Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technicians: Salary, career path, job outlook, education and more

Electrical and electronics engineering technicians help electrical and electronics engineers design and develop computers, communications equipment, medical monitoring devices, navigational equipment, and other electrical and electronic equipment. They often work in product evaluation and testing, and use measuring and diagnostic devices to adjust, test, and repair equipment. They are also involved in the manufacture and deployment of equipment for automation.

What do Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technicians do?

Electrical engineering technicians typically do the following:

• Put together electrical and electronic systems and prototypes
• Build, calibrate, and repair electrical instruments or testing equipment
• Visit construction sites to observe conditions affecting design
• Identify solutions to technical design problems that arise during the construction of electrical systems
• Inspect designs for quality control, report findings, and make recommendations
• Draw diagrams and write specifications to clarify design details of experimental electronics units

Electrical engineering technicians install and maintain electrical control systems and equipment, and modify electrical prototypes, parts, and assemblies to correct problems. When testing systems, they set up equipment and evaluate the performance of developmental parts, assemblies, or systems under simulated conditions. They then analyze test information to resolve design-related problems.

Electronics engineering technicians typically do the following:

• Design basic circuitry and draft sketches to clarify details of design documentation, under engineers direction
• Build prototypes from rough sketches or plans
• Assemble, test, and maintain circuitry or electronic components according to engineering instructions, technical manuals, and knowledge of electronics
• Adjust and replace defective circuitry and electronic components
• Make parts, such as coils and terminal boards, by using bench lathes, drills, or other machine tools

Electronics engineering technicians identify and resolve equipment malfunctions and then work with manufacturers to get replacement parts. They also calibrate and perform preventive maintenance on equipment and systems.

These technicians often need to read blueprints, schematic drawings, and engineering instructions for assembling electronic units. They also write reports and record data on testing techniques, laboratory equipment, and specifications.