Service Engineer

 Summary: Service engineers are responsible for the maintenance and correction of products that have been sold. They offer off-site corrective and preventive maintenance as well as other after-sales technical support solutions. Service engineers are often the ones who interact with customers to provide information and procedures to address the inquiries, concerns and requests to their products and services.

Duties: Typical work duties of a service engineer include: responds to customer complaints; evaluates and resolves problems of the customer; assists in installing the equipment; analyzes, inspects and reviews findings to determine the solution to the problem that the customer demands; works alongside with technical sales engineers; offers customer training for the product; repairs, tests and maintains equipment; monitors performance of the product; maintains product manuals; provides customers with regular reports and feedback on their service requests; develops and maintains relations with customers; reports common complaints of customers to top management in order to address the situation for future reference; makes recommendations to maintenance technicians; and offers feedback on product development, features and functions.

Education and Training Requirements: An associate degree as a technical is the minimum requirement for a service engineer. After completing the degree program, they may opt to specialize in an engineering specialty. Training is important for entry-level jobs which mean most students undergo training while still studying in order to gain experience. No certification or license is required for a service engineer although employment opportunities are greater for those with certifications. Knowledge in customer service principles and practices are essential as well as some administrative procedures.

Knowledge and Skills Requirements: Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills must be possessed by all service engineers. He must be familiar with all parts of the product as well as familiarity with electrical or mechanical procedures that may have effect on the products being purchased. They must have excellent communication skills both written and verbal in order to relay the problem and solution to customers and top management.

Working Conditions: Service engineers work outside of the company premises and must be able to work without any direct supervision. Regular travel is frequent for service engineers as most of them offer in-house or off-site maintenance procedures. Travel abroad is also possible with companies with international customers. Work hours are the normal 40 hours a week and overtime is sometimes required of them.

Salary: The average annual salary of a service engineer is $64,000 but which may increase with experience and educational credentials. Bonuses are often present as their job has a direct effect on a company’s profitably.