Description:
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as architecture and engineering or research and development in these fields.
Tasks
- Confer with management, production, and marketing staff to discuss project specifications and procedures.
- Coordinate and direct projects, making detailed plans to accomplish goals and directing the integration of technical activities.
- Analyze technology, resource needs, and market demand, to plan and assess the feasibility of projects.
- Plan and direct the installation, testing, operation, maintenance, and repair of facilities and equipment.
- Direct, review, and approve product design and changes.
- Recruit employees, assign, direct, and evaluate their work, and oversee the development and maintenance of staff competence.
- Prepare budgets, bids, and contracts, and direct the negotiation of research contracts.
- Develop and implement policies, standards and procedures for the engineering and technical work performed in the department, service, laboratory or firm.
- Perform administrative functions such as reviewing and writing reports, approving expenditures, enforcing rules, and making decisions about the purchase of materials or services.
- Review and recommend or approve contracts and cost estimates.
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.
- Design
- Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
- English Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Mathematics
- Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Computers and Electronics
- Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Production and Processing
- Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- 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.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Negotiation
- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Abilities
- 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.
- Oral Expression
- The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- 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 there is a problem.
- Near Vision
- The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Speech Recognition
- The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Speech Clarity
- The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Mathematical Reasoning
- The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
- Inductive Reasoning
- The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Deductive Reasoning
- The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Work Activities
- Getting Information
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Interacting With Computers
- Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
- Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
- Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
- Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
- Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Work Context
- Electronic Mail
- How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
- Telephone
- How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
- Face-to-Face Discussions
- How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
- Structured versus Unstructured Work
- To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
- Work With Work Group or Team
- How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
- Contact With Others
- How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
- How do the decisions an employee makes impact the results of co-workers, clients or the company?
- Coordinate or Lead Others
- How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
Interests
- Enterprising
- Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
- Realistic
- Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
- Investigative
- Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
- Conventional
- Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
- Artistic
- Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
- Social
- Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Work Style
- Initiative
- Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
- Integrity
- Job requires being honest and ethical.
- Dependability
- Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Analytical Thinking
- Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
- Persistence
- Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
- Leadership
- Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
- Achievement/Effort
- Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
- Attention to Detail
- Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Cooperation
- Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
- Stress Tolerance
- Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Work Value
- Achievement
- Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
- Working Conditions
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
- Independence
- Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
- Recognition
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
- Support
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
- Relationships
- Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Related Occupations
- Aerospace Engineers
- Civil Engineers
- Industrial Safety and Health Engineers
- Marine Engineers
- Marine Architects
- Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers
- Nuclear Engineers
- Petroleum Engineers
- Electrical Drafters
Common Lay Titles
- Architect Manager
- Chief Engineer
- Chief Petroleum Engineer
- Civil Engineering Manager
- Director of Engineering
- Electrical Engineering Director
- Electronics Engineering Manager
- Engineering Design Manager
- Engineering Manager
- Global Engineering Manager
- Health Safety Manager
- Highway Administrative Engineer
- Manufacturing Chief Engineer
- Manufacturing Engineering Manager
- Mechanical Engineering Director
- Plant Engineer
- Principal Engineer
- Process Engineering Manager
- Project Coordinator
- Project Development Engineer
- Project Engineer
- Project Engineering Director
- Project Engineering Manager
- Project Manager
- Protoype Engineer Manager
- Research Development Manager
- Research Manager
- Safety Director
- Senior Engineer
- Supervisory Civil Engineer
- Transmitter Engineer-in-Charge
- Waterworks Chief Engineer