Reinventing the Field Engineer Job Description.
A proper field engineer job description takes numerous factors into account. How many times have we heard of recommended degrees, further studies, and various certification programs? Too many to even care to count them! And yet a novice student isn’t any less confused than they were in the beginning. Perhaps we should alter the approach a bit, by listing the desired qualities a person to become an engineer is expected to possess/develop.
Engage engineers right now to seize growth opportunities!
An Easy to Follow Field Service Engineer Job Description
The best field service engineer job description should, therefore, commence with the mindset. If you care to take a peek at the job offer (which is enormous, by the way), you will soon realize that the average employer wishes to hire only super-human engineering professionals. Every engineer is expected to have exquisite leadership, interpersonal- and communications skills. Not the best of news for the introverts!
Moreover, with that kind of calling, physical demands are also excessive. On average, a field service engineer commutes to the site every day. With plans changing all the time, so do engineers’ duties. The professional must be attentive to detail, on top of being expected to balance, climb, crouch, kneel and crawl on a regular basis.
Field engineers lift and move materials weighing up to 60 pounds. They must possess specific vision abilities in order to remain safe at all times, including a good close-, distance-, and peripheral vision. Good stamina and balance are absolutely essential.
All engineers are expected to “listen and hear” (as one industry giant niftily puts it), as to be able to change the focus when the need arises. And it does quite often. Large-scale engineering projects are being reviewed on a daily basis, with any potential issue being prevented before even happening. These are costly undertakings we are talking about, so that kind of approach is only natural. Still, there’s no denying that the job can get highly stressful at times, and field engineers must have an appropriate mindset to be able to cope with it in the long run.
An experienced field engineer is familiar with all kinds of situations to be expected. In this profession, especially, it is the years of experience that count. For, albeit difficulties are many and unforeseen, there is still a kind of pattern to them. Skilled field engineers develop over time perfect organizational and interpersonal skills. These are essential, and mildly put, to long and beneficial career prospects.
More often than not, field engineers provide support to customers on top of onsite service. Translated into plain language, that is to say that they need to be mobile- going where and as needed, as to address technical issues in a timely manner.
Field Engineer Duties go Creative
To become a field engineer, one needs to obtain a degree in civil, electrical, mechanical, or chemical engineering. That is – for starters. Depending on the field of study (and usually in all cases), additional certification and a MBA is welcome. If you’re aiming at a senior position, the latter is an absolute must.
Additional requirement for beginners include a state license, PE and FE certificates. The PE (Professional Licensed engineer) exam may be attempted by students close to concluding an undergraduate degree as well as fresh graduates. The same goes for the FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) exam, which is computer-based and may be taken at any NCEES approved Pearson VUE test center.
Finally, we come to the famed mindset. Field engineers absolutely must be fast thinkers, perfect at problem solving, capable of thinking outside the box. Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills go without saying. Field engineers are required to handle issues both independently and as team members.
Work Environment and Expected Salary
Field engineers usually work 40 hours per week. Occasionally there is overtime work and traveling is an integral part of the job. The latter varies greatly depending on the project type. Sometimes it is a daily trip to the site; at other times it is multi-day travels to the location. This applies to company-employed engineers, whose salary ranges from $49,500 and $66,000 per annum, plus additional bonuses.
There is, however, a quite different approach to field engineering: going freelance. Project-based work has steadily gained popularity worldwide and for a good reason. Global markets logically offer far better employment prospects than local ones, and nowhere that holds true more than in case of engineering. A professional freelance network for engineers is all it takes for your career to take that next step. Enjoy flexible working hours, collaborate only on professionally satisfying projects, and get paid as much as you deserve.
We don’t mean traditional freelance job-seeking sites. We mean specialized online marketplaces just for engineers. As it happens, one such platform already exists and has a proven track record of successfully bringing together the finest of engineers and the employers in urgent need of their skill sets. All that – worldwide!
Enter Field Engineer, a fully automated platform founded by engineers for engineers. It already lists over 15,000 professionals in North and South America, Asia, Europe, and Africa. So far they have brought to a successful conclusion 4,500 jobs posted by 45 different contractors. Field Engineer guarantees all payments immediately upon project completion, and sends job alerts to your inbox daily. The best news is that it is equally beneficial to employers. They get to track project process step-by-step, which disables any potential misunderstanding before it could even occur.
Redefining The Field Engineer Job Description
Online engineering marketplaces like Field Engineer are redefining the field engineer job description. Certainly they guarantee a less stressful work environment, on the site of your choosing, on your terms. For, the system works in such a way that it allows engineers to directly negotiate the terms with potential employers. Satisfaction on both ends is guaranteed!