Engineering Job Overview and Description

Engineering is a quickly growing field to work in. According to the United States Department of Labor, engineering jobs will grow a projected 3 percent and add over 67,000 jobs by 2024. You can get into this field with an Associates degree, and the payoff is more than worth the extra school time. This article will give a general overview of the engineering job description, types of engineers, salaries, education requirements, and engineering job responsibilities.

What is An Engineer?

An engineer is a person who designs, builds, and maintains various structures. They also build and maintain systems and materials while considering limitations like cost, state regulations, practicality, and safety concerns. They spend a lot of time researching, applying, and transferring the data they found to various projects and studies. Engineering job responsibilities vary from field to field.

Engineering Job Overview

Engineers spend a lot of time doing research and interpreting data. They usually go over emails and memos first thing in the morning and answer those as necessary. Engineers spend a lot of time coordinating projects and talking on the phone to other members of their staff. They go to a lot of meetings and make sure to keep everyone in their group on the same page. They make lists of things they have to get done, and things they didn't manage to get done so they can get a jump start on them the next day. The engineering job overview depends largely on whether you work with the public and your specific field, but the core elements are the same.

What are the Different Types of Engineers?

  • Aerospace Engineer. These engineers focus on anything and everything related to aircraft and spacecraft development.
  • Building Engineer. The primary focus is on building and construction jobs.
  • Biochemical Engineer. A biochemical engineer focuses on advancing healthcare treatments using a combination of technology and science.
  • Chemical Engineer. These engineers concentrate on making chemicals and the production process.
  • Civil Engineer. They work primarily on large structures or system construction.
  • Computer Engineer. This engineer focuses on developing and designing computer hardware and software.
  • Industrial Engineering. This engineer focuses on design, logistics, service systems, and processes.
  • Mathematical Engineering. A mathematical engineer focuses on developing math models.
  • Mechanical Engineer. This engineer focuses on developing and building energy, transport, control, and manufacturing systems.

What Type of Education do You Need?

Every kind of engineer in the United States needs a bachelor's degree in engineering. Your bachelor's degree program will include a lot of math and science courses, along with general engineering practices. Any engineer who works in the public sector also needs to become licensed. To become licensed, an engineer must complete an accredited program and pass a series of exams. You will complete your undergraduate degree, then move on to a two-part state licensing exam. Once you pass the first part of the exam, you'll proceed to an internship or supervised training to build experience. The final step is taking the second part of the licensing exam to become a Professional Engineer (PE). Depending on what type of engineer you want to be, you will have specific courses and exams you have to take to become licensed. A master's degree is needed to advance in some engineering fields. Jobs in engineering can all differ in education, but the certification process in the same.

What is a Typical Engineering Salary?

Engineering salaries are largely based on experience. The more you experience you have, the more money you'll be able to make. According to the US Department of Labor, a new general engineer around $60,000 annually with the high end of the spectrum making over $ 115,000 per year. The national average for an engineering salary is around $ 80,000 a year. These engineering salaries range from roughly $37.00 to $49.00 an hour.

What are the Engineering Job Requirements?

An engineering job has the same core requirements no matter which field you choose to go into. You must be able to think outside of the box and come up with creative solutions. You should be able to grasp mechanical processes quickly and be able to use the proper equipment to do your job. Engineers must be able to work well with a team and have excellent written and verbal communication skills. You have to be able to manage your time, money, supplies, and workers on large projects efficiently.

Where Can You Find an Engineering Job Listing?

You can search for an engineering job listing through websites like CareerBuilder, Monster, Indeed, SimplyHired, and You can also check you local papers or do a general web search for your area for engineering jobs. If you have graduated from an engineering course recently, call them to see if they know of anyone hiring or if they can put you in contact with anyone who might be hiring. There are jobs in engineering out there, they just take a little digging to find. When you look at an engineering job description, make sure it will fit your field of study, because there are so many different types of engineers available to choose from.

Jobs in engineering are just going to get more in demand as time goes by. This career field is exciting, and there are many opportunities to advance and thrive. You will be able to take what you learn and use it almost immediately no matter which field you choose.

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