5306 - Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic

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Federal Occupation Description

Federal Occupation Description

This standard covers nonsupervisory work that is performed to repair and modify a variety of equipment and systems that achieve regulated climatic conditions. This work requires a knowledge of principles of air conditioning, the ability to recognize and determine the best method for correcting malfunctions and the skill to make repairs to a variety of air conditioning and cooling unit systems.

For job opportunities in this series, go to the Office of Personnel Management USAJOBS website.

Other Federal Occupations

It is not uncommon for individuals in one federal occupational series to perform duties related to another series within the same federal occupational group. To find out about the certifications for another series in the INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE FAMILY, click on that series below. Note that credentials have not yet been identified for all series – links are provided only to those series for which the identification of credentials has been completed. Additional series will be added over time.

The following certifications have been identified as most relevant to the broad duties of this federal occupational series. Please note that these credentials may not reflect all of the unique job functions that you perform within your organization. Also these credentials may require additional education, training or experience. For more information about any credential, click on the credential title below.

Compare Credential Agency Related As GI Bill® Accreditation ID
Certified Safety Professional (CSP) In DemandIs In Demand Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) someSome GI BillGI Bill AccreditationAccreditation
Air Conditioning Service Is Not In Demand North American Technician Excellence (NATE) mostMost GI BillGI Bill  
Air Conditioning Installation Is Not In Demand North American Technician Excellence (NATE) mostMost GI BillGI Bill  
Air Distribution Specialty (Service) Is Not In Demand North American Technician Excellence (NATE) someSome GI BillGI Bill  
Heat Pump (Air to Air) Service Is Not In Demand North American Technician Excellence (NATE) someSome GI BillGI Bill  
Certified Control Systems Technician - Level I (CCST-I) Is Not In Demand International Society of Automation (ISA) someSome    
Certified Calibration Technician (CCT) Is Not In Demand American Society for Quality (ASQ) someSome GI BillGI Bill  
Mechanical Plans Examiner - M3 Is Not In Demand International Code Council (ICC) otherOther GI BillGI Bill  
Certified Maintenance and Reliability Technician (CMRT) Is Not In Demand Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals (SMRP) someSome    
Certified Assistant Refrigeration Operator (CARO) Is Not In Demand Refrigerating Engineers & Technicians Association (RETA) mostMost   AccreditationAccreditation
Certified Industrial Refrigeration Operator (CIRO) In DemandIs In Demand Refrigerating Engineers & Technicians Association (RETA) mostMost   AccreditationAccreditation
Commercial Refrigeration Specialty (Service) Is Not In Demand North American Technician Excellence (NATE) mostMost    
Air Distribution Specialty (Installation) Is Not In Demand North American Technician Excellence (NATE) someSome GI BillGI Bill  
Air to Air Heat Pump Installation Is Not In Demand North American Technician Excellence (NATE) someSome GI BillGI Bill  
Light Commercial Refrigeration Service Is Not In Demand North American Technician Excellence (NATE) mostMost GI BillGI Bill  
Certified Refrigerant Compliance Manager (CRCM) Is Not In Demand National Registry of Environmental Professionals (NREP) someSome    
STAR HVACR Mastery Is Not In Demand National Inspection Testing and Certification Corporation (NITC) someSome   AccreditationAccreditation
Operations and Performance Management Professional (OPMP) Is Not In Demand American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) someSome    
Electrical Code Specialist - E8 Is Not In Demand International Code Council (ICC) otherOther    
Mechanical Code Specialist - M8 Is Not In Demand International Code Council (ICC) otherOther    
Energy Code Specialist - G8 Is Not In Demand International Code Council (ICC) otherOther    

State Licenses

Some states have specific licensing requirements for the following related civilian occupations. These state licenses may require additional education, training or experience. Click on the occupation below to get more information on state requirements from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Related Civilian Private Sector Occupations

The following civilian private sector occupations are similar to the duties performed by 5306 - Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic. These occupations may require additional education, training or experience. For more information about these occupations, click on the civilian occupation below.

Civilian Job Duties Matched Bright Outlook Registered Apprenticeship Local Salary Info
Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door mostMost   Registered ApprenticeshipApprenticeship  find local salaryfind local salary
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders someSome   Registered ApprenticeshipApprenticeship  find local salaryfind local salary
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment someSome   Registered ApprenticeshipApprenticeship  find local salaryfind local salary
Heating and Air Conditioning Mechanics and Installers mostMost Bright OutlookBright Outlook  Registered ApprenticeshipApprenticeship  find local salaryfind local salary
Home Appliance Repairers someSome   Registered ApprenticeshipApprenticeship  find local salaryfind local salary
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General someSome Bright OutlookBright Outlook  Registered ApprenticeshipApprenticeship  find local salaryfind local salary
Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers mostMost Bright OutlookBright Outlook  Registered ApprenticeshipApprenticeship  find local salaryfind local salary
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This is an official U.S. Navy websiteUpdated: October 16, 2019
Click here to go to Certified Safety Professional (CSP) COOL Snapshot page.

Renewal Period: 5 years

The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP), Certified Safety Professional (CSP) is an intermediate-level credential for professionals who support workplace safety practices. Candidates are required to have professional experience that includes safety responsibilities. CSPs conduct worksite assessments, determine risk, measure hazards and controls, evaluate risk and hazard control measures, investigate incidents, maintain incident and loss records, and prepare emergency response plans. Candidates are required to hold a bachelor's degree in any field. CSP candidates must meet experiential requirements that relate to the field of workplace safety. Candidates must pass a written exam.

Click here to go to Air Conditioning Service COOL Snapshot page.

Renewal Period: 2 years

North American Technician Excellence (NATE), Air Conditioning Service is designed for top level service technicians in the HVAC industry. Air Conditioning Service applicants should have knowledge of the installation, service, maintenance, and repair of HVAC systems that are limited to 30 tons or less cooling capacity. It is recommended that applicants have two years of field experience working on air conditioning systems as a service technician and technical training for theoretical knowledge. To earn the Air Conditioning Service certification, applicants must pass both a Core exam and an Air Conditioning Service exam. Technicians that earn the Air Conditioning Service certification are also awarded the Air Conditioning Installation certification. The Air Conditioning Service certification is not intended for the HVAC system designer, sales force, or the engineering community.

Click here to go to Air Conditioning Installation COOL Snapshot page.

Renewal Period: 2 years

North American Technician Excellence (NATE), Air Conditioning Installation is designed for top level installation technicians in the HVAC industry. Air Conditioning Installation applicants should have knowledge of the installation, service, maintenance, and repair of HVAC systems that are limited to 30 tons or less cooling capacity. It is recommended that applicants have one year of field experience working on air conditioning systems as an installation technician and technical training for theoretical knowledge. To earn the Air Conditioning Installation certification, applicants must pass both a Core exam and an Air Conditioning Installation exam. The certification is not intended for the HVAC system designer, sales force, or the engineering community.

Click here to go to Air Distribution Specialty (Service) COOL Snapshot page.

Credential description coming soon.

Click here to go to Heat Pump (Air to Air) Service COOL Snapshot page.

Renewal Period: 2 years

North American Technician Excellence (NATE), Heat Pump (Air to Air) Service is designed for top level service technicians in the HVAC industry. Heat Pump (Air to Air) Service applicants should have knowledge of the installation, service, maintenance, and repair of HVAC systems that are limited to 30 tons or less cooling capacity. It is recommended that applicants have two years of field experience working on heat pump systems as a service technician and technical training for theoretical knowledge. To earn the Heat Pump (Air to Air) Service certification, applicants must pass both a Core exam and a Heat Pump (Air to Air) Service exam. Technicians that earn the Heat Pump (Air to Air) Service certification are also awarded Air Conditioning certification and the Air to Air Heat Pump Installation certification. The Heat Pump (Air to Air) Service certification is not intended for the HVAC system designer, sales force, or the engineering community.

Click here to go to Certified Control Systems Technician - Level I (CCST-I) COOL Snapshot page.

Renewal Period: 3 years

ISA's Certified Control Systems Technician Program (CCST) offers third-party recognition of technicians' knowledge and skills in automation and control. CCSTs calibrate, document, troubleshoot, and repair/replace instrumentation for systems that measure and control level, temperature, pressure, flow, and other process variables. CCST certifications are available at three levels, and each level requires the successful completion of an examination. The CCST examination is only one requirement for certification. The candidate must also meet minimum requirements comprised of work experience and education.

Click here to go to Certified Calibration Technician (CCT) COOL Snapshot page.

Renewal Period: 3 years

The Certified Calibration Technician (CCT) tests, calibrates, maintains and repairs electrical, mechanical, electromechanical, analytical and electronic measuring, recording and indicating instruments and equipment for conformance to established standards. Candidate must have five years of on-the-job experience in one or more of the areas of the Certified Calibration Technician Body of Knowledge (If the candidate has completed a degree from a college, university, or technical school with accreditation accepted by ASQ, part of the five-year experience requirement will be waived). Candidate must pass a written examination.

Click here to go to Certified Maintenance and Reliability Technician (CMRT) COOL Snapshot page.

Renewal Period: 3 years

The Certified Maintenance and Reliability Technician (CMRT) is an entry-level certification. CMRT will provide a non-biased, third-party, objective assessment and confirmation of the skills of your industrial maintenance mechanics. CMRT's are responsible for preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance. They perform troubleshooting and analysis, and apply sound maintenance practices in all aspects of their work. CMRTs are multi-skilled individuals whose expertise is primarily mechanical in nature as opposed to instrumentation or electrical. The CMRT exam tests competency and knowledge of specific tasks within four (4) domains: Maintenance Practices, Preventative and Predictive Maintenance, Troubleshooting and Analysis, and Corrective Maintenance. There are no specific education or experience requirements to sit for the exam.

Click here to go to Certified Assistant Refrigeration Operator (CARO) COOL Snapshot page.

Renewal Period: 3 years

Certified Assistant Refrigeration Operator (CARO) is an entry-level credential designed to demonstrate that an operator has sufficient knowledge to work under supervision in industrial refrigeration. There is no minimum experience requirement for CARO. Applicants are required to pass an exam. The exam assesses mastery of concepts and principles in RETA's Industrial Refrigeration I and the Ammonia Safety chapter in Industrial Refrigeration IV. Applicants and those certified must agree to abide and uphold the RETA Code of Conduct.

Click here to go to Certified Industrial Refrigeration Operator (CIRO) COOL Snapshot page.

Renewal Period: 3 years

The Certified Industrial Refrigeration Operator (CIRO) assesses an applicant's knowledge of advanced concepts, principles and applications required to supervise industrial refrigeration operations. CIRO measures mastery of applied refrigeration system operations and troubleshooting based on principles and knowledge addressed in RETA books: Industrial Refrigeration (IR) I · IR II (systems) IR IV (plant operation and safety) Basic Electricity (BE) I · Basic Electricity (BE) II (ladder diagrams). Candidates must have a minimum of two years of verified experience in industrial refrigeration plant operation. Certification requires passing a three-hour, 135 question exam.

Click here to go to Commercial Refrigeration Specialty (Service) COOL Snapshot page.

Credential description coming soon.

Click here to go to Air Distribution Specialty (Installation) COOL Snapshot page.

Credential description coming soon.

Click here to go to Air to Air Heat Pump Installation COOL Snapshot page.

Renewal Period: 2 years

North American Technician Excellence (NATE), Air to Air Heat Pump Installation is designed for top level installation technicians in the HVAC industry. Air to Air Heat Pump Installation applicants should have knowledge of the installation, service, maintenance, and repair of HVAC systems that are limited to 30 tons or less cooling capacity. It is recommended that applicants have one year of field experience working on heat pump systems as an installation technician and technical training for theoretical knowledge. To earn the Air to Air Heat Pump Installation certification, applicants must pass both a Core exam and an Air to Air Heat Pump Installation exam. Technicians that become Heat Pump certified are also awarded Air Conditioning certification. The Air to Air Heat Pump Installation certification is not intended for the HVAC system designer, sales force, or the engineering community.

Click here to go to Light Commercial Refrigeration Service COOL Snapshot page.

Renewal Period: 2 years

North American Technician Excellence (NATE), Light Commercial Refrigeration Service is designed for top level service technicians in the refrigeration industry. Light Commercial Refrigeration Service applicants should have knowledge of the installation, service, maintenance, and repair of light commercial refrigeration systems that are limited to Fractional to 7.5 Horsepower. It is recommended that applicants have two years of field experience working on refrigeration systems as a service technician and technical training for theoretical knowledge. To earn the Light Commercial Refrigeration Service certification, applicants must pass both a Core exam and a Light Commercial Refrigeration Service exam. Technicians that earn the Light Commercial Refrigeration Service certification are also awarded the Light Commercial Refrigeration Installation certification. The Light Commercial Refrigeration Service certification is not intended for the HVAC system designer, sales force, or the engineering community.

