Engineering Technician

Job Details

Sector(s)

Component Manufacturing and Research & Development; Construction; Operations & Maintenance

Median Pay

$48,390–$63,640 per year

$23.27–$30.60 per hour

Job Type

Entry- to Mid-Level

Typical Entry-Level Education and Work Experience Requirements

Associate's degree or certification in a field of engineering technology

Position Title

Engineering Technician

Alternate Titles

Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, Industrial or Environmental Technicians and Technologists; Engineering Technologist

Job Description

Engineering technicians work with engineers to plan, design, evaluate, and improve the performance of hydropower equipment, processes, and facilities.

Education and Training Description

Engineering technicians typically need an associates degree or certification in a field of engineering technology. Certificates are offered at vocational-technical schools while community colleges offer associate's degrees.  Some civil and industrial engineering technicians enter the occupation after gaining work experience in a related occupation, particularly as drafters or computer-aided design (CAD) operators.

Certification is not required to enter this occupation, but it may help technologists and technicians develop in their careers. For example, the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) offers certifications for a variety of engineering technologies.

Engineering technicians can advance to become engineers by pursuing a bachelor’s degree in engineering and taking the associated career path steps. See links to engineering job descriptions in the Job Profile.

Job Profile

Engineering technicians work in a variety of different engineering fields, such as civil, mechanical, industrial, and environmental. Engineering technicians work within their engineering field to help engineers plan, design, evaluate, and improve the performance of hydropower equipment, processes, and facilities. Depending on their field of specialty, these technicians may work in a variety of different settings including hydropower sites, component manufacturing facilities, and office spaces.

Civil engineering technicians help civil engineers plan, design, and build hydropower infrastructure projects. They work with engineers to develop plans, estimate construction costs, test construction materials and soil samples, prepare project updates and reports, and maintain files among other duties.

Electrical and electronic engineering technicians help electrical engineers design and develop equipment that is powered by electricity or electric current. They often evaluate and test equipment, using measuring and other devices to test, adjust, and make repairs to the electrical equipment. Mechanical engineering technicians perform similar tasks to electrical engineering technicians, but they work on machines and devices as opposed to the electrical components.

Industrial engineering technicians help industrial engineers solve problems affecting manufacturing layout or production. They prepare machinery and equipment plans, design workflows, conduct statistical production studies, and analyze production costs.

Environmental engineering technicians help environmental engineers develop solutions to control, prevent, and mitigate damage caused by pollution and other environmental problems. They may work in the field collecting samples from the environment and setting up sampling and monitoring equipment. They may also work in the lab running tests on samples, documenting test results, and keeping records and inventory of equipment and materials.

Engineering technicians typically do several of the following tasks:

  • Analyze plans or blueprints
  • Build, calibrate, and repair instruments, machines or testing equipment
  • Test and evaluate the performance of equipment, materials, or systems
  • Identify solutions to design problems
  • Estimate costs for building or operating equipment or larger systems and facilities
  • Conduct field surveys to collect data on site conditions and inspect structures
  • Ensure that construction or manufacturing of equipment or facilities conforms to design specifications and applicable codes
  • Prepare reports that document project activities and testing results, and recommend changes for product improvement
  • Set up and help maintain project files and records

Job Skills

  • Communication skills. When working on teams, environmental engineering technologists and technicians must listen attentively and convey information to others.
  • Critical-thinking skills. Environmental engineers rely on technologists and technicians to help identify problems and solutions and to implement the engineers’ plans.
  • Observational skills. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians must be able to evaluate situations, recognize problems, and inform environmental engineers as quickly as possible.
  • Problem-solving skills. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians implement plans designed by environmental engineers. They must be able to resolve issues that arise, such as unexpected findings during fieldwork.
  • Reading skills. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians must be able to understand legal and technical documents in order to ensure that regulations are being met.
  • Detail oriented. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians must record precisely what they measure and observe.
  • Math skills. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians use mathematics and statistical techniques to analyze data collected from studies.
  • Writing skills. Civil engineering technologists and technicians must be able to prepare reports that are well organized and clearly convey information.

More Information

For more information on different types of engineering technicians see:

Resources