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Boston Career Explorer

Installation, Maintenance, and Repair

Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay

Inspect, test, repair, or maintain electrical equipment in generating stations, substations, and in-service relays.

Also called: Electrical and Instrumentation Technician (E and I Technician), Electrical Technician, Instrument and Control Technician (I and C Technician), Instrumentation and Control Technician (I and C Technician), Relay Technician, Substation Electrician

Median pay in Greater Boston
$119,460
$57.43/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
290
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+12.1%
30 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Postsecondary nondegree award
plus Moderate-term on-the-job training; Less than 5 years of related work experience

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$86,780$98,480$119,460$122,280$125,030

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Inspect and test equipment and circuits to identify malfunctions or defects, using wiring diagrams and testing devices such as ohmmeters, voltmeters, or ammeters.
  • Prepare and maintain records detailing tests, repairs, and maintenance.
  • Consult manuals, schematics, wiring diagrams, and engineering personnel to troubleshoot and solve equipment problems and to determine optimum equipment functioning.
  • Analyze test data to diagnose malfunctions, to determine performance characteristics of systems, or to evaluate effects of system modifications.
  • Open and close switches to isolate defective relays, performing adjustments or repairs.
  • Notify facility personnel of equipment shutdowns.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Lower exposure31 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 31
  • Language-model AIOE 28
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 33

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure is lower, and observed AI use is little or none so far. AI tools could help with test records and with analyzing test data. Opening switches, isolating faulty relays, and repairing equipment at stations and substations are physical, safety-critical tasks that stay with people. Massachusetts projects 12.1% growth for this job.

Likely to change

  • Preparing test and maintenance records
  • Analyzing test data for problems

Still relies on people

  • Opening switches and isolating defective relays
  • Working with engineers to solve equipment problems

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Structural Iron and Steel Workers

    Reading technical plans and checking measurements carry over. It pays a similar $120,840 in Boston, has very low AI exposure, and is learned through an apprenticeship.

    Pay difference
    +$1,380 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +6.1%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

6 programs near Boston

Related occupations

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