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Electrical Engineers Occupation Detailed Description

Electrical Engineers career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Electrical Engineers

The main tasks and work activities of Electrical Engineers are to discuss designs or plans with clients, confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans, design electrical equipment or systems, design structures or facilities. In general, for the Electrical Engineers, complex Problem Solving, writing, active Listening, reading Comprehension and other 17 skills are required.
Electrical Engineers Job Description
EducationMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Related ExperienceA considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
ExampleMany of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Electrical Engineers jobs. 2.58% of Electrical Engineers have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 95.15% of Electrical Engineers have Bachelor's Degree and Above.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
2.58%
Post-Secondary Certificate
0.00%
Some College Courses
0.44%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
1.83%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
95.15%

Tasks and Work Activities of Electrical Engineers

  • Confer with engineers, customers, or others to discuss existing or potential engineering projects or products.
  • Design, implement, maintain, or improve electrical instruments, equipment, facilities, components, products, or systems for commercial, industrial, or domestic purposes.
  • Operate computer-assisted engineering or design software or equipment to perform engineering tasks.
  • Direct or coordinate manufacturing, construction, installation, maintenance, support, documentation, or testing activities to ensure compliance with specifications, codes, or customer requirements.
  • Perform detailed calculations to compute and establish manufacturing, construction, or installation standards or specifications.
  • Plan or implement research methodology or procedures to apply principles of electrical theory to engineering projects.
  • Prepare specifications for purchases of materials or equipment.
  • Supervise or train project team members, as necessary.
  • Investigate or test vendors' or competitors' products.
  • Oversee project production efforts to assure projects are completed on time and within budget.
  • Prepare technical drawings, specifications of electrical systems, or topographical maps to ensure that installation and operations conform to standards and customer requirements.
  • Plan layout of electric power generating plants or distribution lines or stations.
  • Assist in developing capital project programs for new equipment or major repairs.
  • Compile data and write reports regarding existing or potential electrical engineering studies or projects.
  • Collect data relating to commercial or residential development, population, or power system interconnection to determine operating efficiency of electrical systems.
  • Conduct field surveys or study maps, graphs, diagrams, or other data to identify and correct power system problems.
  • Design electrical systems or components that minimize electric energy requirements, such as lighting systems designed to account for natural lighting.
  • Develop systems that produce electricity with renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, or biofuels.
  • Integrate electrical systems with renewable energy systems to improve overall efficiency.
  • Estimate labor, material, or construction costs for budget preparation purposes.
  • Interacting With ComputersUsing computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Analyzing Data or InformationIdentifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsUsing relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Processing InformationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentProviding documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
  • Discuss designs or plans with clients.
  • Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans.
  • Design electrical equipment or systems.
  • Design structures or facilities.
  • Maintain electronic equipment.
  • Operate computer systems.
  • Direct equipment maintenance or repair activities.
  • Direct installation activities.
  • Direct construction activities.
  • Estimate technical or resource requirements for development or production projects.
  • Devise research or testing protocols.
  • Train personnel on proper operational procedures.
  • Supervise engineering or other technical personnel.
  • Test products for functionality or quality.
  • Direct industrial production activities.
  • Create electrical schematics.
  • Design energy production or management equipment or systems.
  • Prepare operational reports.
  • Survey land or bodies of water to measure or determine features.
  • Design energy-efficient equipment or systems.

Skills and Abilities for Electrical Engineers

  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Active ListeningGiving 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.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Operations AnalysisAnalyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
  • MathematicsUsing mathematics to solve problems.
  • Systems EvaluationIdentifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Systems AnalysisDetermining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • ScienceUsing scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Problem SensitivityThe 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.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Information OrderingThe 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 ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Fluency of IdeasThe ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Number FacilityThe ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
  • Mathematical ReasoningThe ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • VisualizationThe ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Flexibility of ClosureThe ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Accelerometerse.g. Accelerometers
  • Laboratory safety furnacese.g. Annealing furnaces
  • Scanning probe microscopese.g. Atomic force microscopes
  • Spectrometerse.g. Auger electron spectrometers
  • Computer serverse.g. Computer servers
  • Corona treaterse.g. Cylindrical corona testers
  • Diffractometerse.g. Diffractometers
  • Laboratory safety furnacese.g. Diffusion furnaces
  • Oscilloscopese.g. Digital oscilloscopes
  • Digital camcorders or video camerase.g. Digital video cameras
  • Voltage or current meterse.g. Digital voltmeters DVM
  • Tube furnacese.g. Doping tubes
  • Flow sensorse.g. Electrical flow meters
  • Spectrometerse.g. Electrochemical CV dopant profilers
  • Metal markers or holderse.g. Electrochemical etching devices
  • Semiconductor process systemse.g. Electron beam evaporators
  • Thickness measuring devicese.g. Ellipsometers
  • Laboratory evaporatorse.g. Filament evaporators
  • Semiconductor process systemse.g. Fog chambers
  • Frequency counters or timer or dividerse.g. Frequency counters
  • Engineering and TechnologyKnowledge 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.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • DesignKnowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • PhysicsKnowledge 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.
  • Production and ProcessingKnowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  • Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.