Job Details
Sector(s)
Construction; Operations & Maintenance
Median Pay
$65,000–$90,000 per year
$31.25–$43.27 per hour
Job Type
Mid-Level
Typical Entry-Level Education and Work Experience Requirements
High school diploma, 1-5 years of relevant experience
Position Title
Computerized Maintenance Management System Specialist
Alternate Titles
Planner and IT installer
Job Description
Computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) specialists work in hydropower plants and use CMMS systems to quickly identify unplanned repairs, plan routine maintenance, and record the resources and materials that were needed to perform maintenance. Other CMMS specialists install and troubleshoot the CMMS software and hardware systems in hydropower plants.
Education and Training Description
CMMS specialists working who use CMMS systems to maintain industrial or hydropower equipment typically need a high school diploma and at least 1 to 3 years of work experience on industrial construction or hydropower operation and maintenance crews. Employers seek candidates that understand hydropower or industrial operations and can work well both in a team and managing others.
CMMS specialists who install the CMMS systems typically need a high school diploma and at least 1 to 3 years of work experience in industrial or related maintenance and/or information technologies (IT). Some employers may prefer candidates with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in IT or a related field.
Job Profile
CMMS specialists are becoming increasingly important in the hydropower industry as hydropower facilities work to automate more of their operations and maintenance. CMMS system is composed of a record-keeping software, monitoring sensors and other hardware that monitor equipment operations, and communication networks that relay data from the sensors and hardware to real-time monitoring software. CMMS systems help hydropower plant operators and technicians optimize plant operations, quickly identify components that need unplanned maintenance, and ensure that all components receive routine maintenance.
CMMS specialists working on operation and maintenance at the hydropower plant use CMMS systems to guide and plan equipment maintenance. Because CMMS systems record the materials, costs, procedures, and staff time that were needed to perform maintenance in the past, CMMS specialists can use CMMS systems to plan what materials, staff, and time will be needed to make planned or unplanned repairs on hydropower equipment. In addition to using the CMMS systems, these specialists often have a background in plant maintenance or construction that helps inform their maintenance planning procedures when there are gaps in the information stored in CMMS systems. CMMS specialists may order the parts or equipment needed for maintenance and inform hydropower plant operators if a generator will need to be taken offline and for how long. CMMS specialists will also coordinate which technicians or other workers are needed for the maintenance or repairs. After completing a repair or maintenance procedure, CMMS specialists record the materials, procedures, and staff time that was used into the CMMS system. CMMS specialists may also troubleshoot CMMS system hardware and software to ensure the system is working as expected.
Some CMMS specialists work for external businesses who design CMMS systems. These CMMS specialists travel to the hydropower plant to install and troubleshoot new CMMS systems or components. They ensure that the CMMS system integrates with the existing power plant data collection systems, like Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems (SCADA), and collects and processes this data to provide operators with a more complete picture of the operational status of the whole power plant. CMMS specialists working on operation and maintenance at the hydropower plant may also work with these external specialists when an issue arises with the CMMS system that they cannot solve on their own.
CMMS specialists typically do the following:
- Input necessary maintenance routines, materials, and procedures needed for newly-installed hydropower components into the plant's CMMS system
- Access CMMS systems to understand how maintenance was performed in the past and create new scopes of work that identify the materials, procedures, staff hours, and other elements needed for new maintenance.
- Use CMMS systems to plan maintenance and repairs that keep hydropower components working at peak performance by optimizing down time, run times, and maintenance timing
- Inform plant operators of when specific generator components have planned down time
- Order materials and coordinate staff to perform repairs and maintenance on hydropower equipment
- Test and troubleshoot CMMS systems
External CMMS specialists typically do the following:
- Work with hydropower plant operators, managers, and cyber security specialists to operate and troubleshoot the CMMS system for the plant
- Integrates the CMMS with the plant’s existing data collection systems
- Works with plant employees to identify what systems and procedures to analyze and improve with CMMS
- Answers questions and resolve issues that arise with the CMMS software over time
Job Skills
- Communication skills. CMMS specialists must be able to communicate with many different types of workers, managers, and procurement staff to schedule workers, order the correct parts, and work within budgets to carry out a maintenance or repair work plan.
- Problem solving Skills. CMMS specialists must be able to use CMMS data to make decisions on equipment utilization and maintenance needs.
- Technical skills. CMMS specialists must understand the operation of hydropower plants and its other data collection systems to effectively operate and troubleshoot the hydropower plant operations.
- Computer Skills. CMMS specialists must be able to use computers to access CMMS systems, input data, create work plans, generate reports, and complete other tasks.
More Information
For more information on CMMS specialist jobs see: CMMS Administrator Position Summary.