what is an engineer?
Engineers are technical professionals who fill the gap between art and science in various areas of industry. You are responsible for turning ideas into reality, ensuring that plans on paper can be achieved by solving design problems. As an engineer, you can specialise in areas like computer engineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, and more.
In your role as an engineer, you identify potential problems a design might encounter during the construction process and resolve them. For example, architectural designs that would be structurally unsound or electronic devices that would suffer from interference. The specific problems you are likely to solve depend on the industry you work in.
Knowledge of many related disciplines is necessary to excel as an engineer. For example, an electrical engineer needs a thorough grounding in electrical systems, a computer engineer in computers, and so on.
Good communication skills are essential to your role, as being an engineer involves working closely with others on projects. Your ongoing involvement in a project, such as scheduling routine maintenance, also requires excellent communication and organisational skills. It is also sometimes necessary to present information to your superiors, such as reports on the viability of a product or project.
Would you like working as an engineer suit your personality and skill set? If so, keep reading to find out what competencies and qualifications will help you succeed in this profession.
engineer jobsaverage salary of an engineer
The average salary of an engineer in India is around ₹591,900 per year, though earnings vary across a wide range. At the low end of that range, entry-level engineers earn around ₹350,000 per year. At the other end of the scale, the most experienced engineers in India can earn as much as ₹16,53,086. However, it can take many years to reach the level of experience necessary to earn the highest salaries.
factors that affect engineers' pay
The primary factor in how much you can earn as an engineer is your chosen field. For example, a civil engineer earns, on average, a third of the salary that a testing engineer makes. After that, the biggest factors in your salary are your qualifications and experience. Qualifications are a bigger factor when first entering the job market, after which experience starts to have a more substantial influence.
types of engineer
As mentioned above, there are many areas in which you can specialise as an engineer. The choice of area is important, as it is not easy to switch between them due to their different qualifications. Some of the main types of engineers include:
- civil engineer: working as a civil engineer, you are responsible for building and constructing civil projects, such as bridges, tunnels and dams. This type of engineering can cover a lot of different project types.
- electrical engineer: electrical engineers work with electrical systems and electronic equipment. In this role, you carry out tasks like installing electrical lines and producing electronic products. You may be working in residential or commercial settings.
- mechanical engineer: as a mechanical engineer, you assist in designing and developing machinery and other types of equipment for use in an industrial setting.
- chemical engineer: in this role, you are responsible for converting chemical substances into products, such as medical supplies. Your role involves a lot of research and development and putting together ingredients for the products you develop.
- test engineer: a test engineer plays a critical role in ensuring that software and products meet the required quality standards and function as expected.As a test engineer your primary job is to develop and execute test plans to identify defects, bugs, or performance issues.
- structural engineer: a structural engineer is responsible for ensuring that structures are designed, built, and maintained to be safe, reliable, and sustainable. As a structural engineer you play a critical role in the construction and maintenance of the built environment.
- systems engineer: a systems engineer is responsible for designing and managing complex systems, including hardware, software, and infrastructure. As a systems engineer you play a critical role in ensuring that systems are reliable, efficient, and effective.
- software engineer: a software engineer is responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining software applications that meet user needs and requirements. As a software engineer you play a critical role in the development of software systems and applications in a wide range of industries.
- maintenance engineer: a maintenance engineer is responsible for ensuring that equipment and machinery are operating efficiently and effectively. As a maintenance engineer you play a critical role in preventing equipment failures and minimizing downtime, which helps to reduce costs and improve productivity.
- development engineer: a development engineer is responsible for designing and developing new products, systems, or technologies that meet customer needs and requirements. As a development engineer you play a critical role in the innovation and growth of businesses and industries.
- data engineer: a data engineer is responsible for designing, developing, and managing the data architecture and infrastructure of an organization. As a data engineer you play a critical role in enabling data-driven decision making and ensuring that data is accessible and usable by stakeholders.
working as an engineer
Whatever your technical specialism, your love of machines, structures and systems is fulfilled by your work as an engineer. As well as practical work, you may produce detailed designs and plans, analyses and reports. Your job can span lots of different areas and you often work with many other team members on large and complex projects.
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duties and responsibilities
The specific duties of an engineer include:
- providing project specifications: any project you work on needs specifications drawn for the various other parties involved to work from. These specifications will determine the functionality and effectiveness of the product or project in developement.
