Mechanical Engineers

People in this career often have these skills:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
• Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

People in this career often know a lot about:

• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

People in this career often have talent in:

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
• Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
• Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

People in this career often do these activities:

• Review technical documents to plan work.
• Evaluate characteristics of equipment or systems.
• Design industrial processing systems.
• Design industrial equipment.
• Confer with other personnel to resolve design or operational problems.

• Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans.
• Direct industrial production activities.
• Investigate system, equipment, or product failures.
• Recommend technical design or process changes to improve efficiency, quality, or performance.
• Test performance of electrical, electronic, mechanical, or integrated systems or equipment.
• Create models of engineering designs or methods.
• Advise others regarding green practices or environmental concerns.
• Implement design or process improvements.
• Direct installation activities.
• Direct equipment maintenance or repair activities.
• Evaluate plans or specifications to determine technological or environmental implications.
• Design electronic or computer equipment or instrumentation.
• Analyze design or requirements information for mechanical equipment or systems.
• Identify new applications for existing technologies.
• Estimate operational costs.
• Prepare proposal documents.
• Document technical design details.
• Supervise production or support personnel.
• Perform marketing activities.
• Advise customers on the use of products or services.
• Research industrial processes or operations.
• Determine operational methods.
• Coordinate safety or regulatory compliance activities.
• Select tools, equipment, or technologies for use in operations or projects.
• Install production equipment or systems.

• Aerospace Engineers

• Electrical Engineers

• Photonics Engineers

• Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians

• Electronics Engineers, Except Computer

• Validation Engineers

• Industrial Engineers

• Logistics Engineers

• Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors