In manufacturing operations, you track and analyze the frequency of machine stoppages — recording downtime events, identifying patterns by line, shift, or cause, and feeding data to engineers and supervisors driving reliability improvements.
Most days mix floor observation, downtime logging, data review, and the steady cadence of reporting — walking the production floor to capture stoppage events, entering causes and durations into the system, building Pareto charts of recurring issues, sitting with engineering on reliability priorities. You're often the data layer between operators who experience downtime and the engineers who improve it. Downtime data accuracy and pattern identification are the operating measures.
The harder part is often the consistency required across shifts and operators — comparing this week's downtime to last quarter's only works if everyone categorized causes the same way. Variance across employers is real: at modern plants with MES systems much of the capture is automated and the checker validates; at older facilities it tilts more toward manual observation.
The role suits people who are observant, comfortable in production environments, and patient with statistical work. SPC training, MES familiarity, and Lean/Six Sigma basics anchor advancement. The trade-off is the shift work and the plant-floor environment — noise, heat, and the demands of being on your feet.
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Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
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Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths
View all Admin & Office roles →In manufacturing operations, you track and analyze the frequency of machine stoppages — recording downtime events, identifying patterns by line, shift, or cause, and feeding data to engineers and supervisors driving reliability improvements.
Median pay for a Machine Stoppage Frequency Checker is about $58K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $39K to $85K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Time Management, Active Listening, and Critical Thinking.
Most people in this role hold a high school diploma.
Employment in this field is projected to decline about 1.8% through 2034, with roughly 385,000 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Project Manager, Implementation Project Manager, and Technical Project Manager (Technical PM).
Don't do Truest if you aren't ready
to invest in yourself and your career.