Installation, Maintenance, and Repair · Holland code RCI

Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door

Install, repair, and maintain mechanical regulating and controlling devices, such as electric meters, gas regulators, thermostats, safety and flow valves, and other mechanical governors.

Also called: Instrument and Electrical Technician (I and E Technician), Measurement Technician, Meter Technician, Valve Technician, Control Valve Mechanic, Control Valve Technician, Electric Meter Technician, Instrument Technician.

O*NET 49-9012.00

At a glance

US median annual pay: $74,340; Middle half earn $54,950 to $97,120. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED); 47% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 3 of 5; Medium preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

Record maintenance information, including test results, material usage, and repairs made.
Calibrate instrumentation, such as meters, gauges, and regulators, for pressure, temperature, flow, and level.
Install, inspect and test electric meters, relays, and power sources to detect causes of malfunctions and inaccuracies, using hand tools and testing equipment.
Test valves and regulators for leaks and accurate temperature and pressure settings, using precision testing equipment.
Record meter readings and installation data on meter cards, work orders, or field service orders, or enter data into hand-held computers.
Turn meters on or off to establish or close service.
Shut off service and notify repair crews when major repairs are required, such as the replacement of underground pipes or wiring.
Install regulators and related equipment such as gas meters, odorization units, and gas pressure telemetering equipment.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Critical Thinking3.4 / 5
Active Listening3.1 / 5
Speaking3.1 / 5
Monitoring3.1 / 5
Reading Comprehension3.0 / 5
Writing3.0 / 5

Knowledge areas

Mechanical4.1 / 5
Engineering and Technology3.6 / 5
Public Safety and Security3.5 / 5
Customer and Personal Service3.3 / 5
Computers and Electronics3.3 / 5
Mathematics3.2 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic100
Investigative31
Artistic0
Social3
Enterprising0
Conventional59

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

European occupation titles (ESCO)

fluid power technician · DE Hydraulik-Fachkraft · FR technicien en systèmes hydrauliques/technicienne en systèmes hydrauliques
electric meter technician · DE Techniker für Stromzähler/Technikerin für Stromzähler · FR technicien de compteurs électriques/technicienne de compteurs électriques

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Rail and rolling stock builders and repairers (5236)16,800 employed
Electricians and electrical fitters (5241)193,000 employed
Metal working production and maintenance fitters and technicians (5223)135,500 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Craft and related trades workers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Craft and related trades workers, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€40,086
Germany	€38,638
Austria	€38,194
Sweden	€37,856
Netherlands	€37,077
Ireland	€36,098
France	€27,145
Italy	€26,488
Spain	€22,817
Portugal	€11,142
Poland	€10,099

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Exposure to AI

This occupation sits in the lower third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -0.76. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.

Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.

Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (49-9012).

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

Take the career interests test