Mechanic CV: Example and Template
This is what a convincing Swiss CV for mechanics looks like - with measurable results from production, assembly and maintenance.
Currently 27 open Mechanic positions in Switzerland, across 5 cantons, 6 of them from the last 7 days. SBB CFF FFS advertises the most.
CV example — two-page template
This template is editable straight away — or upload your existing CV and it is carried into this layout automatically.
Which qualification belongs in a mechanic's CV?
State the exact federal title including specialisation, as Swiss companies clearly distinguish between Polymechanic EFZ, Production Mechanic EFZ, Automotive Mechatronics Technician EFZ and Plant and Equipment Builder EFZ.
Write the qualification exactly as it appears on the certificate: 'Polymechanic EFZ, specialisation in production technology' immediately tells an HR manager whether you come from machining, assembly or maintenance. Add the training company, vocational school and year of completion - in industrial applications, the training company is a quality signal. If you completed the four-year apprenticeship, feel free to mention it, as it differs professionally from the three-year Production Mechanic training.
If you trained abroad, list the original title alongside the SBFI recognition or level classification. Without this note, an HR department cannot classify your qualification and may sort out the application to be safe. Also add your residence status (Swiss citizenship, permit C, B or cross-border commuter G), as this is relevant for shift planning and employment.
Further training belongs in its own block: Maintenance Specialist with Federal Professional Certificate, Production Specialist, Mechanical Engineering Technician HF or Industrial Foreman show the next career step. Always state courses with expiry dates - welding certification per EN ISO 9606-1, forklift licence per SUVA requirements, EFT authorisation per NIV Article 13 - together with the year and validity.
How do I present my professional experience as a mechanic convincingly?
Describe the systems, materials and tolerances you worked with for each position, and support your impact with figures on availability, changeover time, scrap rate or MTTR.
Add a short context sentence under each position: industry, company size, shift model, batch sizes and certifications such as ISO 9001 or IATF 16949. A mechanic in medical technology working to tolerances of 0.01 mm operates differently from someone in steel construction - this difference must be clear from the CV without anyone needing to ask. Also mention the controls and machine types by name, as HR managers and production managers filter specifically for them.
Formulate the task points as results rather than as a job description. 'Increased availability of 42 systems from 87 to 94 percent' or 'reduced changeover time via SMED from 95 to 38 minutes' is much stronger than 'responsible for maintenance and setup'. Use the metrics that are actually measured in your environment: OEE, MTBF, MTTR, cpk, scrap rate, pieces per hour, number of service assignments or savings in CHF.
Also show your secondary roles, as they often determine hiring decisions: apprentice mentoring, on-call duty, deputising for the shift supervisor, being the workplace safety contact, or contributing to retrofit projects with budget responsibility. If you have broad hands-on skills, add a concise line about welding processes, hydraulics, pneumatics and basic electrical knowledge - this makes you a fit for both production and maintenance positions.
How long should the CV be and does it need a photo?
Two pages is the standard in Switzerland, a professional portrait photo is customary and expected, but not legally required.
Stick to two pages: page one with profile, key facts, skills and current position, page two with earlier positions, education, certificates and languages. Apprenticeship years and temporary jobs from 15 years ago can shrink to a single line. More important than completeness is that the keywords required by the job advertisement - such as Sinumerik, maintenance, shift work - actually appear in your CV.
A photo is customary in Switzerland: neutral background, work clothing or shirt, friendly and current. Omit personal details such as marital status or religion, but do provide place of residence, residence status, driving licence categories and your willingness for shift, on-call or assembly assignments. These details answer exactly the questions a production manager has when first reading the CV.
Adapt the document for each application: for a maintenance position, highlight SAP PM, troubleshooting and availability; for a machining position, highlight programming, measurement technology and tolerances. Send a PDF file with a clear name such as 'CV_Marco_Buehlmann.pdf', keep reference letters and valid certification proofs ready, and provide references only upon request.
Where Mechanic are hired in Switzerland
How the 27 open positions are spread across the cantons.
Figures as a table
| Canton | postings |
|---|---|
| Luzern | 2 |
| Aargau | 1 |
| Zürich | 1 |
| Schaffhausen | 1 |
| Solothurn | 1 |
Which languages the postings require
Of 26 postings that state a language — in brackets, those requiring professional level.
Figures as a table
| Language | postings |
|---|---|
| German | 26 (26) |
| English | 2 (0) |
Who hires Mechanic in Switzerland
Employers with the most open positions. Staffing agencies are excluded.
Figures as a table
| Employer | postings |
|---|---|
| SBB CFF FFS | 2 |
| Stryker | 2 |
| jobcourier.ch | 1 |
| JTI | 1 |
| Swiss Rameder | 1 |
| Spital Emmental | 1 |
Full-time or part-time?
How the positions are advertised.
Figures as a table
| Workload | postings |
|---|---|
| Vollzeit / plein temps | 25 |
| Teilzeit / partiel | 1 |
The CV in full
To read through and reuse.
Marco Bühlmann
Mechanic / Polymechanic EFZ - Maintenance and CNC Production
Polymechanic EFZ with 11 years of experience in machining production and mechanical maintenance of production plants in three-shift operation. I program and set up CNC milling and turning centres (Heidenhain TNC 640, Sinumerik 840D) and reliably maintain tolerances down to IT6. I am also responsible for the preventive maintenance of 42 systems according to SAP PM maintenance schedules and have reduced unplanned downtime by 31 percent.
What sets me apart
Production and maintenance from a single source: I manufacture spare parts myself on the lathe and milling machine instead of ordering them - this reduced the average repair time for special parts from 5 days to 8 hours.
Measurement technology and process capability: Confident with 3D coordinate measuring machines (Calypso), micrometers, bore gauges and roughness measurement; I create initial sample inspection reports and SPC charts with cpk values above 1.67.
Lean thinking at the machine: Using SMED analyses and prepared tooling carts, I reduced changeover time on four machining centres from 95 to 38 minutes.
Workplace safety without compromise: As the workplace safety coordinator (LSI), I consistently carry out lockout-tagout procedures and have trained 24 employees on lifting equipment and forklifts according to SUVA guidelines - zero lost-time accidents in 4 years.
Key achievements
Reduced unplanned downtime by 31 percent. Built new preventive maintenance schedules for 42 systems in SAP PM; plant availability (OEE availability) rose from 87 to 94 percent, downtime costs fell by around CHF 180'000 per year.
Halved scrap rate in series production. Through adjusted cutting parameters, new clamping fixtures and tool life monitoring, the scrap rate on a series of 60'000 parts per year fell from 3.8 to 1.7 percent.
Professionalised spare parts warehouse. Recorded 1'240 items, defined minimum stock levels and kanban; inventory value fell by CHF 95'000, while parts availability in emergencies rose to 96 percent.
Experience
Maintenance Mechanic / On-Call Team Leader — Fensterberg Präzisionswerke AG, Olten, 03/2019 - present
Metalworking company with 210 employees, three-shift operation, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified.
- Responsible for the mechanical maintenance of 42 systems (CNC centres, presses, conveyor technology); increased availability from 87 to 94 percent
- On-call troubleshooting with an average response time of 22 minutes; reduced MTTR from 3.5 to 1.9 hours
- Led the retrofit of a 250-tonne hydraulic press (budget CHF 85'000), commissioning completed 2 weeks ahead of schedule
- Mentored 3 Polymechanic EFZ apprentices, all completed their training with an experience grade above 5.0
CNC Mechanic / Setter — Aarewind Zerspanungstechnik GmbH, Zofingen, 08/2014 - 02/2019
Contract manufacturer for medical technology and drive technology, batch sizes from 20 to 5'000 pieces, tolerances down to IT6.
- Programming and setting up 6 machining centres (Heidenhain TNC 640, Fanuc); up to 14 changeovers per week
- Reduced changeover time via SMED from 95 to 38 minutes, generating 480 additional machine hours per year
- Reduced scrap rate on a series of 60'000 parts from 3.8 to 1.7 percent
- Created initial sample inspection reports and measurement protocols for 120 new parts, complaint rate below 0.3 percent
Assembly and Service Mechanic — Thurmatic Anlagenbau AG, Wil SG, 08/2011 - 07/2014
Manufacturer of filling and packaging systems, in-house assembly and service tours across German-speaking Switzerland.
- Mechanical final assembly of 38 systems including shaft alignment with laser alignment system to 0.05 mm
- Supported customer commissioning on 60 assignments, rework rate below 5 percent
- Implemented pneumatic and hydraulic diagrams, assembled and documented 210 assemblies according to parts lists
- Revised assembly instructions for 12 assemblies, reducing assembly time per system by 6 hours
Education
Federal Certificate of Proficiency (EFZ), Polymechanic, specialisation in production technology — Berufsfachschule Aaretal, apprenticeship at Thurmatic Anlagenbau AG · 2011
Federal Professional Certificate, Maintenance Specialist — Höhere Berufsbildung Mittelland, Aarau · 2021
MAG welding certification per EN ISO 9606-1 (2022, valid) · Qualified electrician for specified activities per NIV Art. 13 (2020) · SUVA training in counterbalance forklifts and load slinging (2019) · Heidenhain TNC 640 programming course, Level 2 (2017)