Mechanical Engineers

People in this career often have these skills:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
• 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.
• 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.
• Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
• 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.

People in this career often know a lot about:

• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• 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.
• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• 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.
• 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.

People in this career often have talent in:

• 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 that there is a problem.
• 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).
• 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).
• Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
• 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).
• Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
• Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
• 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.

People in this career often do these activities:

• Review technical documents to plan work.
• Evaluate characteristics of equipment or systems.
• Design industrial processing systems.
• Design industrial equipment.
• Implement design or process improvements.

• Confer with other personnel to resolve design or operational problems.
• Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans.
• Estimate operational costs.
• Investigate system, equipment, or product failures.
• Recommend technical design or process changes to improve efficiency, quality, or performance.
• Advise others regarding green practices or environmental concerns.
• Analyze design or requirements information for mechanical equipment or systems.
• Supervise production or support personnel.
• Identify new applications for existing technologies.
• Direct installation activities.
• Select tools, equipment, or technologies for use in operations or projects.
• Install production equipment or systems.
• Advise customers on the use of products or services.
• Direct equipment maintenance or repair activities.
• Design structures or facilities.
• Create images or other visual displays.
• Evaluate plans or specifications to determine technological or environmental implications.
• Test performance of electrical, electronic, mechanical, or integrated systems or equipment.
• Create models of engineering designs or methods.
• Document technical design details.
• Research industrial processes or operations.
• Prepare proposal documents.
• Design electronic or computer equipment or instrumentation.
• Determine operational methods.
• Coordinate safety or regulatory compliance activities.
• Direct industrial production activities.
• Perform marketing activities.

• Aerospace Engineers

• Electrical Engineers

• Photonics Engineers

• Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians

• Electronics Engineers, Except Computer

• Validation Engineers

• Industrial Engineers

• Logistics Engineers

• Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors