprints and Machinery Diagrams.
5. It say there is travel, how far and how long would I be travelling for?
Travel is all regionalised, however on the odd occasion you may have to travel further a field. The team is broken down into regions, Northeast, Southeast, South, Central, Great Lakes and West. For example the South region covers Texas and New Mexico and Central covers Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. The travel is predominately focused to these states and you could be away from home for up to 10 days (the shift is a 10/4, 10 consecutive days of work, 4 days of rest.)
6. Am I paid for the travel?
Yes you are, you are also paid Per Diem and are provided with a company car. If you are travelling far then all hotels, flights, hire cars etc.. are covered by the company.
7. Currently I am earning more, so why would I consider this?
We get this a lot from candidates, so you may be earning more at the moment, however will your pay increase much in the next 2/3 years? Of course everything is a gamble, but we have been working with he company for 3+ years and during this time the Technicians we have placed have worked consistently and each of them have earned considerably more Year on Year.
8. So what can I expect to earn in this role?
The base pay based on the an average of 52 hours per week, which is what the client say is the average working week, equates to between $80,000 - $90,000. You are paid double time for weekend work, based on a 10/4, you will work between 2-3 weekends a month, working this on an average of 2.5 hours of overtime every day. Means around 5 hours of overtime for around 25 weeks of the year on weekends. This equates to an additional $7,500 - $8,250. On top of this you will also get a yearly bonus of between 5-7%, which would equate to a minimum of $91,875. This is not taking into account travel and Per diem pay + the Company car you are given and able to use in your personal time.
9. Ok, so if I am to apply and move forward, what is the interview process and how long does it take?
So the process is not short and I will be the first to say, if you are looking for a new role and are keen to get something secured within 1-2 weeks, the likelihood of that would be pretty slim. We have managed to streamline the process, however the initial period of the process does take time, mainly due to the director being rushed off his feet. Once the process starts, things will move much quicker. It will be 3 stages of interview, sometimes this is only 2, but will depend on the candidate. 1st Round is a Video based interview, focusing on your experience and some questions on Electrical and Mechanical.
Round 2 is a Face to face meeting at one of the local service centers. Depending on your location to the Service Center, the company will arrange your travel and cover the expenses, if you are driving they will cover your mileage. This interview will last for around 4 hours. It will involve Written and Hands on technical assessments on Electrical and Mechanical. These assessments are all timed and you will be judged on how far you get if you do not complete. Please note they are “booby trapped” for the hands on, with the electrical one needing you to remember everything from “ground up”.
If you are to pass this sometimes they will skip round 3, however usually they will do a Video or phone call with the VP of customer service, this is to allow you and them to ask any further questions and make you a verbal offer.