What Are the Different Types of Engineers?

When most people think of engineers, they tend to picture someone who works with gadgets or equipment. In reality, they also build major infrastructure and help jumpstart developing nations.

That doesn’t mean every engineer can do any job required of them. The field breaks down into a variety of different specialized areas.

For example, a civil engineer works with structures in the environment. Mechanical engineers focus more on smaller, electrical equipment. 

Here are some of the different types of engineers you should know if you’re interested in the field. 

Chemical Engineering

One of the first types of engineers is the chemical engineer. Chemical engineering involves solving problems with chemicals, food, and drugs. They use their training to test and improve various processes in commercial and industrial settings. 

Some examples of chemically engineered products include detergents and pharmaceuticals.

Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical engineering is all about systems of motion. That includes a large range of products you see in your everyday life. Batteries, refrigeration systems, and engines are just a few of the items they create.

Part of their job is also investigating faulty equipment to see what repairs it needs. Some jobs in the field include automation engineer and research and development.

Electrical Engineering

Electrical engineering often works alongside mechanical engineering. They focus on the design, testing, and manufacturing of electrical components. These include motors, communication systems, and power generation. 

It’s a broad field, which means you can easily find your niche in it. An electrical engineer can find work helping to maintain the city’s power grid. They may also work on small motion detectors for security systems. 

Civil Engineering

Civil engineering veers away from developing consumer products. Instead, they focus more on the infrastructure of your city.

The projects they design, build, and maintain include bridges, roads, tunnels, and more. A civil engineer may also identify areas of risk to natural disasters. If the area you’re in is safe and easy to navigate, then you have civil engineers to thank. 

Work often involves time spent both in an office and at various project sites. 

Thermoplastic Engineering 

As the name implies, thermoplastic engineering involves making a family of thermoplastics. These have higher performance properties than other plastics on the market. Thermoplastics are designed for more demanding applications in engineering and industrial fields.

For example, thermoplastic engineers created self lubricating plastic materials. They cut friction and the need for more lubrication. These plastics also dissipate static, are low combustion, and can handle extreme temperatures. 

Choosing Types of Engineering to Pursue

All the different types of engineers make their own contributions to society. Maybe you want to work on the area you live in and improve the safety measures for pedestrians. Or maybe you’re more interested in science and its real-world applications. 

Either way, you can rest knowing that you’ll get paid a good salary with any choice you make in the field. There’s also the benefit of only requiring a bachelor’s degree for most of the fields.

Check out our other articles for more information on science, tech, and related topics.