First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers

Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of mechanics, installers, and repairers. May also advise customers on recommended services. Excludes team or work leaders.

Also called: Electrical and Instrumentation Supervisor (E and I Supervisor), Facilities Maintenance Supervisor, Facility Maintenance Supervisor, Maintenance Coordinator, Maintenance Foreman, Maintenance Manager, Maintenance Planner, Maintenance Superintendent, Maintenance Supervisor, Service Manager, AC Installer Supervisor (Air-Conditioning Installer Supervisor), AC Supervisor (Air Conditioning Supervisor), Aircraft Maintenance Supervisor, Airport Maintenance Chief, Airport Skilled Maintenance Supervisor, Apartment Maintenance Supervisor, Appliance Service Supervisor, Artillery Maintenance Supervisor, Auto Fleet Maintenance Manager, Auto Mechanic Supervisor, Auto Specialty Services Manager, Automated Teller Manager, Automobile Body Repair Supervisor, Automotive Service Manager (Auto Service Manager), Avionics Shop Supervisor, Bakery Machine Mechanic Supervisor, Body Shop Supervisor, Boiler Repair Supervisor, Boilermaking Supervisor, Brake Repair Supervisor, Bus Repair Supervisor, Cabin Equipment Supervisor, Cable Installation Maintenance and Repair Manager, Cable Supervisor, Canal Equipment Maintenance Supervisor, Car and Yard Supervisor, Car Repair Supervisor, Central Office Repairer Supervisor, Communications Electrician Supervisor, Cooler Service Supervisor, Customer Facilities Supervisor, Electric Distribution Department Manager, Electric Motor Repair Supervisor, Electric Motor Repairing Supervisor, Electrical Appliance Servicer Supervisor, Electrical Foreman, Electrical Installation Supervisor, Electrical Repair Supervisor, Electrical Supervisor, Electrician Substation Supervisor, Electronic Controls Repairer Supervisor, Electronic Maintenance Supervisor, Electronics Systems Maintenance Supervisor, Elevator Constructor Supervisor, Elevator Installation and Repair Field Superintendent, Endless Track Vehicle Supervisor, Engine Repair Supervisor, Engine Testing Supervisor, Equipment Maintenance Supervisor, Equipment Superintendent, Facilities Maintenance Manager, Farm Equipment Maintenance Supervisor, Fire Fighting Equipment Maintenance Supervisor, Fleet Maintenance Foreman, Fleet Maintenance Supervisor, Fuel System Maintenance Supervisor, Garage Manager, Garage Supervisor, Gas Meter Repair Supervisor, Gear Repair Supervisor, Grip Boss, Ground Crew Chief, HVAC Supervisor (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Supervisor), Instrument Mechanics Supervisor, Instrument Repair Supervisor, Instrument Shop Supervisor, Leased Machinery and Equipment Service Supervisor, Line Crew Supervisor, Line Department Supervisor, Line Installation Supervisor, Line Supervisor, Lock Maintenance Supervisor, Locomotive Supervisor, Loom Fixer Supervisor, Machinery Repair Maintenance Supervisor, Maintenance Mechanic Supervisor, Maintenance Service Supervisor, Marine Service Manager, Mechanical Maintenance Foreman, Mechanical Maintenance Supervisor, Mechanical Supervisor, Mechanics Supervisor, Meter and Regulator Shop Supervisor, Meter Repair Shop Supervisor, Meter Shop Supervisor, Meter Superintendent, Meter Supervisor, Millwright Supervisor, Mobile Battery Equipment Maintenance Supervisor, Motor Equipment Commanding Officer, Motorcycle Repair Shop Supervisor, Office Machine Service Supervisor, Oil Field Equipment Mechanic Supervisor, Outside Machinist Supervisor, Pin-Setting Machine Installation Superintendent, Plant Maintenance Supervisor, Plant Wire Chief, Powerhouse Mechanic Supervisor, Preventive Maintenance Coordinator (PM Coordinator), Protective Signal Superintendent, Pump Service Supervisor, Pump Servicer Supervisor, Radio Interference Supervisor, Railroad Car Repair Supervisor, Reclamation Supervisor, Refrigeration Repair Supervisor, Refueling Ramp Supervisor, Repair Department Manager, Repair Department Supervisor, Repair Supervisor, Repeater Chief, Retread Supervisor, Rig Manager, Rigger Supervisor, Roundhouse Supervisor, Salvage Supervisor, Service and Repair Supervisor, Service Supervisor, Shop Foreman, Shop Manager, Shop Supervisor, Signal Supervisor, Smoke Control Supervisor, Sound Technician Supervisor, Station Installation Supervisor, Steam Distribution Supervisor, Street Light Servicer Supervisor, Substation Electrician Supervisor, Subway Repair Supervisor, Supercharge Repair Supervisor, Supercharger Repair Supervisor, Tank and Amphibian Tractor Operations Chief, Telecommunications Utilities Foreman, Telephone Installer and Repairer Supervisor, Telephone Line Maintenance Supervisor, Test Deck Supervisor, Test Desk Supervisor, Tire Service Supervisor, Transmission Maintenance Supervisor, Transmission Supervisor, Truck Repair Supervisor, Utilities and Maintenance Supervisor, Utility Mechanic Supervisor, Water Softener Service Supervisor, Welding Equipment Repairer Supervisor, Wheel Shop Supervisor, Wire Chief, Wireworker Supervisor