Click here to go to Certified Refrigerant Compliance Manager (CRCM) COOL Snapshot page.

The National Registry of Environmental Professionals (NREP), Certified Refrigerant Compliance Manager certification is for individuals who manage refrigerant compliance within an organization. CRCM candidate should possess the skills and knowledge to coordinate and manage environmental and safety compliance related to refrigerant purchasing, handling and use, storage, and disposal. CRM candidates must have a combination of five years of education and/or related work experience in areas such as refrigeration compliance and environmental engineering. The work experience required is dependent on a candidate's level of education. Candidates must also pass a written exam.

Click here to go to STAR HVACR Mastery COOL Snapshot page.

Renewal Period: 5 years

National Inspection Testing and Certification Corporation (NITC), STAR HVACR Mastery certification is for qualified individuals who can demonstrate mastery of the trade and will be skilled and experienced in operations, planning, blueprint reading, safety, and the practical installation, repair, and service of HVACR systems. Candidates should be a technician who has completed a UA training program or equivalent and/or has five years of experience in the industry. Candidates must pass a written examination.

Click here to go to Operations and Performance Management Professional (OPMP) COOL Snapshot page.

Renewal Period: 3 years

Candidates who earn the Operations and Performance Management Professional (OPMP) certification will have demonstrated a well-rounded understanding and knowledge of the management of facility operations and maintenance and their impact on HVAC&R systems' performance. The OPMP examination is designed to assess an individual's understanding of how the management of HVAC&R operations helps to achieve and maintain building performance goals. Candidates must submit a completed application and meet one of the combinations of academic and work experience requirements to be eligible to sit for the exam. The examination for the OPMP program is a proctored, closed book/closed notes, 2.5-hour, 115-item multiple-choice test.

In Demand

This certification is considered in demand

GI Bill®

Reimbursement for exam fees has been approved for payment through the GI Bill. Click for external link to GI Bill licensing and certification information.

Note: GI Bill approval data is updated quarterly. For the latest information, visit the WEAMS Licenses/Certifications Search page. Make sure to select "Both" in the LAC Category Type drop-down before searching.

Click here to go to the GI Bill site.

ANSI

This credential has been accredited by ANSI. Click for external link to the ANSI web site.

ICAC

This credential has been accredited by ICAC. Click for external link to the ICAC web site.

NCCA

This credentialing program has been accredited by NCCA. Click for external link to the NCCA web site.

ABSNC

This credential has been accredited by ABSNC. Click for external link to the ABSNC web site.

IAS

This credential has been accredited by IAS. Click for external link to the IAS web site.

Some

Credential is related to some tasks associated with the duties of the rating (at least one critical task but less than 80%)

Most

Credential is directly related to most of the major duties associated with the rating (at least 80%)

Other

Credential is related to this military occupation, but is more advanced or specialized and therefore will likely require additional education, training, or experience

Most – Tasks in these careers match most duties of the military job or specialty (approximately 80% or greater)
Some – Tasks in these careers match some duties of the military job or specialty (greater than 20% but less than 80%)
Bright Outlook – new job opportunities are very likely in the future for this job
Registered Apprenticeship
Click here for the external link to: My Next Move for Veterans - Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door
Click here for the external link to: My Next Move salary info for Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door
Click here for the external link to: My Next Move for Veterans - Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
Click here for the external link to: My Next Move salary info for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
Click here for the external link to: My Next Move for Veterans - Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment
Click here for the external link to: My Next Move salary info for Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment
Click here for the external link to: My Next Move for Veterans - Heating and Air Conditioning Mechanics and Installers
Click here for the external link to: My Next Move salary info for Heating and Air Conditioning Mechanics and Installers
Click here for the external link to: My Next Move for Veterans - Home Appliance Repairers
Click here for the external link to: My Next Move salary info for Home Appliance Repairers
Click here for the external link to: My Next Move for Veterans - Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
Click here for the external link to: My Next Move salary info for Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
Click here for the external link to: My Next Move for Veterans - Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Click here for the external link to: My Next Move salary info for Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers