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Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door

SOC 49-9012.00Job Zone 3 · Medium Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair of mechanical control devices and valves—including regulators, thermostats, and hydrants—across municipal utility, industrial, and commercial facility environments, spanning entry-level field work through organizational program leadership.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Maintenance records — complete accurately under direct supervision after routine valve inspections on commercial or municipal job sites.
  2. Hand tools and power tools — identify and handle safely under close guidance during entry-level control device disassembly tasks.
  3. Lubricants and oils — apply to designated wearing surfaces of mechanical parts following written procedures on a supervised work order.
  4. Basic valve components — recognize and name correctly while assisting experienced technicians during equipment teardown in the field.
  5. Safety protocols and PPE requirements — follow consistently when working near pressurized control systems or using cutting torches.
  6. Work orders and technical manuals — read and interpret basic instructions to prepare materials before beginning an assigned repair task.
  7. Simple troubleshooting checklists — use step-by-step to identify obvious faults in thermostats or regulators under technician oversight.
  8. Oral instructions from lead technicians — listen actively and confirm understanding before performing assigned installation or maintenance steps.
  9. Material usage logs — record quantities of parts and supplies consumed during repair tasks into paper or digital maintenance forms.
  10. Basic hand-tool care and storage — perform after each shift to maintain readiness of wrenches, pliers, and cutting equipment on site.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Maintenance and test result documentation — prepare completely and accurately in enterprise resource planning or spreadsheet software following routine service calls.
  2. Mechanical control devices and valves — disassemble, inspect, and reassemble independently using power tools, hand tools, and cutting torches on standard repair assignments.
  3. Wearing surfaces of mechanical parts — lubricate systematically using appropriate oils or lubricants based on manufacturer specifications during scheduled preventive maintenance.
  4. Equipment malfunctions in regulators and hydrants — diagnose using deductive reasoning and troubleshooting techniques with reduced oversight in municipal utility settings.
  5. Operations monitoring data — review and interpret instrumentation readings to detect abnormal conditions in control system performance during routine shifts.
  6. Quality control checks — conduct on completed valve repairs to verify that system pressures and component tolerances meet established standards before return to service.
  7. Technical reports and maintenance logs — write clearly to communicate repair outcomes and part replacements to supervisors and facility records systems.
  8. Coordination with other trades and crew members — exercise during multi-craft installation projects to sequence work and avoid conflicts on active job sites.
  9. CAD drawings and engineering diagrams — read and apply when installing or replacing control components in accordance with approved system layouts.
  10. Customer and stakeholder inquiries — respond to with clear, professional verbal communication regarding service timelines and equipment status in field or facility environments.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Complex valve and control device failures — troubleshoot autonomously across the full range of regulator, thermostat, and hydrant types using advanced diagnostic reasoning in high-pressure utility or industrial environments.
  2. Comprehensive maintenance records including test results and material usage — manage and audit using ERP or database software to ensure accuracy and regulatory compliance across multiple work orders.
  3. Non-routine disassembly and repair situations — resolve independently, selecting optimal tool combinations including cutting torches and precision hand tools when standard procedures are insufficient.
  4. Preventive and corrective lubrication programs — design and execute for mechanical control systems to extend service life and reduce unplanned downtime in large facility or distribution network settings.
  5. Quality control analyses — perform on repaired and newly installed control systems, interpreting test data to certify readiness and document findings for regulatory or client reporting.
  6. Judgment calls on equipment replacement versus repair — make independently by evaluating component condition, cost, and system criticality under time-sensitive field conditions.
  7. Critical thinking during emergency system failures — apply to assess risk, isolate affected zones, and restore safe operation of control valves in public safety or industrial environments.
  8. Project management software and analytical tools — use to plan, schedule, and track complex valve installation or replacement projects from scope definition through closeout.
  9. Inductive reasoning across recurring failure patterns — apply to identify systemic equipment or installation deficiencies and recommend corrective actions to engineering or management teams.
  10. Training and technical guidance — provide informally to apprentices and junior technicians during field repairs, demonstrating correct technique for disassembly, lubrication, and documentation.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Organizational maintenance strategy for control and valve systems — develop and implement across an entire service territory or facility portfolio to optimize reliability, safety, and regulatory compliance.
  2. Technical standards and quality control frameworks — establish for valve installation, repair, and documentation practices, setting benchmarks used across all crews and subcontractors.
  3. Workforce development programs — design and lead for apprentices through journeyman-level technicians, incorporating hands-on repair, troubleshooting, and documentation competencies aligned to industry certifications.
  4. Cross-functional engineering and operations teams — coordinate at the organizational level to align control system upgrade projects with public safety requirements and capital planning cycles.
  5. Enterprise resource planning and data systems — oversee configuration and use for maintenance tracking, ensuring that test results, material usage, and repair histories support data-driven decision making.
  6. Complex problem-solving initiatives — lead when systemic valve or regulator failures threaten service continuity, directing diagnosis, resource mobilization, and stakeholder communication at the executive level.
  7. Procurement and vendor evaluation processes — guide for control devices, lubricants, and specialized tooling by applying deep mechanical and engineering technology knowledge to specification and selection decisions.
  8. Safety culture and risk management policies — champion across the organization, embedding cautiousness, integrity, and attention to detail into standard operating procedures and crew accountability systems.
  9. Regulatory and public safety compliance audits — direct and represent the organization during external inspections of valve and control system programs, resolving findings and implementing corrective action plans.
  10. Operational performance metrics for maintenance programs — define, monitor, and report to senior leadership, using analytical software and trend data to drive continuous improvement across installation and repair functions.

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Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

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Sources:Pathsmith™ Durable SkillsPathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
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Show O*NET source anchors52 anchors · skillscrosswalk.com

O*NET enrichment · skillscrosswalk.com

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Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Air Valve Mechanic · Air Valve Repairer · Automation and Controls Specialist · Automation Controls Technician · Certification Technician · Control Panel Technician (Control Panel Tech) · Control Specialist · Control Systems Technician (Control Systems Tech) · Control Valve Mechanic · Control Valve Technician · Controls Service Technician (Controls Service Tech) · Controls Specialist
RAPIDS apprenticeships
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O*NET skills
Critical ThinkingRepairingEquipment MaintenanceTroubleshootingQuality Control AnalysisJudgment and Decision MakingOperations MonitoringActive ListeningSpeakingMonitoringReading ComprehensionWritingCoordinationComplex Problem SolvingOperation and Control
Knowledge domains
MechanicalEngineering and TechnologyPublic Safety and SecurityComputers and ElectronicsCustomer and Personal ServiceMathematicsDesignProduction and Processing
Abilities
Near VisionProblem SensitivityOral ComprehensionOral ExpressionArm-Hand SteadinessDeductive ReasoningInformation OrderingManual DexterityInductive ReasoningCategory Flexibility
Work styles
Attention to DetailDependabilityCautiousnessIntegrityStress TolerancePerseverance
Technology
Computer aided design CAD softwareAnalytical or scientific softwareGraphical user interface development softwareEnterprise resource planning ERP softwareDevelopment environment softwareProject management softwareData base user interface and query softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite softwareElectronic mail software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Record maintenance information, including test results, material usage, and repairs made.
  2. Disassemble and repair mechanical control devices or valves, such as regulators, thermostats, or hydrants, using power tools, hand tools, and cutting torches.
  3. Lubricate wearing surfaces of mechanical parts, using oils or other lubricants.
CIP education codes
47.030247.0303

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me®, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.