Instrument Technician
This page gives you the real story about what it's like to be an Instrument Technician (with insights from someone who’s actually doing the job).
Your goal: Decide if this sounds interesting enough to explore further, or if it's clearly not for you. Both answers are useful!
If it sounds like something you'd like to know more about, you'll be able to:
📞 Join a call - Ask your own questions and hear more about what the job's really like
🎯 Attend a careers event - Meet employers and find out exactly how to get roles like this
It will take about 5 minutes to read through - by the end, you'll know if this is worth exploring or if you should look at something else.
What do they do?
An instrument technician is the person who makes sure all the machines that measure and control things are working exactly the way they should.
They install, check, adjust, and fix equipment like temperature sensors, pressure gauges, flow meters, and computer-based control systems. These instruments help factories and power plants run safely and smoothly.
If you’re at a wind farm, an oil platform, or a power station, instrument technicians are the ones making sure all the devices that track and control the process are accurate, reliable, and safe to use..
How much do they earn?
Salaries vary depending on the company, location, and your experience level. Here's a rough guide for commercial analyst roles:
Apprentice (Modern/Graduate Apprenticeship) £18,000 - £25,000 per year You're learning on the job while earning
Uni Graduate £26,000 - £33,000 per year
With Experience £35,000 - £50,000 per year (more if offshore)
Senior Level £50,000 - £80,000+ per year (more if offshore)
What affects your salary:
The size of the company you work for
Whether you're offshore (usually higher pay) or onshore
The specific sector you're in (oil & gas tends to pay more)
Additional qualifications or certifications you gain
Shift patterns and overtime opportunities
Remember: These are approximate figures for Scotland and can vary. The good news is there's clear progression as you gain experience.
You'll Be Successful In This Career If...
The Bottom Line
These traits make you incredibly valuable in technical industries. Instrument technicians who have them build successful, well-paid careers because organisations absolutely need people who can keep critical systems running safely.
You like figuring out how things work
When something breaks - whether it's your phone, a bike, or a gadget - you're curious about why and want to take it apart to understand it. You don't just accept that it's broken; you want to know what went wrong.
You pay attention to details
You’ll notice when something's not quite right, whether it's a reading that looks off, a connection that's loose, or a process that's behaving differently. Small details matter to you because you understand they can mean big problems.
You get satisfaction from fixing things
Getting something that was broken working again feels genuinely good. Whether that's your laptop, your game controller, or something around the house. You like that "got it!" moment when you've actually solved it.
You’re good with your hands
You're comfortable using tools and working with equipment. Whether it's wiring something up, adjusting components, or working in tight spaces, practical hands-on work appeals to you more than sitting at a desk all day.
You like solving problems
When something isn't working properly, you’d actually enjoy the challenge of tracking down what's wrong and fixing it. It's like being a detective, but for technical equipment.
Meet Emil – Commercial Analyst at Vattenfall
Emil works in the commercial analysis team at Vattenfall, helping model the financial side of energy projects. He joined after a few years in finance because he wanted his work to feel more connected to the real world.
What the job actually involves
“If you want to work as a commercial analyst, you have to love looking at spreadsheets. That’s where most of the job happens. You’re taking numbers from engineers and project teams, and using them to see if an investment makes sense.”
“It’s about making sure decisions are based on solid data… double-checking the numbers and working with other teams to make sure everything adds up.”
Why he likes it
“I like taking something really complicated and working out which parts actually make a difference… the things that change how a project turns out.”
“You’re always finding smart ways to make things work with what you’ve got being creative while staying realistic… this is what we have and this is what we want and like how do we do this best.”
Why he chose this path
“I used to work in the financial sector, but I just felt like I didn’t feel as attached to the final outcome… here I feel like I’m working on projects where I could see the project actually happening in the real world.”
His best advice
“If you’re someone who likes learning new things and problem solving… like people that like games and figuring out how to solve a puzzle… I think that would be useful.”
“What Does A Typical Day Look Like?”
Where he works:
Most of Emil’s work happens in the office, using spreadsheets and financial models to test project ideas.
What he’s actually doing:
“You start the day by checking for updates… new emails, new numbers, or changes to your models… then talk with the teams who feed in information to make sure everything still makes sense.”
“It’s about taking all these inputs… data, prices, forecasts… and making sure the model still makes sense. You’re constantly updating, questioning, and improving it.”
Breaking that down more specifically:
Reviewing emails and project updates first thing in the morning
Updating models with new price data or forecasts
Talking with engineers, sales, and finance teams to check figures
Comparing project options to see which makes most sense financially
Presenting your findings to colleagues or managers
Refining models as projects evolve and new data comes in
The Summary
Every sector (energy, finance, retail, manufacturing, tech, healthcare, construction and more) needs commercial analysts to help make smart financial decisions.
So if you're good with numbers, like solving problems with data, and want to see your analysis make a real impact on business decisions, then commercial analysis gives you the chance to turn your abilities into a well-paid and satisfying career.
Want to find out more?
Join the webinar where you can hear more from Emil and ask questions to find out if this is a good career option for you
Attend the event in Aberdeen in January to meet employers who will tell you the routes you can take to get this role, and what they’re looking for