- creating plans: much like project specifications, plans are necessary to ensure all relevant parties know what they are doing. On a project scale, plans might involve technical drawings and a breakdown of materials. On a larger scale, such as a construction project, they can include structural and architectural plans.
- putting reports together: your colleagues and the departments and companies working on your project are not the only ones who need to be kept informed. You write reports covering cost analysis and performance reviews throughout the project. These reports help to keep your superiors abreast of how things are going.
- product testing: there are many steps between planning a product and bringing it to market. You will oversee any necessary testing that needs to take place during this period.
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work environment
Your work environment is determined by the specialisation you choose when you become an engineer. Depending on your specialisation, your typical work environment can be an office, a manufacturing plant, a laboratory, a construction site, or a mixture of these locations. You may need to travel as part of your role. Again, this will depend on the specialisation you choose when you start on your path to being an engineer.
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who are your colleagues?
The people you work with will vary depending on your specialisation, your industry, and your employer's specific business. For example, your colleagues as an engineer in manufacturing include industrial designers, production operatives, assembly workers, and more. Alternatively, if you become a civil engineer, your colleagues are architects, maintenance engineers, field engineers, mechanical engineers, structural engineers, electrical engineers, construction specialists, groundworkers, site managers, and other professionals in the construction industry.
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work schedule
Engineers work a full-time schedule of around 40 to 50 hours per week. During the earlier stages of a project, such as product testing or research, you could face overtime as deadlines approach. Some projects may necessitate regular unsociable hours, such as overseeing maintenance work at night to minimise the amount of disruption caused. Unsociable hours may be necessary for meeting suppliers outside of regular business hours during the project itself.
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job outlook
Your job prospects as an engineer are promising on two fronts. Firstly, engineers are always in high demand. Civil projects are ongoing processes, and products always need designing and manufacturing. Secondly, you have a lot of scope for progression in your career when you become an engineer, particularly a move into management or even education.
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advantages of finding an executive assistant job through randstad
Finding your engineer job through Randstad provides important advantages such as:
- a wide variety of training and development opportunities
- an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
- a range of opportunities in your area
- get paid on a monthly basis
- temporary and permanent contracts
Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as an engineer is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Every year, thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too!
education and skills
Some of the academic qualifications for engineers include:
- diploma in engineering: a diploma in engineering is a three-year program you can pursue after completing 10th grade. This qualification is generally enough to get into the profession, though your salary may not be as high as more qualified entry-level engineers.
- bachelor's degree: a bachelor of engineering is a four-year course and should improve your chances of being hired. It also increases your potential salary when first starting in the profession.
skills and competencies
Some of the qualities of a successful engineer include:
- attention to detail: small errors can cause significant and costly problems if left unchecked. Things like missing components, making minor mistakes in measurements or other technical data, and other errors can be caught early or avoided altogether if you have good attention to detail.
- project management: engineers, particularly in project lead roles, handle the many moving parts of a typical project. Depending on your organisation, you may work on multiple projects simultaneously. For a civil engineer, your projects are large and have many aspects to keep track of. Project management skills enable you to keep track the mulitple parts of projects.
- an aptitude for mathematics and science: maths and science are fundamental skills in engineering. From the design process to the planning and execution of a project, an aptitude for maths, science, and technology helps with day-to-day engineering tasks.
- critical thinking: a strong faculty for critical thinking gives you the ability to solve problems and is a core skill for an engineer.
FAQs about working as an engineer
FAQs about working as an engineer:
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which engineer is the highest paid in India?
The highest-paid engineers in India can earn up to ₹16,50,000 per year. The highest salaries tend to go to the most experienced and qualified engineers, with the average engineer's salary being around ₹591,900 yearly.
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which engineers are in demand in India?
Of the many different types of engineering professions in demand in India, biomedical engineering, automation and robotics engineering, and agricultural engineering are among the most in demand.
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which engineer job is best for the future?
The best engineer's job for any individual differs depending on their interests and skills. Civil engineering tends to be among India's most reliable engineering jobs because there are always civil engineering projects.
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what are the six types of engineers?
Engineering can be broadly separated into six major branches. These are: electrical, mechanical, civil, chemical, geotechnical, and aeronautical. Each of these branches also has subcategories.
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how do I apply for an engineer vacancy?
Applying for an engineer job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our job offers for vacancies in your area. Then simply send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here!
