Careers > Mechanical Engineers

Mechanical Engineers

$96.31K Median Salary 20.2K Job Openings (Annual Projection) 7% Job Growth

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About This Career

Perform engineering duties in planning and designing tools, engines, machines, and other mechanically functioning equipment. Oversee installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of equipment such as centralized heat, gas, water, and steam systems.

Reported Job Titles

Application Engineer, Design Engineer, Design Maintenance Engineer, Equipment Engineer, Mechanical Design Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Process Engineer, Product Engineer, Project Engineer, Test Engineer

Career data shown for:

Skills You'll Need

Click on skills to find related courses.

Abilities

Information Ordering

Oral Comprehension

Written Comprehension

Deductive Reasoning

Inductive Reasoning

Mathematical Reasoning

Problem Sensitivity

Near Vision

Number Facility

Oral Expression

Visualization

Category Flexibility

Fluency of Ideas

Originality

Speech Clarity

Speech Recognition

Written Expression

Flexibility of Closure

Perceptual Speed

Knowledge

Engineering and Technology

Mathematics

Design

Mechanical

Physics

English Language

Computers and Electronics

Production and Processing

Customer and Personal Service

Chemistry

Administration and Management

Education and Training

Administrative

Skills

Active Listening

Critical Thinking

Mathematics

Reading Comprehension

Science

Complex Problem Solving

Judgment and Decision Making

Operations Analysis

Active Learning

Systems Evaluation

Quality Control Analysis

Systems Analysis

Technology Design

Writing

Monitoring

Speaking

Time Management

Coordination

Operations Monitoring

Persuasion

Service Orientation

Troubleshooting

Technology Skills

Analytical or scientific software

Instant messaging software

Computer aided design CAD software

Development environment software

Object or component oriented development software

Graphics or photo imaging software

Configuration management software

Industrial control software

Geographic information system

Electronic mail software

Enterprise resource planning ERP software

Computer aided manufacturing CAM software

Data base user interface and query software

Project management software

Spreadsheet software

Customer relationship management CRM software

Office suite software

Cloud-based data access and sharing software

Operating system software

Word processing software

Data base management system software

Financial analysis software

Presentation software

Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software

Process mapping and design software

Tools

Semiconductor process systems

Flowmeters

Signal generators

Machine mounts or vibration isolators

Voltage comparator integrated circuits

Scanning probe microscopes

Force or torque sensors

Flow transmitters

Proximity sensors

X ray radiography examination equipment

Roughness measuring instruments

Refrigerated and heated reach in environmental or growth chambers

High voltage cable detection

Scanning electron microscopes

Coordinate measuring machines CMM

Medical computed tomography CT or CAT stationary units

Fused deposition modeling machine

Hardness testers

Scanners

Infrared imagers

Wire cathode electrode discharge machine

Speed sensors

Fiber sensors

Frequency analyzers

Spectrometers

Thickness measuring devices

Grinding or polishing machines

Programmable tube furnaces

Strain gauges

Video editors

Photoelastic testing instruments

Interferometers

Step drive or stepper drive or step indexer

Plotter printers

Infrared spectrometers

Fatigue testers

Microcontrollers

Torque converters

Acoustic sensors

Multimeters

Dynamometers

Air compressors

Heat exchangers

Vibration testers

Personal computers

Oscilloscopes

Accelerometers

Abilities

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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
Category Flexibility: The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
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).
Originality: The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Flexibility of Closure: The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Perceptual Speed: The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.

Knowledge

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.
Chemistry: Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Administrative: Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Skills

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.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Science: Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Operations Analysis: Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
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.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Technology Design: Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Technology Skills

Analytical or scientific software: Statistical analysis software; TapRooT
Instant messaging software: GroupMe
Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD; Autodesk Revit
Development environment software: Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Suite
Object or component oriented development software: Oracle Java
Graphics or photo imaging software: SmugMug Flickr
Configuration management software: Chef; IBM Software Configuration and Library Manager SCLM; Perforce Helix software; Puppet
Industrial control software: Industrial Scientific iNET; QuestSuite Professional
Geographic information system: ESRI ArcView; Geographic information system GIS systems
Electronic mail software: IBM Notes; Microsoft Exchange; Microsoft Outlook
Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne; Oracle PeopleSoft; Oracle PeopleSoft Financials; SAP software
Computer aided manufacturing CAM software: 1CadCam Unigraphics; Geometric CAMWorks; Siemens NX
Data base user interface and query software: Blackboard software; Database software; Microsoft Access; Yardi software
Project management software: Mavenlink; Microsoft Project
Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
Customer relationship management CRM software: Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge; Microsoft Dynamics; Salesforce.com Salesforce CRM
Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
Cloud-based data access and sharing software: Dropbox; Google Drive; Microsoft SharePoint
Operating system software: Microsoft Windows
Word processing software: 3M Post-it App; Evernote; Google Docs; Microsoft Word
Data base management system software: Apache Solr; Elasticsearch; MySQL
Financial analysis software: Delphi Technology
Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint
Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software: Production scheduling software
Process mapping and design software: Microsoft Visio

Tools

Semiconductor process systems: Contact printers
Flowmeters: Electronic bubble meters; Electronic pump calibrators; Mass flow meters
Signal generators: Function generators
Machine mounts or vibration isolators: Vibration control systems; Vibration isolators
Voltage comparator integrated circuits: Analog to digital converters; Digital to analog converters
Scanning probe microscopes: Atomic force microscopes AFM; Scanning acoustic microscopes; Scanning probe microscopes SPM; Scanning tunneling microscopes STM
Force or torque sensors: Force transducers
Flow transmitters: Subsonic wind tunnels; Supersonic wind tunnels
Proximity sensors:
X ray radiography examination equipment: Radiographic flaw detectors
Roughness measuring instruments: Stylus profilometers; Surface profilometers
Refrigerated and heated reach in environmental or growth chambers: Aerobic growth chambers
High voltage cable detection: Hotsticks
Scanning electron microscopes: Scanning electron microscopes SEM
Coordinate measuring machines CMM: Verisurf 3Dgage; Verisurf CMM Master
Medical computed tomography CT or CAT stationary units: Computed tomography CT equipment; Computed tomography CT systems
Fused deposition modeling machine: Fused deposition modeling FDM machines
Hardness testers:
Scanners: Data input scanners
Infrared imagers: Infrared analyzers
Wire cathode electrode discharge machine: Electrical discharge machines EDM
Speed sensors: Wire feed rate measurement instruments
Fiber sensors: Optical sensors
Frequency analyzers: Spectrum analyzers
Spectrometers: Spectroscopes
Thickness measuring devices: Digital thickness gauges
Grinding or polishing machines: Polishing machines
Programmable tube furnaces: Graphite furnaces
Strain gauges:
Video editors: Video editing equipment
Photoelastic testing instruments: Photoelastic testing machines
Interferometers: Holographic interferometers
Step drive or stepper drive or step indexer: Steppers
Plotter printers: Plotters
Infrared spectrometers: Near infrared spectrometers
Fatigue testers:
Microcontrollers: Programmable logic controllers PLC
Torque converters: Torsional converters
Acoustic sensors: Acoustic testers
Multimeters:
Dynamometers:
Air compressors:
Heat exchangers: Heat exchanging units
Vibration testers: Vibration monitors
Personal computers:
Oscilloscopes: Sampling oscilloscopes
Accelerometers: Capacitive acceleration instruments; Magnetic induction acceleration instruments; Piezoelectric acceleration instruments; Resonance acceleration instruments

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