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Automotive Engineering Technician

All About Automotive Engineering Technicians

Job Description: Assist engineers in determining the practicality of proposed product design changes and plan and carry out tests on experimental test devices or equipment for performance, durability, or efficiency.

Life As an Automotive Engineering Technician

  • Fabricate new or modify existing prototype components or fixtures.
  • Analyze test data for automotive systems, subsystems, or component parts.
  • Participate in research or testing of computerized automotive applications, such as telemetrics, intelligent transportation systems, artificial intelligence, or automatic control.
  • Recommend product or component design improvements, based on test data or observations.
  • Improve fuel efficiency by testing vehicles or components that use lighter materials, such as aluminum, magnesium alloy, or plastic.
  • Analyze performance of vehicles or components that have been redesigned to increase fuel efficiency, such as camless or dual-clutch engines or alternative types of air-conditioning systems.

Skills Needed to be an Automotive Engineering Technician

Automotive Engineering Technicians state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

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.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Types of Automotive Engineering Technician

  • Auto Design Checker
  • Research Technician
  • Laboratory Technician (Lab Technician)
  • Durability Technician
  • Emissions Engineer

Is There Job Demand for Automotive Engineering Technicians?

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 46,100 jobs in the United States for Automotive Engineering Technician. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 5% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 2,300 new jobs for Automotive Engineering Technician by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 4,200 job openings in this field each year.

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The states with the most job growth for Automotive Engineering Technician are Utah, Connecticut, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Maine, or Hawaii. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Do Automotive Engineering Technicians Make A Lot Of Money?

The average yearly salary of an Automotive Engineering Technician ranges between $34,900 and $85,430.

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Automotive Engineering Technicians who work in Louisiana, New Mexico, or Colorado, make the highest salaries.

How much do Automotive Engineering Technicians make in different U.S. states?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $57,670
Alaska $65,050
Arizona $57,620
Arkansas $53,860
California $62,510
Colorado $68,690
Connecticut $69,900
District of Columbia $55,820
Florida $50,360
Georgia $55,540
Idaho $54,740
Illinois $60,940
Indiana $53,430
Iowa $51,710
Kansas $55,210
Kentucky $50,510
Louisiana $82,350
Maine $62,720
Maryland $61,790
Massachusetts $60,100
Michigan $55,470
Minnesota $58,940
Mississippi $61,630
Missouri $51,850
Montana $55,070
Nebraska $56,070
Nevada $67,610
New Hampshire $55,160
New Jersey $55,090
New Mexico $79,530
New York $60,000
North Carolina $54,810
North Dakota $59,350
Ohio $54,660
Oklahoma $58,630
Oregon $51,860
Pennsylvania $54,640
Rhode Island $59,180
South Carolina $58,790
South Dakota $43,310
Tennessee $55,730
Texas $67,740
Utah $54,060
Vermont $53,420
Virginia $60,860
Washington $65,300
West Virginia $54,950
Wisconsin $52,140

What Tools do Automotive Engineering Technicians Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Automotive Engineering Technicians:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • SAP
  • IBM Notes
  • Computer aided design CAD software
  • National Instruments LabVIEW
  • PTC Creo Parametric
  • Computer aided manufacturing CAM software
  • Data acquisition software
  • Autodesk Inventor
  • Autodesk AutoCAD Mechanical

How do I Become an Automotive Engineering Technician?

Individuals working as an Automotive Engineering Technician have obtained the following education levels:

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How Long Does it Take to Become an Automotive Engineering Technician?

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References:

Image Credit: via Creative Commons CC0

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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