Alternate Title(s) | Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technician, Instrumentation Technician |
Minimum Education Requirements | Associate's degree, post secondary certificate |
Salary | See Bureau of Labor Statistics for more information |
Job Skills | - Logical-thinking skills. Electrical and electronics engineering technicians must isolate and then identify problems for the engineering staff to work on. They need good reasoning skills to identify and fix problems. Technicians must also be able to follow a logical sequence or specific set of rules to carry out engineers’ designs, inspect designs for quality control, and put together prototypes. - Math skills. Electrical and electronics engineering technicians use math for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work. - Mechanical skills. Electronics engineering technicians in particular must be able to use hand tools and soldering irons on small circuitry and electronic parts to create detailed electronic components by hand. - Observational skills. Electrical engineering technicians sometimes visit construction sites to make sure that electrical engineers’ designs are being carried out correctly. They are responsible for evaluating projects onsite and reporting problems to engineers. - Problem-solving skills. Electrical and electronics engineering technicians create what engineers have designed and often test the designs to make sure that they work. Technicians help to resolve any problems that come up in carrying out the engineers’ designs. - Writing skills. These technicians must write reports about onsite construction, the results of testing, or problems they find when carrying out designs. Their writing must be clear and well organized so that the engineers they work with can understand the reports. |
Job Duties | Electrical engineering technicians typically do the following: - Put together electrical and electronic systems and prototypes - Build, calibrate, and repair electrical instruments or testing equipment - Visit construction sites to observe conditions affecting design - Identify solutions to technical design problems that arise during the construction of electrical systems - Inspect designs for quality control, report findings, and make recommendations - Draw diagrams and write specifications to clarify design details of experimental electronics units - Electronics engineering technicians typically do the following: - Design basic circuitry and draft sketches to clarify details of design documentation, under engineers’ direction - Build prototypes from rough sketches or plans - Assemble, test, and maintain circuitry or electronic components according to engineering instructions, technical manuals, and knowledge of electronics - Adjust and replace defective circuitry and electronic components - Make parts, such as coils and terminal boards, by using bench lathes, drills, or other machine tools |
Job Profile | Electrical engineering technicians install and maintain electrical control systems and equipment, and modify electrical prototypes, parts, and assemblies to correct problems. When testing systems, they set up test equipment and evaluate the performance of developmental parts, assemblies, or systems under simulated conditions. They then analyze test information to resolve design-related problems. Electronics engineering technicians identify and resolve equipment malfunctions and then work with manufacturers to get replacement parts. They also calibrate and perform preventative maintenance on equipment and systems. These technicians often need to read blueprints, schematic drawings, and engineering instructions for assembling electronic units. They also write reports and record data on testing techniques, laboratory equipment, and specifications. |
The information presented within this occupational profile was synthesized from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Outlook Handbook, 2016-17 Edition and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Handbook of Occupational Groups & Families.