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Automotive Engineers

It's a bright outlook for

This career will grow rapidly in the next few years.

Learn more about what they do.

Develop new or improved designs for vehicle structural members, engines, transmissions, or other vehicle systems, using computer-assisted design technology. Direct building, modification, or testing of vehicle or components.

Related: Aerospace Engineers Electronics Engineers Industrial Engineers Manufacturing Engineers Mechanical Engineers

Industries: Manufacturing Professional, Science, & Technical

Summary
Details

Perform failure, variation, or root cause analyses.
Provide technical direction to other engineers or engineering support personnel.
Write, review, or maintain engineering documentation.
Develop engineering specifications or cost estimates for automotive design concepts.
Create design alternatives for vehicle components, such as camless or dual-clutch engines or alternative air-conditioning systems, to increase fuel efficiency.
Conduct or direct system-level automotive testing.
Develop engineering specifications or cost estimates for automotive design concepts.
Prepare or present technical or project status reports.
Alter or modify designs to obtain specified functional or operational performance.
Establish production or quality control standards.
Research or implement green automotive technologies involving alternative fuels, electric or hybrid cars, or lighter or more fuel-efficient vehicles.
Design vehicles that use lighter materials, such as aluminum, magnesium alloy, or plastic, to improve fuel efficiency.
Design vehicles for increased recyclability or use of natural, renewable, or recycled materials in vehicle construction.
Calibrate vehicle systems, including control algorithms or other software systems.
Research computerized automotive applications, such as telemetrics, intelligent transportation systems, artificial intelligence, or automatic control.
Develop or implement operating methods or procedures.
Develop specifications for vehicles powered by alternative fuels or alternative power methods.
Design or analyze automobile systems in areas such as aerodynamics, alternate fuels, ergonomics, hybrid power, brakes, transmissions, steering, calibration, safety, or diagnostics.
Develop or integrate control feature requirements.
Conduct automotive design reviews.
Write, review, or maintain engineering documentation.
Coordinate production activities with other functional units, such as procurement, maintenance, or quality control.
Design control systems or algorithms for purposes such as automotive energy management, emissions management, or increased operational safety or performance.
Develop calibration methodologies, test methodologies, or tools.
Read current literature, attend meetings or conferences, or talk with colleagues to stay abreast of new automotive technology or competitive products.
Conduct or direct system-level automotive testing.
Conduct research studies to develop new concepts in the field of automotive engineering.
Develop or implement operating methods or procedures.
Build models for algorithm or control feature verification testing.
Design or analyze automobile systems in areas such as aerodynamics, alternate fuels, ergonomics, hybrid power, brakes, transmissions, steering, calibration, safety, or diagnostics.

Writing
- Writing things for co-workers or customers.
Active Learning
- Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
Coordination
- Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
Negotiation
- Bringing people together to solve differences.
Equipment Maintenance
- Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
Troubleshooting
- Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
Science
- Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
Time Management
- Managing your time and the time of other people.
Judgment and Decision Making
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
Systems Analysis
- Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
Systems Evaluation
- Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
Learning Strategies
- Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
Monitoring
- Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
Complex Problem Solving
- Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
Instructing
- Teaching people how to do something.
Equipment Selection
- Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
Management of Personnel Resources
- Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
Persuasion
- Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
Service Orientation
- Looking for ways to help people.
Programming
- Writing computer programs.
Technology Design
- Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
Management of Financial Resources
- Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
Operations Analysis
- Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
Operation and Control
- Using equipment or systems.
Speaking
- Talking to others.
Management of Material Resources
- Managing equipment and materials.
Mathematics
- Using math to solve problems.
Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
Quality Control Analysis
- Testing how well a product or service works.
Critical Thinking
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
Social Perceptiveness
- Understanding people's reactions.

Visual Color Discrimination
- Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
Deductive Reasoning
- Using rules to solve problems.
Spatial Orientation
- Knowing where things are around you.
Control Precision
- Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
Glare Sensitivity
- Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
Auditory Attention
- Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
Oral Comprehension
- Listening and understanding what people say.
Selective Attention
- Paying attention to something without being distracted.
Flexibility of Closure
- Seeing hidden patterns.
Time Sharing
- Doing two or more things at the same time.
Speed of Closure
- Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
Oral Expression
- Communicating by speaking.
Multilimb Coordination
- Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Problem Sensitivity
- Noticing when problems happen.
Reaction Time
- Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
Mathematical Reasoning
- Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
Written Expression
- Communicating by writing.
Near Vision
- Seeing details up close.
Gross Body Equilibrium
- Keeping your balance or staying upright.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Keeping your arm or hand steady.
Response Orientation
- Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
Number Facility
- Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
Originality
- Creating new and original ideas.
Hearing Sensitivity
- Telling the difference between sounds.
Sound Localization
- Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
Trunk Strength
- Using your lower back and stomach.
Perceptual Speed
- Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
Written Comprehension
- Reading and understanding what is written.
Speed of Limb Movement
- Quickly moving your arms and legs.
Dynamic Strength
- Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
Category Flexibility
- Grouping things in different ways.
Static Strength
- Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
Extent Flexibility
- Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Manual Dexterity
- Holding or moving items with your hands.
Memorization
- Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
Night Vision
- Seeing at night or under low light.
Peripheral Vision
- Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
Depth Perception
- Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
Far Vision
- Seeing details that are far away.
Gross Body Coordination
- Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
Speech Recognition
- Recognizing spoken words.
Rate Control
- Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
Dynamic Flexibility
- Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Finger Dexterity
- Putting together small parts with your fingers.
Wrist-Finger Speed
- Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
Explosive Strength
- Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
Visualization
- Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
Speech Clarity
- Speaking clearly.
Inductive Reasoning
- Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
Fluency of Ideas
- Coming up with lots of ideas.
Information Ordering
- Ordering or arranging things.
Stamina
- Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

Law and Government
- Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Mathematics
- Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Geography
- Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
History and Archeology
- Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
Psychology
- Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Personnel and Human Resources
- Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
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.
Therapy and Counseling
- Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Food Production
- Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
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.
Computers and Electronics
- Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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.
Telecommunications
- Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
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.
Mechanical
- Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Fine Arts
- Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
Communications and Media
- Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Sociology and Anthropology
- Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
Production and Processing
- Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
English Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Design
- Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Building and Construction
- Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Economics and Accounting
- Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Customer and Personal Service
- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Foreign Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
Education and Training
- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Philosophy and Theology
- Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
Sales and Marketing
- Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Administrative
- Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Public Safety and Security
- Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Transportation
- Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
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.

Education

Bachelor's degree

Work Experience

No work experience

Training

No on-the-job training

Education and Training Opportunities

Washington Annual Salary

109370/yr

Washington Hourly Wage

52.58/hr

Currently Employed

9,340

Yearly Projected Openings

710

Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They do well at jobs that need:

Integrity
Analytical Thinking
Dependability
Attention to Detail
Initiative
Persistence

Air compressors
Anechoic chambers
Bandsaw wheel
Chemical absorption gas analyzers
Digital cameras
Dissolved carbon dioxide analyzers
Drill press or radial drill
Dynamometers
Electro pneumatic transducers
Flow transmitters
Flowmeters
Force or torque sensors
Hoists
Horizontal turning center
Hydraulic press frames
Lifts
Metal inert gas welding machine
Milling machines
Ohmmeters
Oxygen gas analyzers
Plasma arc welding machine
Power grinders
Power saws
Pressure indicators
Sand blasting machine
Spectrometers
Spot welding machine
Strain gauges
Thermocouples
Three dimensional printing machine
Tracer or duplicating or contouring lathe
Track cranes
Winches
Workshop cranes

Analytical or scientific software
Computer aided design CAD software
Computer aided manufacturing CAM software
Customer relationship management CRM software
Data base user interface and query software
Development environment software
Electronic mail software
Enterprise application integration software
Enterprise resource planning ERP software
File versioning software
Graphics or photo imaging software
Industrial control software
Object or component oriented development software
Office suite software
Operating system software
Presentation software
Process mapping and design software
Program testing software
Project management software
Spreadsheet software
Web platform development software
Word processing software

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