This is a career information profile, not an advertised job opening.

What the worker does

Inspect, test, and measure completed work, using devices such as hand tools or gauges to verify conformance to standards or repair requirements.
Inspect and monitor work areas, examine tools and equipment, and provide employee safety training to prevent, detect, and correct unsafe conditions or violations of procedures and safety rules.
Interpret specifications, blueprints, or job orders to construct templates and lay out reference points for workers.
Monitor employees' work levels and review work performance.
Perform skilled repair or maintenance operations, using equipment such as hand or power tools, hydraulic presses or shears, or welding equipment.
Compute estimates and actual costs of factors such as materials, labor, or outside contractors.
Monitor tool and part inventories and the condition and maintenance of shops to ensure adequate working conditions.
Requisition materials and supplies, such as tools, equipment, or replacement parts.
Confer with personnel, such as management, engineering, quality control, customer, or union workers' representatives, to coordinate work activities, resolve employee grievances, or identify and review resource needs.
Determine schedules, sequences, and assignments for work activities, based on work priority, quantity of equipment, and skill of personnel.

Skills, machines and equipment

Monitoring
Management of Personnel Resources
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Coordination
Judgment and Decision Making
Time Management
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Quality Control Analysis
Operations Monitoring
Active Learning

Education and training

Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (54.15% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

O*NET Job Zone 3: Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.

Apprenticeships

Ask an employer or registered apprenticeship sponsor about current programs, eligibility, training and pay. A career profile does not confirm that a program is available.

Salary reference

62,690–101,360 USD per year · United States · 2025. Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · 25th–75th percentiles · SOC 49-1011.

Occupational-group wage references are not guaranteed pay for this specialty or an employer's offer.

Career advancement

Suggested development: build experience in safety leadership, staff development, budgeting, and continuous improvement before seeking responsibility for a larger department or plant.
Possible next steps include broader operations or multi-site leadership; vacancies, qualifications, and advancement are employer-specific, not guaranteed.

How Do I Get This Job?

Review the skills and responsibilities above.
Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (54.15% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
O*NET Job Zone 3: Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.
Compare real openings and confirm requirements directly with the employer.

View available jobs — availability is not guaranteed; sample listings are not real openings.

Related career information

Sources and limitations

O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. ShopFloor adapted occupational grouping, selected manufacturing-relevant occupations, and retained seven legacy guide titles. Specialties and alternative titles are grouped under O*NET occupations; these occupations can also occur outside manufacturing. Source: https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html. No wage, vacancy, certification, or video data is implied. ShopFloor advancement suggestions are general editorial guidance, not O*NET findings or guaranteed career progression. BLS wage ranges, when available, are national 25th–75th percentiles for the source occupational grouping, across industries; they are not local, apprentice, entry-level, or specialty-specific offers.

First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers