Mechanical Engineer

Overview and Key Facts

What Do They Do?

A mechanical engineer could...

Overview Listen to this section

Mechanical engineers are part of your everyday life, designing the spoon you used to eat your breakfast, your breakfast's packaging, the flip-top cap on your toothpaste tube, the zipper on your jacket, the car, bike, or bus you took to school, the chair you sat in, the door handle you grasped and the hinges it opened on, and the ballpoint pen you used to take your test. Virtually every object that you see around you has passed through the hands of a mechanical engineer. Consequently, their skills are in demand to design millions of different products in almost every type of industry.

Do You Have the Skills and Characteristics of a Mechanical Engineer?

1. 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.
2. Reading Comprehension: ? Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
3. Critical Thinking: ? Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
4. Mathematics: ? Using mathematics to solve problems.
5. Science: ? Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

6. Operations Analysis: ? Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
7. Judgment and Decision Making: ? Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
8. Complex Problem Solving: ? Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
9. 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.
10. Active Learning: ? Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Core Tasks

Think about if you'd like the typical tasks a Mechanical Engineer might do:

• Read and interpret blueprints, technical drawings, schematics, or computer-generated reports.
• Research, design, evaluate, install, operate, or maintain mechanical products, equipment, systems or processes to meet requirements.
• Confer with engineers or other personnel to implement operating procedures, resolve system malfunctions, or provide technical information.
• Develop, coordinate, or monitor all aspects of production, including selection of manufacturing methods, fabrication, or operation of product designs.
• Investigate equipment failures or difficulties to diagnose faulty operation and recommend remedial actions.
• Develop or test models of alternate designs or processing methods to assess feasibility, sustainability, operating condition effects, potential new applications, or necessity of modification.
• Specify system components or direct modification of products to ensure conformance with engineering design, performance specifications, or environmental regulations.
• Recommend design modifications to eliminate machine or system malfunctions.
• Assist drafters in developing the structural design of products, using drafting tools or computer-assisted drafting equipment or software.
• Oversee installation, operation, maintenance, or repair to ensure that machines or equipment are installed and functioning according to specifications.
• Conduct research that tests or analyzes the feasibility, design, operation, or performance of equipment, components, or systems.
• Design test control apparatus or equipment or develop procedures for testing products.
• Provide feedback to design engineers on customer problems or needs.
• Research and analyze customer design proposals, specifications, manuals, or other data to evaluate the feasibility, cost, or maintenance requirements of designs or applications.
• Estimate costs or submit bids for engineering, construction, or extraction projects.