Engineer Career Description

Overview

Engineers are responsible for designing, building, and maintaining our world’s infrastructure. They work on a wide range of projects, from bridges and roads to skyscrapers and spacecraft. Engineers use their creativity and technical skills to solve problems and improve our quality of life.

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of an engineer can vary depending on their specialty. However, some common responsibilities include:

Designing and developing new products, processes, and systems
Testing and evaluating products, processes, and systems to ensure they meet specifications
Working with other engineers and technical staff to develop and implement solutions to problems
Supervising and managing engineering projects
Writing technical reports and presenting findings

Education and Training

Engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in engineering from an accredited university. Some engineering programs also offer master’s and doctoral degrees. In addition to their formal education, engineers must also complete a period of supervised training before they can become licensed.

Certification and Licensing

Engineers must be licensed in order to practice their profession. The licensing process varies from state to state, but typically requires engineers to pass a national exam and meet certain experience requirements. Engineers must also complete continuing education courses to maintain their license.

Career Outlook

The job outlook for engineers is expected to be good over the next decade. The increasing demand for new products, processes, and systems is expected to drive demand for engineers. Engineers with specialized skills, such as those with experience in renewable energy or nanotechnology, are expected to be in particularly high demand.

Salary

The median annual salary for engineers was $91,010 in May 2019. The top 10% of earners made more than $160,540, while the bottom 10% earned less than $56,330.

Engineers are often employed in the following related occupations:

Architects
Computer programmers
Drafters
Surveyors
Technical writers

Conclusion

Engineers play a vital role in our society. They are responsible for designing, building, and maintaining our world’s infrastructure. Engineers are in high demand, and the job outlook is expected to be good over the next decade.