Job Role Description

IT and Engineering > Electrical Engineer

Salary National Average

Low Medium High
91360.0000 103390.0000 118200.0000

Supply and Demand

Candidate Supply: 7,861 Job Openings: 3,080

0 50 100

More Difficult Less Difficult

Salary Variance

Enter City, State to view local salaries and candidate demand.

Short Description:

Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise electrical equipment manufacturing, such as electric motors, radar and navigation systems, communications systems, or power generation equipment. They work on a wide range of technologies, from small microchips to large power generation systems, ensuring functionality, efficiency, and safety.  They also provide technical guidance to designers and less experienced engineers and are consulted extensively by associates and others with a high degree of reliance placed on scientific interpretations and advice.

Duties / Responsibilities:

  • Operate computer-assisted engineering or design software or equipment to perform engineering tasks.
  • Prepare technical drawings, specifications of electrical systems, or topographical maps to ensure that installation and operations conform to standards and customer requirements.
  • 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.
  • Direct or coordinate manufacturing, construction, installation, maintenance, support, documentation, or testing activities to ensure compliance with specifications, codes, or customer requirements.
  • Compile data and write reports regarding existing or potential electrical engineering studies or projects.
  • Perform detailed calculations to determine manufacturing, construction, or installation standards or specifications.
  • Prepare specifications for purchases of materials or equipment.
  • Estimate labor, material, or construction costs for budget preparation purposes.
  • Supervise or train project team members as necessary.
  • Conduct field surveys or study maps, graphs, diagrams, or other data to identify and correct power system problems.
  • Investigate customer or public complaints to determine the nature and extent of problems.
  • Oversee project production efforts to ensure projects are completed on time and within budget.
  • Inspect completed installations and observe operations to ensure conformance to design and equipment specifications and compliance with operational, safety, or environmental standards. 
  • Plan or implement research methodology or procedures to apply principles of electrical theory to engineering projects.
  • Design electrical systems or components that minimize electric energy requirements, such as lighting systems designed to account for natural lighting. 
  • Plan layout of electric power generating plants or distribution lines or stations.
  • Assist in developing capital project programs for new equipment or major repairs.

Skills / Requirements / Qualifications

  • Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the audience's needs.
  • Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active Learning: Understanding new information's implications for current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Monitoring: Monitoring/assessing the performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
  • Operations Analysis: Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
  • Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance relative to the system's goals.
  • Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Science: Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
  • Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
  • Coordination: Adjusting actions concerning others' actions.
  • Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
  • Management of Personnel Resources: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.

Job Zones

  • Education: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
  • Related Experience: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.
  • Job Training: Employees in these occupations usually need years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, or vocational training.
  • Job Zone Examples: Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, sales managers, database administrators, teachers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.
  • Specific Vocational Preparation in years: 2-4 years of preparation (7.0 to < 8.0)

Share Role Details

Return to job listings