Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a Wind Turbine Technician
What wind turbine technicians actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
Safety briefing and weather check: wind speed limits for climbing and working in the hub. From there, the day usually includes climb towers and work at heights using fall protection, perform scheduled inspections and preventive maintenance, and troubleshoot electrical, mechanical and hydraulic systems. Full-time, often with overtime. Some positions involve traveling to sites for weeks at a time or rotational schedules.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a wind turbine technician working full time.
- Safety briefing and weather check: wind speed limits for climbing and working in the hub.
- Inspect harness and climbing equipment and review the work order and SCADA fault history.
- Climb (or ride the service lift) to the nacelle with your partner.
- Lock out the turbine and perform semi-annual maintenance: torque checks, filter changes and greasing.
- Troubleshoot a pitch system fault, test sensors and replace a faulty encoder.
- Return to service, verify operation with the remote operations center and descend.
- Log work, order parts and prepare the next day’s tasks.
Where wind turbine technicians work
Wind techs work at wind farms, often in rural areas, climbing towers that can exceed 300 feet. Work is in confined spaces in the nacelle and outdoors in all weather. Some work offshore. Travel is common.
Hours and schedule
Full-time, often with overtime. Some positions involve traveling to sites for weeks at a time or rotational schedules.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Climb towers and work at heights using fall protection
- Perform scheduled inspections and preventive maintenance
- Troubleshoot electrical, mechanical and hydraulic systems
- Replace components such as bearings, filters and sensors
- Torque and tension bolts to specification
- Collect and analyze data from SCADA systems
- Document work and follow lockout/tagout procedures
Tools you’ll use every day
- Full-body harness, lanyards and descent devices
- Hydraulic torque and tension tools
- Multimeters and diagnostic laptops
- SCADA monitoring systems
- Borescopes and inspection cameras
- Hand and power tools
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Rapid projected growth
- Good pay for a one- to two-year program
- Hands-on technical variety
- Clean-energy work with travel opportunities
What’s hard
- Climbing and working at extreme heights
- Remote locations and travel
- Physically demanding in tight spaces
- Weather limits and seasonal schedules
You’ll likely thrive if…
- Heights don’t scare me
- I like fixing mechanical and electrical systems
- I’m comfortable traveling and working in remote areas
- I can handle physical climbs and tight spaces
- I’m interested in renewable energy
- I follow safety rules carefully
Not sure? Take the free Wind Turbine Technician fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Inspect fall protection before every climb and stay tied off
- Lock out the turbine and rotor before entering the hub or working on systems
- Respect wind speed limits for climbing and work
- Always work with a partner and know the rescue plan