Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Under the title Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians, workers apply theory and principles of mechanical engineering to modify, develop, test, or adjust machinery and equipment under direction of engineering staff or physical scientists. The job can ask you to assemble or disassemble complex mechanical systems. With a code of RIC, this is mostly a job for people drawn to hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world. Investigative interests also help, rated 5.4 out of 7. Plan on one or two years of vocational training, an apprenticeship or an associate’s degree; O*NET labels this medium preparation. Strength in reading comprehension, critical thinking, and active listening helps most here. It tends to suit people who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, and it offers little for anyone seeking leading, persuading and making business decisions.
What they do
Apply theory and principles of mechanical engineering to modify, develop, test, or adjust machinery and equipment under direction of engineering staff or physical scientists.
Main tasks
- Assemble or disassemble complex mechanical systems.
- Interpret engineering sketches, specifications, or drawings.
- Calculate required capacities for equipment of proposed system to obtain specified performance and submit data to engineering personnel for approval.
- Review project instructions and blueprints to ascertain test specifications, procedures, and objectives, and test nature of technical problems such as redesign.
- Provide technical support to other employees regarding mechanical design, fabrication, testing, or documentation.
- Test machines, components, materials, or products to determine characteristics such as performance, strength, or response to stress.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Writing
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
- You are willing to put in a year or two of focused training.
- You are comfortable relying on reading comprehension and critical thinking.
May not suit you if
- You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
- You want to lead people or run the business side. Enterprising rates 1.1 out of 7 here.
- You need to start within a few months, with no training period.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RIC takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.
Preparation
Medium preparation. Expect vocational school, an apprenticeship, related experience or an associate’s degree, usually one or two years in total.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Engineering Laboratory Technician (Engineering Lab Technician)
- Engineering Technical Analyst
- Engineering Technician (Engineering Tech)
- Engineering Technologist
- Manufacturing Engineering Technician (Manufacturing Engineering Tech)
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.