Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians

electrical engineer_1_1.webp
$72,800 Median Wage (2022)
9,500 Projected job openings (2022-2032)
3.0% Projected growth (2022-2032)

Apply electrical and electronic theory and related knowledge, usually under the direction of engineering staff, to design, build, repair, adjust, and modify electrical components, circuitry, controls, and machinery for subsequent evaluation and use by engineering staff in making engineering design decisions.

Experience Requirements Overview

  • Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
  • Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
  • Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
  • Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Detailed Work Activities

  • Maintain electronic equipment.
  • Test performance of electrical, electronic, mechanical, or integrated systems or equipment.
  • Review technical documents to plan work.
  • Confer with other personnel to resolve design or operational problems.
  • Resolve operational performance problems.

Work Values

Independence

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Achievement

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Tasks

  • Modify, maintain, or repair electronics equipment or systems to ensure proper functioning.
  • Replace defective components or parts, using hand tools and precision instruments.
  • Set up and operate specialized or standard test equipment to diagnose, test, or analyze the performance of electronic components, assemblies, or systems.
  • Read blueprints, wiring diagrams, schematic drawings, or engineering instructions for assembling electronics units, applying knowledge of electronic theory and components.
  • Identify and resolve equipment malfunctions, working with manufacturers or field representatives as necessary to procure replacement parts.
  • Assemble electrical systems or prototypes, using hand tools or measuring instruments.
  • Review electrical engineering plans to ensure adherence to design specifications and compliance with applicable electrical codes and standards.
  • Assemble, test, or maintain circuitry or electronic components, according to engineering instructions, technical manuals, or knowledge of electronics, using hand or power tools.
  • Review existing electrical engineering criteria to identify necessary revisions, deletions, or amendments to outdated material.
  • Maintain system logs or manuals to document testing or operation of equipment.
  • Select electronics equipment, components, or systems to meet functional specifications.
  • Calculate design specifications or cost, material, and resource estimates, and prepare project schedules and budgets.
  • Educate equipment operators on the proper use of equipment.
  • Supervise the installation or operation of electronic equipment or systems.
  • Compile and maintain records documenting engineering schematics, installed equipment, installation or operational problems, resources used, repairs, or corrective action performed.
  • Modify electrical prototypes, parts, assemblies, or systems to correct functional deviations.
  • Integrate software or hardware components, using computer, microprocessor, or control architecture.
  • Procure parts and maintain inventory and related documentation.
  • Participate in training or continuing education activities to stay abreast of engineering or industry advances.
  • Research equipment or component needs, sources, competitive prices, delivery times, or ongoing operational costs.
  • Provide user applications or engineering support or recommendations for new or existing equipment with regard to installation, upgrades, or enhancements.
  • Specify, coordinate, or conduct quality control or quality assurance programs or procedures.
  • Produce electronics drawings or other graphics representing industrial control, instrumentation, sensors, or analog or digital telecommunications networks, using computer-aided design (CAD) software.
  • Install or maintain electrical control systems, industrial automation systems, or electrical equipment, including control circuits, variable speed drives, or programmable logic controllers.
  • Design or modify engineering schematics for electrical transmission and distribution systems or for electrical installation in residential, commercial, or industrial buildings, using computer-aided design (CAD) software.
  • Interpret test information to resolve design-related problems.
  • Conduct statistical studies to analyze or compare production costs for sustainable or nonsustainable designs.
  • Construct and evaluate electrical components for consumer electronics applications such as fuel cells for consumer electronic devices, power saving devices for computers or televisions, or energy efficient power chargers.
  • Participate in the development or testing of electrical aspects of new green technologies, such as lighting, optical data storage devices, and energy efficient televisions.
  • Review, develop, or prepare maintenance standards.

Work Styles

Achievement/Effort

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self-Control

Stress Tolerance

Adaptability/Flexibility

Dependability

Attention to Detail

Integrity

Independence

Innovation

Analytical Thinking

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 28.0 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. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.