Field Service Engineer Jobs

Expect 50-80% travel depending on employer and territory. Most positions involve weekly travel to customer sites, often Monday through Thursday or Sunday through Friday. International assignments can mean weeks or months abroad commissioning large projects.

ABB, Siemens, and other major vendors typically assign engineers to geographic territories, which can reduce travel somewhat. System integrators often send engineers wherever projects demand, which can mean more unpredictable schedules and longer trips.

The travel intensity usually appears clearly in job descriptions. Some positions are designated as high-travel roles with 75%+ travel and compensated accordingly. Others focus on regional support with overnight trips but home most weekends. Nearly all field service roles involve some travel since the core function is on-site customer support.

You install, commission, and support automation and robotic systems at customer facilities. New installation projects involve hardware setup, system integration, programming, testing, and training customer personnel. Emergency service calls mean diagnosing and fixing failures under pressure when production is down.

Day-to-day work varies dramatically. One week you might commission a new robot cell at an automotive plant. The next week you're troubleshooting why a packaging line keeps faulting at a food processing facility. Projects can last from single-day service calls to multi-month installation efforts.

You work independently most of the time. Success requires troubleshooting skills, the ability to read electrical schematics and PLC code, mechanical aptitude for understanding how systems should move, and enough social skills to deal with frustrated customers professionally. You're often the most technically knowledgeable person on-site, so there's no one to ask when you're stuck.

Technical skills center on commissioning ability, PLC programming expertise, and field service experience. You need to debug PLC code, understand electrical systems, troubleshoot mechanical issues, and commission integrated systems that combine all three disciplines.

Platform knowledge matters significantly. Experience with Allen-Bradley, Siemens, or specific robot manufacturers like ABB, FANUC, or KUKA strengthens your position. Many employers train on their specific equipment, but you need foundational knowledge of industrial automation to succeed.

Soft skills are equally critical. You must communicate technical problems to non-technical customers, stay calm when production managers are panicking, work independently without supervision, and manage your time across multiple projects. Most employers want a technical degree or equivalent experience, though strong technicians with field experience can advance into these roles. Expect background checks and drug testing since you'll work at customer facilities, often in safety-critical environments.

System integrators employ the most field service engineers, followed by industrial manufacturing companies, energy and mining operations, and logistics providers. Equipment vendors like ABB, FANUC, and Siemens maintain large field service organizations to support their installed base.

System integrators send engineers to diverse customer sites. You might work in automotive plants, pharmaceutical packaging facilities, food processing operations, or distribution centers depending on your employer's focus. Energy sector positions often involve power generation facilities, substations, or mining operations.

Some manufacturers hire field service engineers directly to support their own facilities across multiple locations. These positions typically offer better work-life balance since you're supporting known systems rather than constantly commissioning new installations. Geographic demand exists wherever industrial automation is deployed, though concentration is highest in the Midwest, Southeast, and regions with heavy manufacturing or energy infrastructure.

Based on 122 job postings, median salaries are $85,000 annually. Early-career engineers start around $72,800, while experienced field service engineers managing complex projects and major customer accounts earn $105,735 or more.

Total compensation typically exceeds base salary. Overtime during commissioning projects, per diem for meals, travel bonuses, and company-provided vehicles or vehicle allowances add 15-25% to stated base pay. Some employers offer premium pay for international assignments or emergency callouts.

Compensation often reflects the travel burden. High-travel positions typically pay more than similar technical roles with less travel. Equipment vendors like ABB and Siemens tend to offer strong benefits and job stability. System integrators may pay higher base salaries but with more variable hours and project-based intensity.