Biomechanical Engineer
Biomechanical Engineer
Career Overview
Biomechanical Engineering is involved with creating and producing a variety of products in everyday use, from environmentally safe plastics to various foods, fabrics and medicines. A combination of chemical and biological engineering, it's a fast-growing field with many new and exciting opportunities in genetic engineering and biotechnology.
Education
Upon entering college, students usually major in either chemical or biological engineering. Biomechanical Engineering is most often taken as a concentration within either major, allowing the student to hone his/her skills in this area while combining communication skills for future career advancement into management positions within engineering firms. As with many jobs in engineering, career advancement usually means earning a Master’s degree.
Future Outlook
Much like biomedical engineers, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts quick job growth for biomechanical engineers. Through 2020, job growth should be near 60%, meaning there will be plenty of opportunities available for those interested in this field. As technology continues to develop, so will the need for engineers that can best figure out how to use it to make the world a better place to live.
Work Environment
Biomechanical engineers can work in a variety of fields, including medical, sports and rehabilitation. Those working in the medical field specialize in working with cells and tissues, studying their mechanics and mechanobiology. These engineers spend much time in labs trying to fabricate human tissue, hoping to ultimately eliminate many diseases.
Recommended High School Courses
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Math
- Computer Programming
- Calculus
- Physics
- Fundamentals of Mechanics
- Fundamentals of Mechanical Design
- Calculus & Vectors
- Calculus 1
- Calculus 2
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- 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.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
- Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Programming - Writing computer programs for various purposes.
- Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- 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.
- Technology Design - Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.
- Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
- Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
- Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
- Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- 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.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
- Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
- 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.
- Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
- Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
- 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).
- 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).
- Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- 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.
- Perceptual Speed - The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
- 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 there is a problem.
- Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
- Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Research engineering aspects of biological or chemical processes.
- Develop software or computer applications.
- Evaluate characteristics of equipment or systems.
- Create models of engineering designs or methods.
- Prepare procedural documents.
- Analyze operational data to evaluate operations, processes or products.
- Train personnel on proper operational procedures.
- Advise customers on the use of products or services.
- Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans.
- Communicate technical information to suppliers, contractors, or regulatory agencies.
- Design medical devices or appliances.
- Recommend technical design or process changes to improve efficiency, quality, or performance.
- Develop operational methods or processes that use green materials or emphasize sustainability.
- Develop technical methods or processes.
- Devise research or testing protocols.
- Estimate operational costs.
- Estimate time requirements for development or production projects.
- Maintain operational records or records systems.
- Prepare contracts, disclosures, or applications.
- Prepare detailed work plans.
- Prepare technical reports for internal use.
- Supervise engineering or other technical personnel.
- Update technical knowledge.
Schools
Schools
Bob Jones University
Desales University
Duke University
East Carolina University
Johns Hopkins University
Massachusetts Institute O...
Purdue University- Fort W...
University Of California-...
University Of Notre Dame
University Of Southern Ca...
Carleton University
Queen's University- Ki...
University Of Calgary
University Of Ottawa
University Of Saskatch...
University Of Waterloo
York University- Keele...
Approx Salary Expectation
Currency:
Low End:
$51,890.00 /yr
Avg/Med:
$88,550.00 /yr
High End:
$144,350.00 /yr
References
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/.
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.